Well, I've been on a horror kick lately. So, somehow, I found out about this movie and was intrigued enough to spend a precious Netflix spot on it. I've been watching so much old horror, and so much of it is really crappy, that I was looking forward to a modern take. I suppose I was asking for it, but I got more than I bargained for.
This movie has no redeeming value and only serves to make you feel terrible about life in general. At the same time, I think the director is probably one of the few living "masters" of filmmaking. In 10 years, this movie will be a cult classic and will probably be screened in film classes. Not that it doesn't deserve it.
The director, Claire Denise, knows how to use the camera to create suspense. She can "say" very much in an entirely silent scene, absent dialogue, relying solely on glances and gestures. For me, this has always been the sign of a genius filmmaker.
But I'll have to try another of her movies, because this one was ultimately vacuous and only served to make me feel terrible. It is arguable whether or not this is EXACTLY the point of horror. Maybe it is, but I need something, anything to shine through the despair. Or at least the value of experiencing something unexpected and unusual (see Inalnd Empire).
I feel that the point here was to comment on love/lust, individuality and fear eating the soul. But there was clearly no faith in humanity and I don't know why anyone would want to watch a movie with that message and no hope. Or maybe it's an issue of taste. The climax scene was absolutely tasteless and disgusting. A little more focus on the psychological and less on shock could have gone a long way.
