matzke

This short film is based on my favorite Lovecraft story, so I was prepared to be angry with every change these guys made to the "utterly perfect" original tale. These guys won me over from the get-go. I accepted their changes because they fit the film, and I liked a number of the original ideas they wove into the storyline. Now I hear they are shooting a feature length film based on the same story! Not to diminish my respect for their short, but I can't wait to see what they are able to do with more time, more character development and more mood! This is a great example of a group of indie filmmakers daring to do what Hollywood fears to: adapt one of Lovecraft's finest stories in a way that is both entertaining and true to his intentions. Great job!

Sigh. Once again we're given a "science is evil" plot clouding a truly important issue. Could a film have been made that actually dealt just with cloning and stem cell research? Sure, far more academic subjects have been made into riveting dramas. Could it have attracted a cast as (usually) talented as this? Certainly. But no, instead they went for a re-hash of 1950's fear of science gone awry fluff cinema. This marks yet another low point in De Niro's career. Did his house need a new coat of paint? Why did he take this role, and why then did he choose to sleep walk through it?

The bottom line is: movie audiences aren't stupid, give us some real issues in realistic situations and we will reward you for it. This film opts to do neither, and then even fails as a mindless thriller since the audience can see the ending coming 45 minutes into the picture.

The plot of this film could hardly be more contrived. When the writer found himself confronted with a difficult scene he simply skips ahead in the plot and barely has the characters mention what has occurred. Who needs tension? Who needs a cohesive and believable plot? Not this movie's target audience clearly. A pretty good cast is rendered useless by the bad dialog and over done CGI. In fact, nearly every good scene ends badly either due to dialog or computer generated scares. I loved Hate, but clearly the director has lost his magic. Go watch Ringu, Stir of Echoes, or the Devil's Backbone instead.