Atlantis Down

This film is so bad it is beyond belief. The reviews on here giving it 10 out of 10 are clearly people having a laugh. I think it is simply the worst film I have ever watched in my life.

Atlantis Down is definitely a must see movie. It keeps the suspense very high from the beginning to the end of the story, making you continuously wonder what's coming next.

Oftentimes, it reminds of Hitchcock's movies when several possible shocks occur completely breaking the expectation based on the previous scenes.

At the end, still many interpretations are plausible. It's a never-ending story, or a story where it's up to the watcher to decide what the most plausible end of the movie should be among the several underlined by the developments.

It's intriguing and deep. It makes you think, and you do want to watch it again.

The dialog seemed very ad-libed. Sort of as if the director didn't have any more than an outline to work with and asked the actors to ad-lib emotions. "Give me Paranoid. OK, now give me Anger". I don't think the writer or director have any sociology interest because the actions and reactions of the actors did not fit with normal human actions and reactions. It's as if a child, without the benefit of years of watching human interactions, had written the dialog. The emotions of what the actors were going through did not fit the action at the time.

Character development is missing. Generic black guy, generic white woman, generic young guy, etc. No build up of back stories. No relationships. Nothing to make you feel that you know the characters and if you don't know the characters, why would you care what happens to them?

Atlantis Down seems to be a story coaxed out of a child by a parent. "And then what happened?" "And then?" "and after that, what happened?"

Atlantis Down is a thoughtful and energetic sci-fi suspense thriller reminiscent of Twilight Zone meets Lost that delivers topflight production value worthy of a much bigger studio. Atlantis Down moves along smartly, tying the viewer to a shuttle crew trying to explain the inexplicable. A talented ensemble turns in a collectively compelling performance highlighted by the 11th hour appearance of the savvy veteran Michael Rooker. Rooker's intense performance brings the story to an unsettling surprise ending. As good as the story, cast, and special effects are; the artful camera work is the real star here. The startlingly convincing special effects and diverse locations portray a desperate and claustrophobic experience both in the shuttle and in the'experiment'. The audience feels the desolation, desperation, and dismay as the crew grapples with a seemingly unsolvable and deadly enigma. This is an independent film with a big studio feel that is loaded with surprises that is fully worth experiencing.

The plot is very intricate, with a keep-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat type feel. It keeps you wondering what is real and what is not. It's unusual to find a movie with an emotional plot as it is unusual to find smart scifi films. I watched it twice and its shocking ending blew my mind both times. The direction, the editing, the sound and the photography are outstanding. Speaking about the cast, I've always been a huge fan of Michael Rooker, one of Hollywood's finest under evaluated actors and his performance in this film lives up to his standards. I also discovered Travis Quentin Young, his acting shows talent. I could feel his anguish at the end and wanted to root for something "more" for his character. Bottom line is: if you're looking for a night of pure "brainless" entertainment this might not be the right choice for you.