Open Grave

The synopsis of this film is enough to make you want to watch it. A man wakes up in a pit full of dead bodies. He has no memory of how he got there. After escaping he enters a house full of strangers who are also extremely agitated and just like him they have all lost their memory.

The elephant in the room though is that if they are all alive then who has killed all the people? That is when the fun begins. What I really liked about this film was that it continued to surprise, I got it wrong every time I tried to guess what was coming next and that for me is a real plus.

The cast are a brilliantly disparate group too and they all do an excellent job of keeping you right on the edge of your seat. The pacing is just right; the make up spot on and even the music gets the mood just right. There is not a lot not to like here (sorry about the double negative). It was filmed in Hungary but has a feel of being American despite a cast that is International. If you like your horror's to be a bit on the dystopian side then you should have a look at this.

Film quality was average and the scenes set up well. The acting starts a bit rough and ends up a bit above mediocre. Story was somewhat original, but was not presented very well. There were many unnecessary plot points and interactions that made it a bit frustrating to watch, as they didn't provide any substantial information until the end. The plot points that were necessary were explain haphazardly and were convoluted. The setup and trailer makes this seem like a SAW movie, but its quite far from it.

It's a decent film, just don't go into it with any expectations. If you can help it, the least you know about it, the better as the trailer for example will give a bit too much away.

I heard about this film because I've been a fan of Sharlto Copley since District 9. When I saw the trailer, I was extremely interested. I wanted to watch it to find out why the hell he was in a pit of dead bodies and why he didn't have any memory of how exactly he got in that situation. The plot has many little details that give you hints as to what is going on, but when I finally pieced them together, I was surprised. It keeps you guessing as to whats really going on throughout almost the entire film. I won't ruin the reveal, but I did NOT see it coming. It's a fairly interesting and original film, and I enjoyed the ride.

I stumbled upon this film knowing absolutely nothing about it, and I think that's exactly the right way - perhaps the only way - to approach this bleak, suspenseful tale. So I won't spoil anything for you and concentrate instead on my impressions from the film. Firstly: great production values; set and sound design can compete with anything you normally see in big Hollywood productions. Secondly: fantastic actors, and if you're into dark, disturbing films, great story. I don't understand how a gem like this - which was obviously very well made - could fly under the radar and miss a wide theatrical release; a film of this caliber and with such a great cast should be seen in the theater. The current rather low IMDb rating bugs me and I think it will go up as soon as more people have seen the film. I'd highly recommend this film to anyone who likes a well told gritty story - I rate it a solid 7 out of 10.

Favorite films: http://www.IMDb.com/list/mkjOKvqlSBs/

Lesser-known Masterpieces: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls070242495/

Fun B-flicks/low budget films: http://www.imdb.com/list/YV1Lxq7WLkU/

Favorite TV-Shows reviewed: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls075552387/

In an ideal world, movies would be made without the aim for a certain rating. This article sums up why this is so important:

www.the-fanboy-perspective.com/the-importance-of-the-r-rating.html

Not easy to describe this movie. Almost like 'The Walking Dead' meets a Whodunnit movie. Kept me entertained till the end and more original than most in this genre.