The Renata Road (2022) User Reviews

Interesting Mystery

[geographypaddy · 7/10 · 9 February 2024]

An interesting mystery film, which left me baffled for the most part, but in saying that, I never felt bored by it. Thinking about it afterwards, I'm not sure your supposed to understand everything. The whole thing is more of a mind-bending trip in cinematic form, especially when in the end, it doesn't explicitly explain anything anyway. Maybe you need to see it more than once?

Overall, it is very well made, and the performances are really good for a low budget film, and the hotel setting is almost unbearably claustrophobic. I won't be rushing back for a second viewing, but I did enjoy it for what it was.

Interminable Slog through a Lynchian Purgatory

[Sandoz · 4/10 · 25 May 2023]

A man checks into a weird hotel, meets a lot of weird people, and experiences some weird occurrences. For two hours. Then after a brief attempt at escape (check-out?), he finds himself again sitting in the same chair waiting to check-in.

This is a threadbare scenario from which to build a feature story around; it could have been better served as a short film instead. It isn't hard to achieve a feeling of tension and uneasiness in a film, but it IS hard to sustain those feelings continually for two hours. And it's even harder when all the characters seem to be some kind of archetypic figures rather than actual humans; it makes them all one-dimensional.

Technically, the film is commendable. The bright cinematography goes against what might be the typical choice of dark shadowy lighting for a tale like this and actually assists in establishing the eerie-ness of the location as though the rooms are all under the bright lights of some laboratory. And, thank god, at least the film avoids the trap of using any shaky-cam to establish anxiety (allow me to digress here and interject a personal opinion: Death To Shaky-Cam!).

I'm going to give this film 4 stars because it at least showed some ambition and an attempt to issue something off-beat and not just a run-of-the-mill thriller or pedestrian drama...it didn't succeed in its ambition, but trying is worth some recognition. Although the fact that I checked this film out from my local library and there was no cost on my part to watch it no doubt helped my rating...if I had actually had to pay for a rental of this I likely would have rated it lower.

An atmospheric mystery

[FilmRoverFilmRover · 8/10 · 3 October 2023]

A slow burner and more about the atmosphere and mystery than a traditional narrative. (It was good to know that going in).

This is one of those films where it's mostly left down to interpretation, so if you like that sort of thing, as I do, then you'll like this.

Strong performances all round and some seriously disturbed characters and moments. The lead actress is fantastic and you have real empathy for her which contrasts well with a lot of the other characters, especially the brother/barman and the older couple, who are just vile.

The subtle score was highly effective as well and complimented the overall feel.

It's a hard film to pigeonhole. It's quite different.

If you're looking for a typical mystery thriller, you won't find that here.

But if you're looking for something that will challenge your expectations and asks for your interpretation rather than spoon feeding you information. Something a little weird and different. Then you just might enjoy this as much as I did.

A worthy Indie head scratcher

[Peoples_Popular_Front · 10/10 · 2 September 2023]

Now I can't say that this is the best film ever as another reviewer has, but it certainly isn't worthy of the low scores from some.

It's low budget Indie. Now compare that to most low budget Indies and you've actually got something quite special here.

Technically better than a lot of the big budget stuff. And actually more engaging if you give it a chance and know you're going to be watching something a bit different from the norm.

It's a mystery movie, but one that doesn't hand hold the viewer. There's a lot left to the interpretation of the audience and I really liked that. It was different and it left me with questions (in a good way).

Performances are great and the direction is commendable.

This deserves more praise considering the limitations of budget.

Some trolls have deliberately given a low rating, so I'm compensating. Real score 8/10.

Best Film Ever

[emilyweeks-93453 · 9/10 · 16 August 2023]

I loved this film. It was so good I literally, literally watched it five times back-to-back. It is so good. I'm not going to spoil it for anyone, so won't give the ending, or anything away, but I would definitely recommend this film to everyone. It is the best film, and I am well aware that I have already said that a lot but I need to tell everyone how good this film is. I loved all the costumes, all the effects, and all the actors were brilliant in it. And not to mention the people behind the scenes. How much effort they would have had to put in to make it as good as it is is unbelievable!!!!