Great, but by no means perfect.
Reviews have been overly negative, so I went into it with slightly shallow expectations (even though the trailer did pique my interest).
However, I was very pleasantly surprised by one of the coolest Sci-Fi films I've seen in a very long time.
From the off I was absolutely drawn into the plight of the two men trying to fight off paranoia, claustrophobia, panic, etc... while the desperation of their situation bore down on them. The set pieces were exceptionally well done, and the first section of the film is hugely atmospheric and tense.
Going any further is going to require spoilers. All I can say is please, if you haven't heard anything about this film yet, DON'T go looking for more info. Stay away from the IMDb boards especially. While you could enjoy this even if the plot was spoilt for you, it'll be much more effective if you let it unravel with no further knowledge.
The film covers every base for me in terms of what a decent sci-fi experience should: memorable characters and set-pieces, a plot that develops and twists (mostly) naturally,, a great transition from perceived situation to reality, and it doesn't ever feel dumbed down or the future science forced or unbelievable.
The only flaws I can mention without spoiling are: -Some parts of whispered dialogue are annoyingly low -Some of the editing is a little confusing at times. -Some of the action moments are a little over the top (I'd have preferred more tension and less hands on, but it's not a film breaker and it's still fun to watch) -The way the back story is explained isn't absolutely efficient, and if you're not paying attention 100%, you could miss out on a couple of key elements and be left a little confused as to what exactly happened.
I'd highly recommend this to fans of sci-fi such as Aliens, and Event Horizon, and while this film will no doubt be compared ad nauseum to the aforementioned, and while it doesn't' ever re-invent the reactor core, it DOES add up to more than the sum of its parts.
A well crafted and hugely enjoyable experience, but not without its flaws. Recommended.
However, I was very pleasantly surprised by one of the coolest Sci-Fi films I've seen in a very long time.
From the off I was absolutely drawn into the plight of the two men trying to fight off paranoia, claustrophobia, panic, etc... while the desperation of their situation bore down on them. The set pieces were exceptionally well done, and the first section of the film is hugely atmospheric and tense.
Going any further is going to require spoilers. All I can say is please, if you haven't heard anything about this film yet, DON'T go looking for more info. Stay away from the IMDb boards especially. While you could enjoy this even if the plot was spoilt for you, it'll be much more effective if you let it unravel with no further knowledge.
The film covers every base for me in terms of what a decent sci-fi experience should: memorable characters and set-pieces, a plot that develops and twists (mostly) naturally,, a great transition from perceived situation to reality, and it doesn't ever feel dumbed down or the future science forced or unbelievable.
The only flaws I can mention without spoiling are: -Some parts of whispered dialogue are annoyingly low -Some of the editing is a little confusing at times. -Some of the action moments are a little over the top (I'd have preferred more tension and less hands on, but it's not a film breaker and it's still fun to watch) -The way the back story is explained isn't absolutely efficient, and if you're not paying attention 100%, you could miss out on a couple of key elements and be left a little confused as to what exactly happened.
I'd highly recommend this to fans of sci-fi such as Aliens, and Event Horizon, and while this film will no doubt be compared ad nauseum to the aforementioned, and while it doesn't' ever re-invent the reactor core, it DOES add up to more than the sum of its parts.
A well crafted and hugely enjoyable experience, but not without its flaws. Recommended.
- somewhereovertheturnip
- Nov 15, 2009