If you're not really an open-minded person towards low-budget fantasy/horror movies, you'll probably have some difficulties understanding me giving this Philip J. Cook movie a rating this high. Let me try to explain why DESPISER really is worth seeing and certainly is a much better movie than its poor rating here in IMDb might lead you to believe.
The only other movie of him as a director I've seen is INVADER (1992), an offbeat sci-fi flick about an alien invasion (starting by taking over the American military), and I must say I even liked that one to some extend. For one thing, it's fun, doesn't take itself too seriously, contains some decent action and shows us nifty-looking special effects. Now, DESPISER has a much, much more ambitious plot, but it never gets pretentious in any way. I could even say the plot was too ambitious for the budget it was made with. It deals with people, deceased or on the verge of dying, being transported to an alternate universe. There they must choose sides to take part in the ever on-going battle between good and evil. Of course, the Evil Ones have a plan to enter our reality, bringing humanity to an apocalyptic ending. A lot more different ingredients are thrown in the mix (basically anything a decent plot has to offer) and they are all well-dosed with good timing.
Despiser showed us in 2003 already, on some levels, a new way of film-making (later done on a big budget in films like SIN CITY, for example). There are very few real sets used. Somewhat like 75% of all sets, visuals (and even some shots of human characters) are made out of CGI. And I must say, even with a small budget like this, it's very pleasant eye-candy and even not that bad at all. It sometimes looks a lot like film-sequences from a video-game. The few sets that were build, indeed look a little fake, but they still blend in nicely with all the CGI. None of the actors are very good, but you can see that they tried really hard. And the film-makers put a lot of heart into this flick. I applaud all that; appreciate and respect it. And more important, I started caring about the characters as the movie progressed, so you tend to forget that those aren't portrayed by first-rate actors and the so-so acting wasn't even an issue anymore after I'd gotten to know the characters. Plus: The movie is pretty fast-paced, never becomes boring, and the story's entertaining.
There will most certainly be visuals that stick with you, like the landscapes, the rather exiting car-chase on the long bridge in a lake of fire, and the fortress of the Über-Evil-Creature, the Despiser, near the end. Philip J. Cook even plays his cards right by showing us only glimpses of the Despiser wrapped in shadows throughout the movie, only to reveal him in his full glory at the end. Yes, of course, he's a CGI creation, and he's not exactly made out of LORD OF THE RINGS-material. But it's a fierce-looking creature nevertheless.
I had a good time with DESPISER and I'd say to anyone it's worth checking out, except if you hate CGI or don't like a no-name cast in a low-budget film. I hope Mr. Cook keeps making movies, 'cause I'll sure watch 'em. And someone, any producer out there: Please give this guy some more money. He's got good ideas and skills. All he needs is a decent budget.
The only other movie of him as a director I've seen is INVADER (1992), an offbeat sci-fi flick about an alien invasion (starting by taking over the American military), and I must say I even liked that one to some extend. For one thing, it's fun, doesn't take itself too seriously, contains some decent action and shows us nifty-looking special effects. Now, DESPISER has a much, much more ambitious plot, but it never gets pretentious in any way. I could even say the plot was too ambitious for the budget it was made with. It deals with people, deceased or on the verge of dying, being transported to an alternate universe. There they must choose sides to take part in the ever on-going battle between good and evil. Of course, the Evil Ones have a plan to enter our reality, bringing humanity to an apocalyptic ending. A lot more different ingredients are thrown in the mix (basically anything a decent plot has to offer) and they are all well-dosed with good timing.
Despiser showed us in 2003 already, on some levels, a new way of film-making (later done on a big budget in films like SIN CITY, for example). There are very few real sets used. Somewhat like 75% of all sets, visuals (and even some shots of human characters) are made out of CGI. And I must say, even with a small budget like this, it's very pleasant eye-candy and even not that bad at all. It sometimes looks a lot like film-sequences from a video-game. The few sets that were build, indeed look a little fake, but they still blend in nicely with all the CGI. None of the actors are very good, but you can see that they tried really hard. And the film-makers put a lot of heart into this flick. I applaud all that; appreciate and respect it. And more important, I started caring about the characters as the movie progressed, so you tend to forget that those aren't portrayed by first-rate actors and the so-so acting wasn't even an issue anymore after I'd gotten to know the characters. Plus: The movie is pretty fast-paced, never becomes boring, and the story's entertaining.
There will most certainly be visuals that stick with you, like the landscapes, the rather exiting car-chase on the long bridge in a lake of fire, and the fortress of the Über-Evil-Creature, the Despiser, near the end. Philip J. Cook even plays his cards right by showing us only glimpses of the Despiser wrapped in shadows throughout the movie, only to reveal him in his full glory at the end. Yes, of course, he's a CGI creation, and he's not exactly made out of LORD OF THE RINGS-material. But it's a fierce-looking creature nevertheless.
I had a good time with DESPISER and I'd say to anyone it's worth checking out, except if you hate CGI or don't like a no-name cast in a low-budget film. I hope Mr. Cook keeps making movies, 'cause I'll sure watch 'em. And someone, any producer out there: Please give this guy some more money. He's got good ideas and skills. All he needs is a decent budget.