It's life, Jim, but actually as we know it.
Life is an average sci-fi picture, one that gets by on effects and general sci-fi values. Plot is utterly familiar. OK! It's always going to be unfair to judge a film of this type by the bar raiser that was Ridley Scott's Alien (1979), but really the familiarity on show here is tantamount to being naughty.
A group of space explorers discover an alien life form and after the initial wonderment and excitement subsides, things quickly turn bad, with the potential for threat to mankind as we know it...
That's pretty much it, really, the cast go through the motions of being in a play that is basically the characters being picked off by an alien manta ray thingy. Standard formula takes a grip of the viewer, who will be killed? who is next? will anyone survive? and etc. The makers - just to continue the unadventurous theme - throw in a Deep Blue Sea moment, while Hiroyuki Sanada has wandered in off of Sunshine's Icarrus II to feature aboard the International Space Station. The ending has and will infuriate many, but personally I liked it, very much from The Twilight Zone dimension, to which it lifts the piece just above averageville.
Not recommended with any conviction, especially to sci-fi fans stung by serious science defects and logic holes, while casual sci-fiers would be better off with the brilliance of Alien or something more fun packed and unpretentious like Leviathan (1989). But as it is it's a decent enough time waster. 6/10

_"Monkeys in Space"_ would be a better title for this flick. As with all bad horror movies, the horror only exists because of people ignoring even the simplest rules or just not talking to each other. Add various logic errors to it and you have _"Life"_.
**⚠ SPOILERS AHEAD ⚠**
Things turn stupid when they start to experiment with that unknown life-form in a lab not suited for that at all. And they don't use remote controlled robot-arms but simple rubber gloves. The life-form, of course, instinctively knows how to use tools and how to penetrate rubber.
It then flees through a CO₂ nozzle (after an empty! flamethrower still had its pilot flame on and triggered the fire alarm) and doesn't end up in some tank but no, somehow gets into the rest of the space station. And this was only possible, because the computer to close the nozzles is a 1950s pocket calculator and you have to close them one by one by entering a 20-digit ID for each one or so it seems.
The story is driven by people knowingly opening hatches that should've been kept closed. Or not talking to each other, like telling the others that the creature is currently nibbling at one's leg.
Another highlight is the creature, finally trapped outside the station, finding its way back in THROUGH THE EFFING THRUSTERS. Why they seem to be connected to the inside of the space station is beyond me.
Same applies to 2 guys venting all air from a (sealed) module, but a 3rd guy opening the hatch from a pressurised area to said module without any indication the module was without pressure. (And, of course, he didn't know anything about the creature being trapped there, because he threw away his comm device the moment it had a bit of reception issues earlier.)
The whole movie is so wrong, I almost had to laugh. Especially, when the last survivors escape in 2 separate escape pods and the one which should reach Earth gets hit by debris and flies into outer space and the other one, *trying* to get away from Earth is kept from doing that by the creature who suddenly seemed to have acquired knowledge about steering NASA issue escape pods and is keeping the human from altering the course.
The torture ends with some Asian fishermen simply opening the hatch of the space capsule that just landed in front of them. Although they can clearly see the astronaut trapped in some spiderweb-like goo inside. It was like a final insult to sanity and reason.

**Their historic discovery was not celebratable.**
As I mentioned many times before, now is the trend of the space exploration in films. So there were many films like this one, but not all of them are received well. It was a decent flick, if you consider from the real world aspect, but definitely a very nice entertainer. Very tense plot, especially in the second half till the final scene.
This is a minimal cast film and the entire story takes place in an Internation Space Station in the Earth orbit with a lab facility. They've come from Mars with a soil sample to study for any sign of life. Their historic discovery does not become a happy event as they encounter life threatening trouble on-board. The remaining is to focus their rest of the mission that how it'll end.
This is the second film with the same name I've seen in the recent time. The other one was a biographical-drama starring Robert Pattison, but this is an sci-fi-thriller. Lots of big names in it, but the film did not make that kind of a big buzz. It was considered a good fictional space film. Kind of inspired by other similar themed flicks.
Lots of thrills, fast paced narration, a simple story with the nice visuals. From the Swedish director of 'Easy Money' fame. There were lots of speculations about its connection with other films. But nothing was confirmed by the filmmakers. I hope there will be a sequel, but this time it won't be same as the story might take place in a different setting. Overall, I enjoyed it and surely would suggest it if anybody asks me.
_7/10_

**Unexpected horror**
I was expecting so.ething watered down and similar to most new 'no escape' sci-fi movies. This was a great change, it felt more like alien; dark, gritty, serious.You could spend hours picking things apart but it is enjoyable and I think that outweighs most of those faults.

_Life_ may not be doing anything new, but it's doing it better than similar services of late.
_Final rating:★★★ - I personally recommend you give it a go._

A run of the mill family are on holiday when they are terrorised by their seemingly immortal and extremely brutal doppelgängers. I liked this - it's not remotely scary, in fact it is actually quite funny - in a perverse sort of way. The acrobatic kids cavorting about with limbs that bend (and break) every which way belong in the Olympics. It's hardly original, either - you'll have seen plenty other films in the same vein - but it is FUN! It moves along entertainingly and though the dialogue is not going to trouble a Pulitzer jury, it is almost two hours of escapism that makes no pretence to be otherwise. (Yes, the ending is pretty darned dreadful!).

Well, they cut back on the blatant racism from "Get Out," so that's a plus. It didn't make the film a uncomfortable to watch in an original "A Birth of a Nation" kind of way. But's it's still there, just slightly muted.
And, like "Get Out," it'll have the same cringe effect once its not socially acceptable any longer. But again, it was toned down so it isn't as uncomfortable a watch.
However, the film kind of gives everything away in the very beginning. Straight down to the grand event at the end. So if you're paying attention to glaring, obvious, detail the twist at the other end can be seen easier than a 20mph fastball.
There is a moment of doubt that, maybe the obvious hints were wrong, but right before the action starts the mother gives a speech to absolutely ensure that you, yes, you were right from the start.
And the racism, though toned down, makes it pretty clear that the peaceful and loving event highlighted at the start of the film, isn't just going to be for nostalgic reasons. It's going to be a plot element, only because someone like Jordan Peele isn't that type that would look at that gesture of 80s kindness favorably.

It’s sloppy, lacks logic or internal consistency, makes really bizarre and inane storytelling decisions, and has a less than satisfying ending. It’s also strangely fun and absorbing and a good time, even if you end up racking your brain trying to figure out the logic.
Following up his excellent "Get Out," Jordan Peele gives us "Us," the story of a family terrorized be evil doppelgangers who want revenge for something and to finally get their time in the sun in a very clear socioeconomic metaphor. Ultimately it doesn't make a lot of sense, and yet there's still something strangely compelling about this film. It's as though Peele tries to walk us through the door, but realizes too late that he forgot to open the door first and we end up crashing through it, Kool-Aid man style, getting a few splinters stuck in our eye in the process. We get the results we ultimately wanted, but it's far from painless.
The problem comes down to basic logic. As the movie goes on, you can't help but wonder how exactly this works. When needing to identify with movie characters, you have to figure out how the world they're in works. Honestly, I found Middle Earth to have more of an internal logic than this world. And this is supposed to be our world, not some weird fantasy realm.
While this movie is plagued by problems with disbelief, it’s still strangely fun. Like, really fun! It’s a great idea, just sloppily executed and rushed out without fixing the logic part. As such, it’s one of those movies that seems to have divided audience everywhere. I myself can see both sides, so it’s getting a middle of the road rating from me. If you can consciously suspend disbelief in the face of some major logical problems, you’re bound to have a lot of fun. Otherwise, you might want to skip it to save your own sanity.

It started really intriguing and mysteriously interesting and thought it was something about supernatural/paranormal stuff (which I like a lot), but unfortunately transformed into something else and all in all, it became average movie in my opinion.

**_An effective socio-political thriller looking at issues of class and privilege_**
> _Therefore thus saith the LORD, "Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them."_
- Jeremiah 11:11
There's a detail to be found in writer/director Jordan Peele's second feature, _Us_, which gives you a good idea of the amount of thought that has gone into the film. In the opening scene, set in 1986, a young girl walks into a hall of mirrors, with a sign outside proclaiming "Find yourself", and a picture of a Native American above the door, with the words "Shaman Vision Quest". Later in the film, now in the present day, the same hall of mirrors is seen, the same "Find yourself" is seen, but now the picture of the Native American has been replaced with a wizard, and "Shaman Vision Quest" with "Merlin's Enchanted Forest." This change, easily dismissed as representative of everything that's wrong with PC culture, is actually much more telling. It represents a meaningless and superficial attempt to tackle society's discomfort with the violence found throughout the history of the United States. It's like putting a plaster on a severed limb; "_sure, the white man slaughtered the Native Americans, but if we do things like change signs on amusement parks, everything should be forgiven, right?_" This, in turn, speaks directly to one of the film's most salient themes - the US (or us) as we know it today is a country built on violence, racism, and oppression, but as long as such things are swept under the carpet and no one talks about them, then there's no need to worry. Peele very much wants people to start talking about them.
I wasn't the biggest fan of Peele's previous film, the smash hit, _Get Out_; it was a terrific idea and a well-made film, but it left me a little indifferent. However, although it wasn't my all-time favourite movie, I certainly admired how he reformulated the tropes of the genre so as to suggest that just because the US gives the appearance of being a pseudo-post-racial society, it doesn't necessarily mean that that's true behind closed doors and in people's hearts. With _Us_, he is working in a similarly metaphorical mode, using the tropes of the home invasion thriller to probe issues of class and, especially, privilege, whilst also suggesting that what gives us our humanity may not be the same thing as what makes us human. The plot is an allegory for a nation divided unto itself; a fractured national identity that sees a strict demarcation between those above and those below, the haves and the have-nots, those with opportunity and those without. Essentially, Peele suggests that when social/economic/political inequality is so pronounced for so long, sooner or later, the only recourse available to the have-nots is to make a grand statement, a statement that will almost certainly not be peaceful.
The film opens in 1986 as the Thomas family visit the boardwalk in Santa Cruz. With the relationship between father Russel (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) and mother Rayne (Anna Diop) icy at best, daughter Adelaide (Madison Curry) is somewhat of an afterthought. Leaving Adelaide in Thomas's charge, Rayne heads to the bathroom, but with Thomas more interested in playing Whack-a-mole, Adelaide wanders down onto the beach. Walking into a strange beachfront hall of mirrors, she sees something that deeply traumatises her, resulting in her not talking for several years. The film then cuts to the present day as the now-adult Adelaide Wilson (an astounding Lupita Nyong'o) travels to Santa Cruz with her family - husband Gabe (Winston Duke), daughter Zora (Shahadi Wright Joseph) and son Jason (Evan Alex). Comfortably middle-class, the family are staying in a house owned by Adelaide's parents, although much to Gabe's irritation, they are nowhere near as wealthy as their neighbours, the Tylers - Kitty (Elisabeth Moss), Josh (Tim Heidecker), and twin daughters Becca and Lyndsey (Cali and Noelle Sheldon). Uneasy at being so close to the scene of her childhood trauma, Adelaide becomes convinced that something terrible is going to happen, and although Gabe is initially dismissive, she seems so earnest in her conviction that he agrees the family can leave the next day. However, the power then cuts out, and Jason reveals that there are four people standing ominously in the driveway.
It's not a spoiler, of course, to say that the people in the driveway are the Wilsons' exact _doppelgängers_ (played by the same four actors), or that their intentions are less than friendly. However, one of the problems with reviewing the film is that so many of the themes and larger socio-political ideas are tied to who the _doppelgängers_ are and what they want, that it's difficult to discuss them without spoilers. So, small spoiler ahead - the _doppelgängers_ are called the Tethered; essentially, they are an underground-dwelling race of lookalikes, spiritually tied to those living above (this info is revealed quite early in the film, so it's not a massive spoiler). Although partly inspired by the 1960 "Mirror Image" episode of _The Twilight Zone_, the main influences for the Tethers appear to be urban legends surrounding "mole people" and, more specifically, the conflict between the Morlocks (strong underground-dwelling troglodyte-like humans) and the Eloi (small fruit-eating humans living on the surface) in H.G. Wells's _The Time Machine_ (1895).
Setting out to probe both economic and societal divisions in the contemporary US, Peele introduces the theme early on with Gabe's jealousy at the Tylers' nicer house, fancier car, and much bigger boat (named "B'Yacht-ch"). Later, after the arrival of the Tethered, the theme becomes more explicit; through no fault of their own, they live in an underground realm, deprived of the opportunities those above the surface have access to. The allegorical dimension couldn't be clearer; the film is essentially a parable about class division. The Wilsons represent a middle-class all-American family, financially comfortable and well educated (Gabe wears a Howard University sweater; Adelaide studied ballet). The Tethered represent the underclass, whose lives are the inverse of the Wilsons, those without access to the privileges enjoyed by the wealthy, despite possessing the same emotions, the same biology, and the same capacity for happiness and success. This similarity is driven home when Adelaide asks Red (her Tethered) who they are, and Red seems confused by the question, answering (truthfully), "_we're Americans._"
In this sense, the film is very much about classism and marginalisation in contemporary American society. Taught they have no soul, the Tethered are depicted as resentful and bitter versions of the people on the surface, with Peele positing that only circumstance divides them. Adelaide is not smarter or more capable than Red; rather, the main difference between the two is just that of the difference between a poor person and a rich one; fate of birth. This speaks to perhaps the film's most important point - the marginalised, destitute, and discriminated against can succeed just as much as everyone else if only they're given the opportunity to do so. This is also alluded to in the powerful final shot. I won't spoil it, but the last image reveals that the Tethered have accomplished something which the surface dwellers once attempted but failed.
Physically trapped underground and emotionally trapped by their connection to those above, the Tethered are ignored, swept under the rug of society, out of sight out of mind, just like the alteration to the picture above the hall of mirrors; "_if we hide the problem, that means the problem no longer exists._" In what is essentially a sustained inversion of impostor syndrome, Peele allegorically examines what could happen when the marginalised and ignored can be marginalised and ignored no longer, whether they be the economically impoverished, the racially suppressed, vets suffering from PTSD, non-Americans xenophobically regarded as the Other, really any group of people that society at large has shunned. Looking at issues of double consciousness, social identity, sin, and privilege, Peele asks the US to look at itself in the mirror and consider those invisible millions.
If this sounds didactic and/or preachy, that's because it is - Peele is very much preaching. However, he also allows himself to have some fun with it - when Zora arms herself for battle, for example, she does so not with a gun or a knife, but a golf club. What possible better weapon could there be for the bourgeoisie? Later, the only thing that gets Gabe to abandon a secure hiding spot is the prospect of driving the Tylers' car. True, the deeper Peele explores the Tethered, the more insurmountable logistical problems that are thrown up, and the further he strains credibility. However, it's a testament to both his filmmaking acumen and the strength of his thematic concerns, that such straining is not as detrimental as it may sound. Sure, there are huge practical problems with the Tethered, but you sort of go with it because what he's saying is so interesting, and he's saying it so well.
One of the most impressive things about the film is the attention to detail. For example, there are numerous references to Jeremiah 11:11, in which the prophet Jeremiah warns Jerusalem it is facing destruction because of their worship of false idols. In the film, so too do such false idols occur, in the form of money and, more specifically, a virtual assistant named Ophelia on which the Tylers are completely reliant, and which is at the centre of probably the darkest joke in the film. Another example is that the number 11, which itself is obviously a mirror image, recurs throughout, not just in objects (a digital clock is shown reading 11:11, the roof of an ambulance has the number 1111), but in the actual shot composition, wherein objects in the frame are made to literally look like the number (two lights reflected in the water, the frame of a door, trees in the background, a pattern on the floor).
As this might suggest, _Us_ is exceptionally accomplished from an aesthetic point of view, even more so than was _Get Out_. The opening scene, for example, features extraordinarily impressive photography by Mike Gioulakis, designed to place us as close to young Adelaide's consciousness as possible. As she wanders along behind her parents, the camera sticks primarily to her height, with everything towering above her, whilst the candied apple she holds is hypnotically red and shiny (one could say Edenic). Additionally, her parents never come close to touching, a visual manifestation of the obvious problems in their marriage. The film also features an agonisingly beautiful scene involving one of the Tethered and a fire, which is masterfully shot. The music by Michael Abels is especially good in this scene. Another fine scene features the rare use of a split diopter, a tool favoured by Brian De Palma that allows both foreground and background subjects to stay in focus simultaneously. Using it in a crucial scene towards the end of the film, it is the only time we see Adelaide and Red's faces in the same shot at the same time, with Red shot in BCU, facing away from Adelaide, who stands behind her. Far from being a gimmick, Peele uses it to enhance his theme, allowing the content to dictate the form.
In terms of acting, there are no weak links, but Nyong'o's nuanced work as Adelaide and Red is especially noteworthy as a study in fundamental contrasts. Apart from their appearance, nothing about the two is similar; their posture, their facial expressions, how they talk, how they walk, how they react to things around them, how they use their hands. Adelaide, a former ballet dancer, is graceful and elegant, whereas Red is automaton-like, her movements almost staccato and splintered into sudden bursts. It's a clinic on how to convey individualised psychology through body language, and at times, it's hard to believe it's the same actress playing both roles, she really is that good and deserves serious awards recognition for her work. For his part, Duke plays Gabe as a gentle and dorky father with an endless line of bad jokes, who frequently embarrasses his kids, but his _doppelgänger_ Abraham as a hulking monster.
In terms of problems, there are a few. As already mentioned, there are insurmountable practical issues with the Tethered which are never addressed, and on occasion, Peele becomes overly didactic. My biggest issue with the film, however, was something you see a lot of, and not just in horror movies - every time the Tethered want to kill someone, they do so immediately, without ceremony or pause. However, they pass up multiple opportunities to kill the Wilsons. At first, this seems as if it's because they wish to keep them alive for some reason, but later in the film, we find out that really, they just want to kill them. Never once do they attempt to do so with the ruthless efficiency with which they kill others, which is an irritating inconsistency. It also means for large parts of the film, there isn't really any tension. Additionally, the final twist, of which I will say nothing, doesn't really work, feeling like something of a twist for twist's sake that was never fully integrated into the narrative.
These small problems notwithstanding, _Us_ is an impressive film that improves on _Get Out_ in almost every way, and which serves as a more complete artistic statement. Examining what it means to be so concerned with what you don't have that you never consider the fact there are people with far less, the film holds a cracked mirror up to society, showing some of its ugliest prejudices and failings. The Tethers are monsters because they have been left with little choice other than to become monsters, imprisoned by a system they had no part in creating and in which they are not allowed to participate. Both visually accomplished and thematically complex, _Us_ once again finds Peele examining the kind of social oppression that no one wants to acknowledge (just like that sign above the hall of mirrors), but this time he widens his scope to move beyond issues of race. In _Get Out_, he took a story of bodily possession and moulded it into a story of black/white relations. In _Us_, he demonstrates that oppression can easily cross racial boundaries. And the real horror of this isn't to be found in monsters or jump scares. It's to be found in humanity's frequent inhumanity to one another.

_Us_ is gonna be a tough one to review. Difficult to review without spoilers, which is what I'm gonna do here, but I think even if I was doing spoilers, I'd still struggle.
What I will say, is that my feelings on _Us_ went up and down as I sat there and the story progressed. At one point, I was enraptured by a single scene that for a brief moment I got so caught up I felt certain no movie of the year was ever going to be able to top it. But then the scene ended, and shortly after the movie ended and my mind just went to "...It's good".
**Definitely** merits watching, re-watching and analysing (there is a **lot** to unpack from _Us_) but maybe not the highest of all available praises.
_Final rating:★★★ - I liked it. Would personally recommend you give it a go._

Led by stellar performances and careful directing, Us asks more questions than it answers, giving the audience all the tools needed to solve every single mystery for themselves, making this an uncommonly effective horror masterpiece.

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First of all, you can read my review of one of my favorite movies of 2017, Jordan Peele‘s Get Out by clicking its title. One of the best feature-long debuts of all-time by a writer-director who I wish he discovered his filmmaker skills sooner because the horror genre urgently needed someone like him. Peele is starting to become one of Hollywood’s most notable people, and he proves once again, now with Us, that his undeniable talent is going to leave our jaws dropped and our minds confused for quite some years. While I do think that his first film is more consistent and better structured, Us is so far the best movie of the year, and I doubt that it will stop being part of that list by the end of it.
The best films are the ones that can transform a 45-min car ride back home from the theater into a blink of an eye. I spent all that time plus some more minutes discussing and arguing with my partner who I saw the movie with. By now, I have a pretty decent understanding of the film’s story and of Lupita‘s character arc, which will definitely leave you extremely confused and mind-blown by the end of the movie. However, I will see it a second time to make sure my “theory” aligns with everything else, especially those tiny little details we don’t really think they matter when they actually do.
Peele‘s screenplay is thought-provoking and suspenseful, filled with brilliant character development, and surprisingly well-filmed action scenes. I guess he knows how to do anything efficiently. The chasing scenes are riveting, and the fights are bloody awesome. In addition to this, most of the action occurs at night which requires the director to know what he’s doing, so the audience is able to follow what’s happening. I never, not once, lost my place during an action sequence. I knew who everyone was, where were they at, and what were they doing. Nowadays, having in mind how actual action blockbusters are being made, this is the best praise I can give a director regarding these type of scenes.
A lot of articles are calling Jordan Peele the “next Spielberg“ or “new Hitchcock“. I’m calling him the first Jordan Peele! I would have loved to be the one who came up with this last sentence, but I wasn’t … and I’m so happy about it. It means that more people are starting to plant into their minds that Peele is one of a kind, not one like the other. His trademark close-up shots right in the actors’ faces can show and tell so much about a character. Besides that, the actors will have a golden opportunity to show their enormous emotional range, their incredible expressions, their limitless talent … That is if you are someone like Lupita Nyong’o.
Right after I watched Alita: Battle Angel, I called that it would get an Oscar nomination for Best Visuals Effects, and I still stand by it. Well, I also want to be the first to call not only an Oscar nom, but a Best Actress win for Lupita. Daniel Kaluuya was outstanding in Get Out, but Lupita surpasses his fellow comrade with two (!) powerfully captivating performances. As the original mother, she shows kindness and endearing traits. As her doppelganger, she’s scary, menacing, and evil. Two completely different characters with distinct physical and psychological characteristics are no problem for Lupita. She handles them in such a flawless and effortless manner, carrying the entire narrative on her shoulders like it was nothing. She deserves every recognition there is.
Nonetheless, she still received great help from the remaining cast. Winston Duke (Gabe Wilson) is hilarious, and he’s the primary source of comedy throughout the film. With a remarkable balance of tones, Peele lets Duke shine in a role that he thrives on. Us can be very heavy and dark at times, so a good laugh here and there is always welcome. The young actors are also great, but I have to congratulate Shahadi Wright Joseph‘s performance as Zora Wilson. She has approximately the same age Amandla Stenberg had in The Hunger Games. At the time, I knew Stenberg would be an outstanding actress, and I was not wrong. Now, I’m 100% certain that Shahadi will be an exceptional one if she isn’t already.
Technically, I already wrote above how talented Peele is. From his seamless ability to film action sequences in the dark to his brilliantly-written screenplay, he nails almost every aspect of his movie. The score beautifully accompanies the narrative with cool, rhythmic songs when everything seems fine, and with loud, angelically weird voices that instantly change the tone. Flawless editing helps hide some nitpicks I have with some exposition scenes, especially towards the end. While I understand that the story has a lot to take in once “explained”, I believe Peele does so in a slightly too fast monologue that I think some people won’t quite enjoy. For me, I would have loved total ambiguity. If they didn’t explain a thing, I would have been ecstatic, but I understand the need to do it.
My other gripe with the film is the other family, portrayed mainly by the always astonishing Elizabeth Moss (Kitty Tyler), and Tim Heidecker (Josh Tyler). Thinking about them and their importance to the story, I find that either they could have been better utilized or they shouldn’t even exist. It’s the middle ground between these two options that bothers me a little since it feels like these two remarkable actors, especially Moss, were left aside too much. They are indeed relevant to elevate the story as a whole, but I still wish they were explored a bit better.
Sadly, I think audiences will like Get Out more, even though Us has more of the horror genre’s traits than the first. Not only due to the story being more comfortable to follow and ultimately understand (some people actually left my theater way before the end … shame on you!), but also because it has a definite ending. Unfortunately, people don’t really like to think about a movie after it finished, so if it has some sort of open-ending, they’re going to be mad. That’s what happens if you go into Us expecting a cheap horror film, filled with cliche jump scares, and hollow characters. This is not a scary flick. It is a horror movie, and a phenomenal one. In case you want a simple, spoiler-free advice on how to approach the film’s story, I’ll leave just one small sentence after my rating.
Jordan Peele is one of a kind. He is not like anyone else. Once again, he offers a thought-provoking, deeply layered, and incredibly suspenseful narrative. Captivating and entertaining from beginning to end, with no misstep along the way. Technically seamless, with his emotionally-driven trademark close-ups on the characters faces being a standout. Lupita Nyong’o delivers what I believe it’s her career-best performance(s), which should grab her not only a bunch of award nominations, but wins as well. Brilliant cast, tonally well-balanced with hilarious comedy, and filled with excitingly scary action sequences.
Us does not have a single interpretation. My perspective is not right or wrong, it’s just my point of view. It’s one of those movies you can watch time and time again, and each viewing will give you another insight that you missed before. However, I do think that what happens at the very end, it’s true, and I have more than enough hints throughout the film to sustain my opinion. Despite some minor issues/nitpicks, it’s undoubtedly the best movie of 2019 so far, and I highly doubt it will be out of my Top10 by the end of the year. Thank you, Peele, not only for giving us great horror films, but for being yourself. Go see it!
Rating: A-
Advice: focus on the boy’s actions, and how he reacts to everything he sees or does.

Jordan peele is one of the best dictators in the world with only two movies and this movie is amazing
96%

Told by way of an occasionally narrated retrospective, "Rocket" (Alexandre Rodrigues) tells us a story of his childhood in the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. Growing up in a community of newly built boxes, without power or plumbing, that reminded me of a row of concrete beach huts, the community is pretty lawless. The crime is largely to confined to pettier crimes, but as aspirations grow so does the scale of the criminality. A raid on a motel-cum-brothel is supposed to make everyone extra cash, but their inventive young watchman "Li'l Dice" (Douglas Silva) hates being left out and so does a little augmenting of his own. Brutal and attention grabbing. Next the cops crack down, bodies pile up and the societal order starts to change. It's this young man who grows up into the leading drug-peddling hoodlum amongst a now much more developed township where, tempered only by his more diplomatic childhood friend "Bené" (Phellipe Haagensen), the newly named "Li'l Zé" (Leandro Firmino) is ruling the roost. Curiously, his own form of government proves more stable for the residents, and although many are addicts there is a certain degree of law-and-order. Then the runts start to intervene. These are the young children with no hope, no families and only the dream of becoming their own version of "Li'l Zé" one day too. Gradually, the empire expands until it's only "Carrot" (Matheus Nachtergaele) who stands against him. When tragedy strikes very close to home for the kingpin, though, the uneasy peace between the two sections breaks out into an open warfare that drags in the sharpshooting army vet "Knockout Ned" (Seu Jorge), arms all the enthusiastic children and creates an environment that isn't safe for anyone - and where the police keep their distance in the hope that they will just all just slaughter each other. It's lucky that "Rocket" can use a camera. His boss wants publicity to illustrate how dominant and powerful he is. The newspapers want the photographs too. If the young man can walk the tightrope carefully, he might find himself well placed to capitalise on his unique access to a story that by now is gripping their nation. This is a fascinatingly well put together depiction of the worst of human nature; a dog eat dog world, where traditional humanity is scarce and the virtues of a not so benign dictatorship are exposed for all to see. The characterisations are mostly brutal and exploitative, yet there is a place for love and loyalty too amidst a poverty stricken population that craves basics like food and running water and is oblivious to death in the streets. The story is well supplemented by some engaging supporting characters like "Steak n' Fries", "Goose", "Shaggy" and "Thiago" (Daniel Zettel or is it really Timothée Chalamet?). The writing delivers powerfully but sparingly. We don't have loads of waffling dialogue, and there's also quite a bit of dark humour contained to not so much lighten the mood as to enhance the perception amongst most of the population that kill or be killed was a perfectly reasonable mantra. Firmino, Haagensen and Rodrigues deliver extremely well here in this most impressively photographed and intense look at a society where the top dog was only top by feeding and starving his followers. It's not especially graphic, I found, just a poignant look at survival of the fittest, the shrewdest and the luckiest. There's also a distinct lack of religiosity throughout, too! If you can see this at a cinema, then do - it's based on a true story and isn't an easy watch.

It’s a great film and well worthy of its the respect it has. It’s gruelling too, the 18 rating is due to the thread running through the film of continuous and ruthless violence of gangs trying to control their drug area. The is the story told through the eyes of ‘Rocket’ who avoids getting in to the gang war of his brother and friends by trying to find a safer life.
The film combines slick production without losing a genuine documentary feel which I think it is why it’s so enduring. While it achieves a feeling of reality, it isn’t specifically a true story. However, the Cidade de Deus is real (being created to rehouse the slums away from Rio de Janeiro) and this story of its underworld and the film’s production makes one believe it may not be too far from the truth. There is hope in the story but not a lot.

Didn't really want to watch this. I mean, 4th movie??? Please stop already. But then it's hot and we have nothing else to do so ok. Shrek it is.
The story is a little bit of continuation from the Shrek trilogy. But then of course, the story was crazy, going back to the past just so they can have a story from it and make another movie from it. Just seeing the trailers always make me say "Please stop making Shrek movies." But after seeing this movie I realized, I was entertained. It still had those funny moments although the first 3 were definitely funnier than this one.
My rate for this movie is B+.

Dreamworks play safe and sign the series off with dignity.
After the monstrosity that was Shrek the Turd, the Dreamworks team behind the Shrek franchise woke up and realised what made the series so popular in the first place. Shrek Forever After is not a particularly great film, but it finds some firm footings to appease the adults and children alike.
Thematically it's as safe as houses, it pitches Shrek into a "It's a Wonderful Life" scenario, where the big green ogre gets to spend a day away from the life he didn't realise he was happy with in the first place. Making a deal with the nefarious Rumpelstiltskin, Shrek finds a world of darkness for ogres, a world ruled by a psychotic who has an army of flying Margaret Hamilton's to do his bidding. Worse than that, Fiona doesn't know him, she's the leader of the resistance and has no time for some big green ogre love. Donkey is all mangy and Puss in Boots literally has become a fat cat, it's a horrible life, man!
The action and graphics whizz past the eyes in what is a perfectly pitched time frame of 90 minutes. It never reaches the heights of the first two movies, but it doesn't strain for laughs or narrative cheek (Pied Piper as a bounty hunter? Genius), or more crucially, it's never dull, something part 3 can't safely claim to not be. It bows out with head held high, not so much in a blaze of glory, but with a dignified recognition of the fact it's time to retire to the swamp and chill out. Take it easy Shrek and the gang. 7/10

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Zombie apocalypse is far from being a groundbreaking subgenre. The Walking Dead franchise is arguably the most popular show on Earth when it comes to portraying this supernatural future. World War Z and the Zombieland duology play that role in the movies' realm. However, all of these works fail to reach the always high expectations that come with a story set in a time like this. When people ask, "what's the best zombie apocalypse film ever?", one doesn't have a clear answer simply because there isn't an outstanding, mind-blowing, near-perfect flick. Well, at least not until 2016, the year of release of the best movie in the genre, Train to Busan.
I genuinely feel sorry for everyone who refuses to watch foreign films for whatever reason. A different language and/or the display of subtitles shouldn't be enough to convince viewers to ignore so many unique works from all around the world. If someone dares to call themselves a "zombies fan" and has not watched Train to Busan yet, then "fan" is far from being the right description. This is South Korean cinema at its best. Everyone is 200% committed to their role, whether that is a stunt man or one of the protagonists. Yeon Sang-ho delivers a powerfully suspenseful, intense, epic, and most of all, heartbreaking story with the help of a phenomenal screenplay written by Park Joo-suk.
When the only "negative" aspect that I can find is related to "maybe not-that-logical" specific actions performed by some characters, I know that I'm nitpicking a near-perfect movie. I struggle to find a single real issue with the entire film. In my opinion, the reason why the latter works so well is largely due to Park Joo-suk's script. Usually, people always think about the zombies first: how do they look? How do they act? Do they run wildly or stroll? Which new attributes or skills do these zombies have different from what we've seen until now? How did it all begin? Is there a cure? Granted, the zombies look cool, and Yeon Sang-ho is able to create impressive action sequences filled with maximum intensity and extreme tension. Entertainment-wise: top-notch.
However, the action only works as well as it does due to the emotional bond that the viewer shares with the (non-infected) human characters. These are beautifully treated and developed in such a remarkable manner. There are easily five to six characters that the viewer ends up caring deeply about. Typically, at least half of this group is expendable in this type of film because some characters show no signs of intelligence or are just douchebags. In Train to Busan, every single character possesses likable traits, besides being directly connected to each other (father-daughter, young couple pregnant). The action scenes are filmed in incredible fashion, but it's the encompassing emotional aura that ultimately elevates them.
It's really an emotionally devastating story. The viewer is placed in dozens of situations that require the hardest of choices from the main characters. The generic dilemma "do I save the person I care about or everyone else?" is taken to a whole other level with exceptional dialogues, filled with an excruciating amount of suspense, leaving me about to tear up on more than just a couple of times. Every character has a terrific, compelling arc. The main protagonist, Seok-woo (Gong Yoo), goes from being a despicable character, one that I wouldn't mind seeing killed in the first fifteen to twenty minutes, to a lovable father that only wants what's best for her daughter, protecting her at all costs during the apocalypse.
This movie is packed with clever social commentary, relatable to this day (and even more during the current global pandemic). Yon-suk (Kim Eui-sung) represents everything that's wrong with our society. A selfish man who thinks he's more important than everyone else due to his class and whose job is more significant than his own family or friends, let alone strangers on a train. He also works as a "wake-up call" to our protagonist, as a "what if" version of Seok-woo's future if he continues to only focus on his job. Another character of great relevance is Sang-hwa (Ma Dong-seok), a father-to-be who ends up protecting Seok-woo's daughter when her father can't. His bravery and selflessness make him an instant audience favorite.
Technically, it's genuinely a flawless film. From the outstanding zombie makeup to the mind-blowing stunt work, everything action-related serves as evidence to prove that South Korean cinema does action a thousand times better than conventional Hollywood. The level of intensity is ridiculous. Lee Hyung-deok's camera work is absolutely brilliant, moving through the train seamlessly, letting the viewer see and understand everything. Aided by excellent editing (Yang Jin-mo) and a phenomenal score (Jang Young-gyu), Yeon Sang-ho generates tension and suspense in a way that makes every single action sequence feel overwhelming, powerful, and even epic.
A runtime close to the two-hour mark that flies by. The first act perfectly sets up the apocalypse to come with a surprisingly subtle build-up of the exponentially growing chaos. Then, the outbreak in the train which occupies most of the movie's duration. During this period, everything happens. From the nail-biting action sequences to the emotionally powerful moments of character decisions that make this film so shocking. Finally, a third act that left me floored, completely drained of emotions, not knowing exactly how to feel after it all ended. Despite a couple of sequences that I believe were exclusively executed in the way they were to offer an emotionally climactic moment, everything else feels impressively realistic.
All in all, Train to Busan is arguably the best zombie apocalypse movie of all-time, at least, until the date of this review. The subgenre finds in Yeon Sang-ho's mind-blowing flick the masterpiece it deserves. From the exceptionally subtle build-up to the emotionally devastating final act, passing through the most vivid, suspenseful, tense depiction of a zombie outbreak ever put to screen, Park Joo-suk's screenplay is the reason why this film succeeds so well. A heartbreaking story featuring astonishingly well-developed characters, surrounded by a powerfully resonant social commentary, even more in the current days. Action-wise, it's South Korean cinema at its best: maximum intensity, phenomenal camera work, seamless editing, chill-inducing score, outstanding commitment from everyone involved, and a fantastic stunt team. Hollywood should learn from movies like this. I can't find a single flaw. It left me emotionally drained. If you're a fan of cinema, no matter the genre, this *must* be on your watchlist!
Rating: A+

Fantastic watch, will watch again, and can definitely recommend for those looking for a new zombie movie to watch.
This one really had me yelling at the screen: I was heavily invested....until I was basically emotionally exhausted. I don't think I reacted quite how the director wanted me to react during that last act.
This is a fascinating premise. A zombie outbreak that leaks onto a train (with just one infected), and these are "World War Z" running, 15 seconds to turn (usually) zombies. I'm staunchly against running zombies, but when you do something well, it is really hard to discredit you for it.
There is one aspect that is truly odd for zombies, but it would be quite the spoiler, it's basically the 3rd act (out of 4). The writing structure feels very different, it doesn't seem to adhere to a 3 act staple: it really feels like 4 acts broken into chapters (or levels similar to a video game) and as whichever characters survive the transfer from chapter to chapter, the story progresses. There is clearly though pre-infection establishing act, post infection establishing act, confrontation act, and resolution act. Once you get past the first act, it's pretty much non-stop action, by the by.
The one frustrating part about this movie is that most of the characters seem to have a death wish: despite trying to stay alive, they all seem to want to die. I understand that a story can't happen without flawed characters, but the things these people do are so remarkably stupid sometimes that the zombies become more believable at times. It does allow for some of the more amazing scenes though, so it might be somewhat forgiveable.
This movie is honestly so good, I really feel like I'm reaching on any of the complaints.

With a couple of the zombie movies I've watched recently, I've found myself able to go so far in my reviews as to credit the films for some modicum of surprise originality, alongside a rating of four of five out of ten. But it has been **years** since I've been able to say that I saw a zombie movie I genuinely and wholeheartedly **enjoyed**. Or I should say, it **had** been years, right up until last night when I saw _Train to Busan_.
_Final rating:★★★½ - I really liked it. Would strongly recommend you give it your time._

**Horror express.**
A week ago I saw a zombie film from Japan called 'I Am a Hero' and now this Korean. I have not seen a quality zombie film at the recent time. The second tier films like 'Cooties', 'Freaks of Nature', 'Scouts Guide...', all these were comedies. Probably 'World War Z' was the last decent zombie film I have seen and after that this is the one. So the timing of the film was another advantage. Since there's no competition, this zombie film rules. And not to forget the Korean style, they are among the best thriller film makers today.
Directed by an Anime filmmaker, this is his first live-action film. When I decided to watch it, I thought it would be another Korean film, which rely on father-daughter sentiments. You know I kind of tired of that Korean cliché where at the final stage they let the kid sob and call it a twist. Initially I enjoyed those and later on getting bored of that. With that kind of reasons, I would have missed it. Being a film fanatic, I won't mind to risk a watch, except give up writing a review for it.
But in this case, it was completely different. Even the characters, any characters in the film, either in the lead or the supporting ones, all are unpredictable. That's the biggest plus point of the film. At the end you won't be sure, who you were rooting for. You know in those edgy scenes, we blindly back the one we like. You will think you can guess the upcoming scenes, but the writing was very smartly done. Feels like they did not care about a sequel, if this meets a greater success. But who knows, this is a cinema and there were many mysteries kept unsolved, so they can pick up from one of those loops.
> "Whatever you do, you must finish what you start. It's worse than not doing it at all."
This is the story of a divorced, workaholic father and his young daughter. After the progress, many others join them. On her birthday, they decide to visit her mother in Busan. On their train, soon after it took off, they come to know that something is wrong around. With all the chaos unrolling rapidly, a group of survivours gathers in a car since there's no escape as they are trapped in a moving train. How their journey ends, whether they reach a safe place with the fight against the living dead, the narration comes to halt.
In the contest of good versus evil, there's no place for sentiments. But at one stage, near the end they cleared the place to attach one. In that final scene you can't resist, even if you are not an emotional person when it comes to the film. As I mentioned earlier that is the part I feared the most would come, but i did not hate it in the context of story development. Because that was a perfect setting to take the story to the next level.
There are several twists. Those are from the film characters' perspective than the story wise. They did not bother to tell about the cause of the epidemic. Instead, this film was focused on the train passengers and their fight for survival when the defending options are limited. Just imagine it is a zombie version of another Korean film 'Snowpiercer' or like 'Snakes on a Plane'.
I have heard there's another film, an animation which is also directed by the same filmmaker and said to be a prequel to this one. If you had liked it, you would be itching to watch that one as well. Hope I would watch it as soon as I get an opportunity. So, my view on it, the film is very good. It was close to two hours long, but once the train journey begins, you won't going to notice the time. I am saying the pace of the film, as well as the events make you dissolve in it completely and forget everything else. This is the best zombie film right now and you should not miss it, especially if you like this theme. Recommended!
_8/10_

Undoubtedly one of the better 1990s Disney films. The story and animation are very much centre stage with the music much less important - no big power ballads! It is a fun take on the Herculean mythology of ancient Greece. Beginning with a suitably grand opening narrative from Charlton Heston, no less, we learn that Hades is desperate to avenge himself on Zeus - who tricked him into ruling the underworld after he and his brothers defeated the Titans. Meantime Zeus is celebrating the birth of a baby boy. Hades decides to strike back, but his augurs (the "Fates" but think more "Stygian witches") advise that this little boy - Hercules - is the fly in the ointment who must be neutralised if his grand design is to succeed. Hades tricks him firstly into mortality and then cons him out of his great strength - but will that be enough to defeat the determination of our hero? It is a bit of a slow starter; but once it gets into the swing there are some good performances from James Woods (superb as Hades), Rip Torn (Zeus) and Danny DeVito as the long-suffering demi-god trainer "Phil" that keep this fantasy adventure moving along nicely. Don't expect to see any of his twelve labours...

The definition of a meh film, at least for me.
'Hercules' doesn't stick a connection, I felt very unfulfilled throughout. I have little negatives, yet there isn't much the other way either. I like the cast, but that's honestly about it.
James Woods, Danny DeVito and Rip Torn all give noteworthy performances in the roles of Hades, Phil and Zeus. However, Tate Donovan as the titular character is forgettable, as is Roger Bart's voice when Hercules sings.
Bart isn't helped by the very average music, none of which is memorable to me. The plot is mild, one that is quite easy to predict and doesn't produce any thrilling moments. The animation is actually OK, satisfactory for sure.
I can see this is very well rated by others, which I respect. For me, though, it isn't any good.

**The ruthless savagery of the killer combined with the tight quarters and oppressive silence make Don't Breathe a well-done and frightening slasher must-see.**
What starts as a typical home invasion thriller transforms into anything, but when the blind elderly man the thieves thought would be an easy mark turns out to be a vicious killer, Don't Breathe becomes something so much better. With suspense and tension similar to A Quiet Place, characters desperately fight to hold their breath and avoid making any sound so the deadly blind man can't find and kill them. Don't Breathe is visceral, brutal, and claustrophobic. In such a small, confined space, the anxiety never fades because the killer is literally in the room with his potential victims. There is one particularly disturbing scene near the end, so I recommend looking up a parents guide before you commit to watching if you aren't a frequent horror enthusiast. Don't Breathe surprises as one of the best new horror slasher films of the last decade.

**The right house, but an underestimated person!**
It's a great comeback for the director after his first film, 'Evil Dead' remake had got a mixed response. This film might feel very familiar to you if you have got a good knowledge of the B movies. It was still a very refreshing and very thrilling. The film was short, because there were none segments wasted, it comes to the point quickly. I mean the event, because the story was a one liner, but the event was what this film based on.
Three youngsters who rob the houses when the people are out, mark their new target on a blind war veteran. But when it does not go as they have planned, they find trapped inside his house. Struggling to escape from there, they also get so close to what they had come for. Though it becomes a suicidal, and left without any option, what's next for them and the result of their attempt is what becomes the film's conclusion.
Really a great effort. Almost a one night based theme with the limited cast. The title is not just what the film revolves, it also for us to hold breath while watching it and most probably sitting on the edge of our seat throughout. But I'm very disappointed with many flaws, or maybe you can say those unexplained stuffs. Like the end seems very silly, because there were lots of evidence to prove the film character had committed a crime, but easily got out. Likewise there are many more, but the film does not explain and I believe there are sure reasons behind them.
The writers did not care to waste time on those, because they wanted only a thriller, a non-stop one and they got one. Now it is going to be remade in Kollywood and also a sequel was announced. I expected that when I saw the ending. Maybe, a prequel, though sequel seems more interesting idea after what happened in this. Surely one of the best thriller of the year, so make sure you watch it soon.
_7/10_

2016 has been a great year for horror. With the addition of _Don't Breathe_, 3 of my top 5 movies the past 9 months are in the genre. I'm a pretty huge horror fan but even for me that is crazy unexpected.
Director Fede Alvarez has knocked it out of the park with _Don't Breathe_. In fact I'm yet to be anything other than impressed by his work (not that notable an achievement, as he's only directed two films, but still). _Don't Breathe_ flips a lot of modern horror conventions, and I love it for that. The use of silence and barely audible noise to bring the scares instead of some cheap blaring-ly loud audio. The fact that there is really no one wholly good or wholly evil.... Plus that puppy is really bloody cute...
_Final rating:★★★★ - An all round good movie with a little something extra._

There are several contemporary horror showcases that could certainly benefit from co-writer/director Fede Alvarez’s (“Evil Dead”) edgy home invasion thriller **Don’t Breathe**. For starters, Alvarez taps into the suggestive elements of tension without the overextended need to go overboard. The chills and thrills seem almost organic and unassuming. Sure, there appears to be a simplistic approach to an otherwise conventional premise of a house break-in at the hands of opportunistic thugs. Nevertheless, **Don’t Breathe** captures the claustrophobic spirit of its inherent creepiness with stylish cruelty and cleverness.
Inevitably, **Don’t Breathe** may inspire cinematic comparisons to the 2002 David Fincher-directed vehicle _Panic Room_. Understandably the theme is somewhat recognizable to movie audiences as ominous strangers invading your domestic private space is a recipe for paranoia and persecution. However, **Don’t Breathe** takes this precarious situation to a whole new scare tactic level of horrific proportions. Consequently, the executed violence and terror-driven tempo is definitely worthy of its suspense-driven objectives. **Don’t Breathe** is a macabre masterpiece in the making that sets the standard for a current-day stillborn and repetitive horror genre that thrives on pressure cooker predictability.
The set-up for **Don’t Breathe** is quite ambitious and challenging thus forming an interesting spin on the home robbery scenario. The sordid story centers around three upstart small-time crooks making the rounds of thievery in the suburban surroundings of Detroit. Rocky (Jane Levy) and her two male companions Money and Alex (Daniel Zovatto and Dylan Minnette) are able to carry off their home invasion scamming courtesy of Alex’s connections to a home security firm owned by his father (where there is all kinds of access information to private residences and local businesses).
Alex’s stipulation, however, is that these home invasion robberies need to be less flashy without drawing too much attention. Plus, all the stolen items confiscated much not be too expensive otherwise their illegal activities will be exposed much sooner than later. Unfortunately lovebirds Rocky and Money do not see eye-to-eye with Alex’s brand of careful and cautious home-robbing philosophy. In fact, the romantic couple wants to reach for the sky and steal as much stuff possible to make their dreams of living on East Street an immediate reality. So what will it take for Alex to get on the same page as Rocky and Money in terms of all of them benefiting on a big score without suffering the dire consequences?
The consensus is reached among the law-breaking trio that their next target for viable riches is in the form of a blinded Iraqi war veteran (Stephen Lang). The word is that the personally troubled and sightless ex-military man is about to be awarded a whopping three-hundred thousand dollar cash settlement involving the wrongful death of his beloved young daughter. So the home invasion task seems quite self-explanatory to the young heist-happy hooligans as committing theft against a seemingly vulnerable blind man emotionally and psychologically down in the dumps should be a piece of cake so to speak. Well, Rocky and her two boytoys were sadly mistaken if they thought that they could take sole advantage of this savvy yet disturbed disabled war vet with visions of sorrow and sacrifice.
The realization that the home-invading crew has picked a tricky trap of a house to pillage while underestimating the capabilities of its handicapped owner seems like poetic justice. In fact, the irony of the criminal threesome trying to escape the boarded-up dark and dingy household makes them look like the victimized three blind mice at the mercy of a crazed trigger-happy, sight-deprived ex-soldier that can see all too well that his cherished castle and belongings are being jeopardized by these punkish intrusive violators. Strangely, the audience is left wondering whether or not they should root for the blinded bombshell protecting his homestead of secrets or the clueless crooks that talked themselves into this caustic cat-and-mouse game of gloom-and-doom.
**Don’t Breathe** is uncharacteristically compelling for a horror showcase because it relies on genuine scary jolts and jumps…or at least the anticipation of the jolts and jumps that have convincing dramatic weight behind the build up of intensity. Alvarez crafts an arousing narrative that brilliantly displays the mounting nervousness that awaits. Lang’s belligerent blind man patrols every spacing and crevice in the darkness with the will of a rabid dog in heat as he points his explosive firearms at the slightest movements of his trapped guinea pigs in despair. Creatively nerve-racking and nauseous, **Don’t Breathe** makes dutiful usage of its instinctual delivery of shock value as this potent pot-boiler never settles for any sense of false or mechanically manufactured hedonism. The haunting aura that exists in **Don’t Breathe** is gasping in visceral authenticity.
As the menacing misfit saddled by wartime mortar fire blindness but blessed with tactical tenacity drenched in borderline villainy, Lang’s portrayal as the sightless hunter tracking down his vulnerable prey in his tortured domestic playground is solidly digestible. His inner madness was already established by personalized heartbreak but the arrival of his uninvited guests devilishly unleashed more demons within his off-kilter psyche. The moving targets at the other end of the deranged blind man’s intimidating gun are thoroughly convincing as the harried catalysts for their sightless tormentor’s frustration and escalating rage. Levy’s Rocky, Zovatto’s Money and Minnette’s Alex are plausible as the frightened specimens caught in the maniacal maze of their aggressor’s clutches.
The very thought of a psychotic blind man enforcing his brand of warped justice on the youthfully sighted self-indulgent saps is deliciously manipulative and wonderfully inventive. The creepy corners concerning the backlash blackness in **Don’t Breathe** is explored with grand naughtiness and the atmospheric vibes certainly will not disappoint in this percolating peek-a-boo primer.
**Don’t Breathe** (2016)
Ghost House Pictures/Screen Gems/Stage 6 Films/Good Universe
1 hr. 28 mins.
Starring: Jane Levy, Stephen Lang, Dylan Minnette, Daniel Zovatto, Emma Bercovici, Franciska Torocsik
Directed and Co-Written by: Fede Alvarez
MPAA Rating: R
Critic’s Rating: *** stars (out of 4 stars)
(c) **Frank Ochieng** 2016

As is typical with almost all movies of this genre I found this film to be predictable and lacking real creativity. It is an unfortunate collision of several popular titles and left me wondering if its writers had just binge watched a weekend of thriller films that made a few bucks before looking at each other through a bongy haze and declaring "Dude we can totally write a screenplay!"
The result is a film that is average at best. Perhaps the audience could also benefit from a little pre-screening bongy haze of their own.

A vain Queen visits her mirror each day to have it confirmed that she is the fairest in the land. When, one morning, her validator gives her news less to her liking she determines to have her step daughter "Snow White" done away with. Her captain of the guard is dispatched into the forest with his young charge with instructions to see she doesn't return! He can't quite bring himself to murder the girl, so abandons her thinking the forest will do the job for him... Luckily, she stumbles upon the cottage of the seven dwarves - who depart each day to mine for jewels. They return home, discover her asleep in one of their tiny beds and after a bit of a bumpy start, take her to their hearts. That's basically the theme - the film has "heart"; the dwarves reflect seven differing facets of human personality but all are sensitively enveloped in a glue of loyalty and humanity. All of these are tested as the wicked Queen discovers that the girl is still thriving (via her mirror) and sets out, personally, do the job. This Brothers' Grimm story is the stuff of all of our childhoods, as is the ending to this ultimately romantic fairy tale. The animations are beautifully crafted; the dialogue of menace and humour is marvellously engaging and - at times - poignant, too. There are plenty of memorable, catchy songs into the bargain. I always preferred "Bashful" myself..