I Am the Abyss

As an Italian myself, I always hope the industry could come back to its golden era but I get deluded every time.

First of all, this movie should be renamed as The Dutch Angles for the insane amount of this type of shots the director used for 90% of the time. We got it, it's a thriller and he wanted to create tension by that technique but it's not needed for every single scene!

And the editing was not helping at all: random flashbacks, useless to the storyline, that made me take a couple seconds to understand we were not in the present.

Then the classic, bad Italian acting: I'm used to the always academic and not believable interpretations of our actors so I found this just amusing but If you're not Italian and you happen to watch this film in its original language, please remember: we don't talk like that in this country.

Last, but not least, the screenplay: very poor, with no sense whatsoever and full of stereotypes.

On top of that, a very slow pace that made me give up 30 min to the end.

No pun intended - sometimes a person who we would consider evil, may do something good. We have a moral compass, so seeing someone being evil, but also how this was ... well pushed on to him! If you are left alone, if you are left to ... let's call it struggle for yourself ... well it shapes you. It makes you to the person you grow up to be - if you survive that "fight".

There is a really gruesome scene at the beginning of the movie. And it is not visceral, it is not explicit .. but if you are a parent and you see this ... I am not a parent myself yet, I can only imagine what it feels like, being an uncle (multiple times) to watch this ... not easy to stomach to say the least.

But the movie also has violence that is graphic - you can't be too sensitive about it. Also when it comes to the "hero" of this ... but for what it's worth the movie is quite interesting and sometimes even satisfying in a weird way ... you just have to be able to go through with it ... will "good" prevail?

First of all is my opinion that follows, my 2cents, I would say.

This movie has a compelling story and a decent director., Indeed, the director is very good, I think.

But, man, the acting is terrible.

Actors seem they are reading from a panel, they are not convincing at all.

I guess it could be an effect the director would to make up, I don't know, I'm not an expert. And I would say, if this was the intention, it has a secure effect.

But, I think some actors in some scenes appears like rookie amateur.

Sure I'm incompetent, and I shouldn't have such strong opinion. I wanted to share my impressions about this film.

With the backdrop of Lake Como, how could a film go wrong? This film found a way.

The main character is simply not believable. I did like the characters of the "crazy" lady and the 13 year old girl. They did the best they could with the script they were handed. The story should have focused more on them.

This film was an opportunity lost. It was a good story in a fascinating setting, but the main character was never convincing enough. Serial killers, generally speaking, are astute and charming to some degree. This guy is none of those things. He's an unconvincing mix of Frankenstein and Freddy Kruger.

I do not recommend this film.

As the book this is a quite intricate film, whit many plot twist and flashbacks. To follow precisely the whole plot you need to be focused a hundred percent on the movie, because everything happens quick.

The acting is on a really good level (at least in Italian). The direction and screenplay are fantastic, here and there during the movie you can find some beautiful glimpses of Lago di Garda, where the story is set.

Being Carrisi both the writer of the book and the direcor it is impossible for the movie bot to be precisely coherent with the book.

I would really recommend to watch the movie and then read the book (which is a lot more detailed), if you haven't already done it!