Don't Blink

Seems like 2014's been a great year for horror, at least, between this, Honeymoon, and Coherence. Much like Coherence, the premise of this is absolutely terrifying in a way not many horror films tend to be. The premise for this is simpler, and much more straight-forward, but it's quite effective. Some of the dialogue is a bit cringe-worthy, but right from the start the characters don't act like they've never seen a horror film, a lot more aware than you're used to in this type of film. The performances are also aces. What you don't know is way more frightening than what you do. I strongly recommend this, extremely entertaining and intriguing.

I enjoy "different" horror movies. I'm not interested in torture porn and gore and people getting chopped up. I want something INTERESTING, whether it's Lovecraft or weird time travel or alternate dimension or thought-created nightmare stalkers - there has got to be a "WHOAH!" for me to enjoy horror movies.

This movie was one of those, with the caveat that, though I won't spoil the ending, if you loathe movies that leave some lingering but relevant questions, you may not cotton to this film.

But like me, if you can separate this "style" of movie-making, which I've seen some just call "lazy", the actual progress of the people and actions in the film were compelling and it is definitely a mystery type horror movie, though not a room-to-room-magnifying-glass type.

If you saw and liked Coherence and I see people are comparing this to Phantoms (I haven't seen that yet, somehow), or if you like the "unknown/invisible", creeping ominous threat movies like Mr. Jones or Resolution, I think you may enjoy this film.

I'm not saying it's perfect - there's a good amount of irritation at a few of the way things go down or people behave, that I felt kept it from being more fluid, and while the acting is by and large at least decent and believable, there are some boneheaded decisions - but not like most horror movies, at least not as frequent - it really doesn't get a chance to build to that level before the horror is in play.

I did like the dialogue for one of the characters, who was a modern sci-fi and horror movie type that was constantly referring to what was going on as something from Stephen King or aliens or zombies or "the spirit of an ancient Indian burial ground", which made me laugh - he seemed the most "real", well, until later, but that's not germane to the point.

Anyway, a lot of people on forums and other sites are giving this a really low rating, and while, for the overall and idea of a complete story, I can kinda see why... I still think what there IS there is good and different and not anything close to "usual horror movie stuff".

I would have given it an 8/10, but I had to stop at 7 because of the unsatisfying or at least not well-enough intimated ending, because I agree with some people that say the "figure out what YOU think it means" is one thing, an artist can't show you a pristine, untouched canvas and say "just IMAGINE the awesome picture YOU want there!".

I dont understand what happened in this movie. Theres absolutely no explanation as to why the events in the movie were even happening. Premise is good, has solid ground for a good movie but sadly between the terrible acting, clunky story telling and poor directing it just doesnt work. Not to mention the terrible ending that doesnt really explain anything at all... I wouldnt waste my time watching and if I could go back in time and stop myself from watching I would. This movie is like the director is fresh out of film school, taken a text book check list of whats needed in a movie and mashed it all together in no particular order.

After a mildly intriguing start, this clunker pops and fizzles through every cliché imaginable. Nobody on screen learns a blessed thing about the mysterious goings on at an abandoned lodge and neither do you, dear viewer. While a few intriguing clues are sprinkled through the film, they lead nowhere. It's a good thing somebody produces a gun halfway through this disappointment, because it gives the sad sacks stuck at the lodge a chance to fire bullets into each other, instead of merely swearing and beating each other up. If your idea of fun is watching a succession of unlikable people go off-screen and disappear like Barbara Eden in I Dream of Jeannie, then this one's for you.

After looking at the review overall score I was somewhat doubting whether to watch this film but I decided to give it a shot and make my own mind up..... not disappointed.

It's not a film that will give you all the answers you want but it's certainly a film that will make you guess what's coming next. It's not a gore fest or typical horror, more like a twilight-zone-esque type film....

I'm not going to say much as the beauty in the film is not knowing..... just give it a try and maybe, like me, you won't be disappointed... whatever you do though, don't blink.