4/10
I'm not quite sure where all the critical acclaim is coming from, so I guess maybe I just didn't get it. I thought Abrams was guilty of trying to do too many things at once - juxtaposing a monster movie with a pubescent coming-of-age tale is an interesting idea, but I felt the story was weighted oddly - a lot of time is spent developing the characters (so don't go in expecting non-stop action) for an emotional payoff that never really comes. Can't blame the acting though - the kids are all fantastic across the board, and do a really good job creating a natural feeling of camaraderie and adolescence.
The action was pretty disappointing though - the monster is kept in the shadows or behind the bushes for most of the movie, which is a smart tactic, but before we even see it we find...something out about it that undercuts any scare factor or intimidation the audience feels about finally seeing it. Personally I was more keen to marvel at the incredible CGI work than to have any other reaction to its appearance.
The story initially seems to subvert or poke fun at monster movie clichés, but it eventually and unironically falls in step with every single one of them, complete with some hideous leaps in believability required for the story to keep pushing along. The ending especially is an eye-roller.
Along with the far-better Cloverfield (and to a certain degree, Lost), I appreciate Abrams' eagerness to reinvent a genre he clearly loves, but each attempt is flawed at the very least.
Also final nitpick: somebody seriously needed to back off the "solar flare" filter when the movie was in post-production. Jesus Christ.
No comments:
Post a Comment