Red Eye

*Quick thoughts typed here. Composition is mess with my quick review of Red Eye*

I saw some chatter about this movie on Instagram, so I said "why the hell not" and checked it out. I'm all for low budget indie horror. There's no other way to say it, but this is just a poor horror film. No sense of tension, and when some actually would build, it's killed by unintersting and overlong conversations with very cringeworthy dialogue. Another thing that became distracting were the filmmakers need to constantly remind you that this movie was made by horror fans that have watched a lot of horror films. It's sprinkled all over the movie in its dialogue, but it would explain the unoriginality on display during its running time. It just kept taking me out it. The use of music wasn't handled well either, mostly where it was placed throughout the film. Red Eye himself wasn't very much realized and had a lame origin, but I will say I did like his look. But for the most part he was wasted here.

There's some extreme pacing issues. After a slow and clock watching first two acts the movie eventually starts to pick it up towards its third act, but by that time I just lost interest. Every character is completely unlikable and poorly acted for the most part. And I don't know the obsession with this movie with sexual violence, and there's plenty mind you, but it's just used for straight up shock value and it comes off immature honestly. There are way more interesting ways to make your audience uneasy and this just came off lazy. The movie's climax tries to be unexpected, but it's quite the opposite. They would have been better off telling a straight up slasher story rather than make an attempt to outsmart their audience, because the story just didn't develop to make its twist feel earned.

Not all is awful in this movie. The cinematography for the most part is well done, and there is some decent gore in the movie. Now I know this was written and directed by individuals with minimal experience making movies, and they are fairly young. You can see that through and through in this. I do applaud them for going for it and getting a movie made. It's actually impressive with how they got it done. But I have to judge without bias what I watched, and their first effort falls flat on its face hard. I hope they keep making movies because I'm all for young filmmakers getting their work out there, but they have a lot of work to do to improve their craft.

I think what most people are forgetting here is that this film was written an produced by two 17 year olds. These reviews are like judging the newest Blumhouse flick lol.

Anyways I say give this fun slasher a watch, I received my IndieGoGo copy and usually pop it in once a year. It's not everyday you see two kids with a passion for something actually do it and do it well.

As for those saying they've not received their campaign perks they have emailed multiple times after production through campaign updates asking for any adress changes and if anyone did not get something correctly. Look on the IndieGoGo updates for proof. They have always been 100% transparent. Jealously is a nasty thing lol don't trust half of these reviews.

So I finally got the chance to check out red eye and I loved it!! The movie was so well done for the budget they had to work with!! we haven't had a good backwoods gorefest slasher in a long long time and guess what we finally got one!! I loved the story the fact that they actually gave us a good background story and some great plot twists throughout. For this being the directors first full feature length film he definitely put his heart and soul as did everyone else that worked on this into it! If y'all haven't seen this yet I HIGHLY RECOMMEND giving it a watch it was a wonderful tale and just a great time watching it!

Firstly, I watch a lot of z-grade horror films so I'm familiar with rushed production and low budget films but this film had bigger problems than it's low budget and obviously rushed production schedule.

OK. What this film severely lacked was likable characters - there was not a single one in sight. I feel like that was my biggest issue with the script, which is a true shame since they had lengthy moments (sometimes a little TOO long), but I could care less. The only one that could be likable or someone you can root for was the pregnant one BUT she is totally counteracted by the fact that she's a slut because of all her 'issues'... but a slut who is screwing her 'best friend's' man. BLAH. The final girl is a terrible 'final girl' - she's almost all talk and no action. She's way too vulgar and uses an unnecessary large amount of foul language - that's fine and all but it seemed soooo forced in contexts of their conversations and when it comes down to it, she just screams and runs... oh okay. And we get it, the characters are into horror and the macabre, you don't need countless dialogue reminding the audience of that. The male characters are not much better; typical jock attitude that (rapes his girlfriend?) and a movie junkie... totally not sure these kids would go camping together in the first place.

I wonder how many revisions or edits the screenwriters actually made before filming. I feel had they taken the time to read the script out loud, they would notice the dialogue is very stiff and doesn't come out naturally (and that's not due to the actors' fault). And again, absolutely totally unnecessary to keep reminding us the characters are into horror! It's repetitive... it's not doing anyone any favors, just irritating the audience.

The storyline also moves slowly. Yes, action begins around the 30 minute mark or so but because the characters are so unlikable and the dialogue is horrendous, it seems like a journey to get to the first interesting event (the prego girl getting injured). Something significant or interesting needed to happen in the first 30 minutes outside character conversations (or the build up).

SPOILERS

OK, it would have been effective on its own they killed the pregnant girl. But, not only was she murdered, her body was assaulted afterwards and then clearly ejaculated on in later shots. The other girl was treated no less with respect. She is also raped after she is murdered. That would've been fine to keep up with the same traits the killer does but she is raped by someone totally different! It was totally nonessential and tasteless... almost to a level of immaturity.

I did enjoy the cinematography but pity him for the fact that his work was included in this. It was almost too good for something like this.

Hopefully the director and writer mature, as individuals, and work on characters, dialogue, and death scenes that are actually effective.

Grade: F

This movie is worth the time. Go watch it now if you haven't already. It's packed with a lot of gore & blood.