If you are a Lovecraft fan, you will like it for what is is, and not be shocked at what it is...
But, why in the hell is Miskatonic University in California?!
26 Reviews
Its on par with most low buget Lovecraft adaptations.
jnadda22 September 2021
There's a good movie in this bad movie.
christophermoonlight14 January 2022
I'm fascinated with Full Moon Features from a low budget movie production standpoint but I'll admit that their production choices are about as antithetical to what I prefer, as they can get. Flatly lit, uninspired camera work, bad acting, and basic After Effects level VFX. When I turned on The Resonator I fully expected to turn it off after five minutes, like I do with pretty much every post 90s production from Full Moon but instead, I was hooked. If you can get past all of the above mentioned flaws (and believe me, I don't blame anyone for not wanting to) there's actually a good story here with a lot of heart. An unofficial (and I'm sure unauthorised but what ya gonna do? It's in the public domain.) sequel to From Beyond, the cast give it their all and the creature work is actually pretty on point, probably by newcomers who have a lot of passion and something to prove. Unfortunately, they don't stick the ending but the effort was enough to make me take note. Is it a recomend? Only for the most diehard cheesy horror movie fans or filmmakers looking for some low budget inspiration. Anyone else will probably throw tomatoes at the screen, as well as at me if I told them to go watch it.
A mixed bag of sorts. I have a Love/Hate thing going on for this.
frankblack-7996126 June 2021
The positive. They resurrected a great film by Gordon. Got the basics correct. The negative. Horrid effects in places. I mean just awful. The practical effects are decent. Overuse of cgi and the effects aren't very good. Truly some poor cgi work. Costumes are passable at least. Story is kind of meh. Better than nothing I guess. I have a feeling this show will get very opposing opinions.
Diehard Lovecraftian fans only
dalxray29 September 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I have been a fan of the Lovecraft mythos for over forty years and therefore being probably overly generous in this review. For brevity I will not give a synopsis as you can read that in other reviews.
It's kinda a sequel to "From Beyond" (1986) by director Stuart Gordon, but with a running time of barely over an hour. Fair warning - a Full Moon Features production (honestly don't think I've ever seen a Full Moon film which wasn't crap).
I don't mind very low budget movies, as long as they have some redeeming features, but this one has few. Honestly thought this may have been a first-time outing for the writer/director William Butler, but according to IMBD he has (at time of writing) 30 credits to his name.
The in-camera practical SFX (models,blood etc.) are pretty good considering the low budget, but there is an overuse of flashing negative film effects and the CGI effects are pretty awful. Hard to believe the visual effects in From Beyond, made over 35 years ago are FAR superior to this.
The acting is mostly sub-par, with the exception of the main character Crawford - which is so truly awful, I can't even forgive him for the incredibly dumb garbage dialogue he has to deliver. In two separate scenes when the machine is powered up he instructs the participants to "remain completely still, they can't see you if you don't move", followed immediately by "point out if you see anything". And of course everyone including himself moves .
Just to give you some scale, Michael Pare gives by far the best performance in this movie (never thought I'd ever write that).
Positves- the female characters are very attractive beauties.
Negatives (apart from previously mentioned) - the ending was abrupt and forced, maybe due to lack of funds.
It's kinda a sequel to "From Beyond" (1986) by director Stuart Gordon, but with a running time of barely over an hour. Fair warning - a Full Moon Features production (honestly don't think I've ever seen a Full Moon film which wasn't crap).
I don't mind very low budget movies, as long as they have some redeeming features, but this one has few. Honestly thought this may have been a first-time outing for the writer/director William Butler, but according to IMBD he has (at time of writing) 30 credits to his name.
The in-camera practical SFX (models,blood etc.) are pretty good considering the low budget, but there is an overuse of flashing negative film effects and the CGI effects are pretty awful. Hard to believe the visual effects in From Beyond, made over 35 years ago are FAR superior to this.
The acting is mostly sub-par, with the exception of the main character Crawford - which is so truly awful, I can't even forgive him for the incredibly dumb garbage dialogue he has to deliver. In two separate scenes when the machine is powered up he instructs the participants to "remain completely still, they can't see you if you don't move", followed immediately by "point out if you see anything". And of course everyone including himself moves .
Just to give you some scale, Michael Pare gives by far the best performance in this movie (never thought I'd ever write that).
Positves- the female characters are very attractive beauties.
Negatives (apart from previously mentioned) - the ending was abrupt and forced, maybe due to lack of funds.
Not so bad
jamesparsons939327 September 2021
The really bad reviews must be written by people completely unfamiliar with Full Moon. If you know Full Moon & have appropriate expectations, this is certainly one of their more enjoyable features in recent years IMO. Its not a bunch of silly nonsense played as a big joke like the bulk of Full Moon's current catalogue. The story is told straight, with effects that stay in line with the original film and also includes some direct tie ins. The main problem with this movie is the overly attractive fashion model style cast. The movie could gain a few more levels of credibility & seriousness if it would have just cast real looking people, instead of eye candy. I'm sure plenty of the Full Moon fanbase won't take any issue with the hot girls in schoolgirl uniforms though.
Worst waste of time ever
labedzkijoerg21 September 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Sorry this is beyond BAD.
Its a remake of the old creature feature classic "From Beyond" and its the worst piece of s**t Ive seen in a long time.
Dont Waste your time you dont need to see a cheap Plavalaguna copy in violet .
This "Movie" is beyond BAD.
Watch the 1986 original and try to forget this Trainwreck.
Its a remake of the old creature feature classic "From Beyond" and its the worst piece of s**t Ive seen in a long time.
Dont Waste your time you dont need to see a cheap Plavalaguna copy in violet .
This "Movie" is beyond BAD.
Watch the 1986 original and try to forget this Trainwreck.
Tasteless movie.
jp_9128 November 2021
"The Resonator: Miskatonic U" is a film based on the story "From Beyond" by H. P. Lovecraft, previously made into a movie by Stuart Gordon. This new version lacks the incredible special effects of the original version, which were realistic and gory, achieved by means of latex prostheses, the effects of this new film are digital and of very poor quality, highlighting only the makeup effects for the villain. The script is too poor perhaps because of the short duration of the film. The performances are decent bordering on almost bad, it should be noted that a big mistake was wasting the participation of the legendary horror film actress Amanda Wyss. The direction of William Butler (vaguely involved in the original version) is barely passable. Stuart Gordon would not be happy with this graceless remake, nor would H. P. Lovecraft be pleased with the result. The movie has the allure of Full Moon productions, but it might have worked better in the 80's, 90's or even the early 2000's. A bad movie but entertaining in some scenes.
very good addition to full moons lovecraft inspired storyline
tvcarsd29 September 2021
Guy makes a resonator that interacts with entities on another plane that have strong sexual forces/energies that are very hostile, seductive and powerful. It's a retelling of an old story with a different setting but its not a remake of From Beyond, its more like a prequel. I hope they continue on down this path. More please.
Astoundingly Terrible
mckinleybrooksmorton5 September 2021
Any positive reviews are suspect. This makes Puppet Master 5 look like Citizen Kane. The worst aspects are the cinematography, lighting, acting, script... basically everything stands out as being the worst possible level of artistry.
Jeffery Combs is using another name? Wtf?
Everything looks like it was shot in a warehouse/community theatre with little attention to set decoration. The fx are as much of a joke as anything else... I found this to be so bad it was hilarious, not sure that was the intent of the filmmakers. Zero technical adeptness appears on screen.
Jeffery Combs is using another name? Wtf?
Everything looks like it was shot in a warehouse/community theatre with little attention to set decoration. The fx are as much of a joke as anything else... I found this to be so bad it was hilarious, not sure that was the intent of the filmmakers. Zero technical adeptness appears on screen.
Thoroughly entertaining!
savage1953-296-9235176 October 2021
I actually paid into the Full Moon app so I could watch this show and I'm glad I did. I'm a fan of horror and the movie From Beyond. This show has done a great job at recreating that universe that was initiated by HP Lovecraft's writings and then put to the screen by Stuart Gordon and his crew with From Beyond. The Resonator is a well made and acted television show. It's very interesting, exciting, and thoroughly entertaining. Not sure how many episodes there will be but I'm excited to see what unfolds.
Simplton, low budget movie
burgif21 September 2021
For Stuart Gordon. Artist. Dreamer. Storyteller. Legends Never Die.
spekterbreaksbeats27 May 2021
Seeing this banner at the very first second of the first video is all you need to know. Second of all there is more than one episode available now! Thank you so much Full Moon for giving new life to my favorite Full Moon characters! Crawford Tillinghast played by Dane Oliver is an awesome smashup of Dean's rugged handsomeness and West's comical seriousness as well as Crawford's commitment to excellence. Love this cast and the introduction to new characters. Loved Michael Pare as the Professor and Amanda Jones as Carrie along with Austin Woods as Brandon. Amanda Wyss brings us the nice balance of occult magic melded with science. The concept of the resonator has always fascinated me. They say that people that catch glimpses of otherwordly entities such as ghosts or aliens or demons have a heightened acuity of perception from an active pineal gland and therefore are looking to create a device to unlock the pineal activity in common users to peer beyond the veil of the known universe. Great work from William Butler staying true to the practical effects and puppetry and it was great to see Phillip Tillinghast played by vet Jeffrey Byron. Nice effects and creature work from Greg Lightner and Michael Deaks Resonator design! Looking forward to the continued legacy of Full Moon and Stuart Gordon. This wet my appetite in a way that left me with a sufficient hunger for more!!! Looking forward to more installments and soon! Don't leave us diehard fans hangin now!!!
How can people make films like these and think that they're good???
contactmaz25 September 2021
This was terrible... really terrible! Everything about it was bad and it's hard to believe that the people that made this film actually thought they were doing something... artistic! If they were, then they were thinking 'artistically bad'!
Oh yeah, at least the producers could have waited until "Crawford's" eye infection cleared. That guy was bad... really bad and irritating to watch!
Oh yeah, at least the producers could have waited until "Crawford's" eye infection cleared. That guy was bad... really bad and irritating to watch!
Good movie ,if it were done in the 40s
IvnSoft22 September 2021
What was this ?
Comedy ? Horror ? Action ? Fantasy ?
It was horror alright. I ended up horrified after watching this. Couldnt believe i completed the movie.
It is awful. I dont mind cheap CGI but this one but even cheaper than cheap.
Dialogue ? Its borderline moronic. Trying to justify what tries to pass as science with some pseudo science.
Plot ? Non existant.
There might be some value for those who like the low budget horror. But having this movie with a rating over 5 will just misguide people trying to find a decent flick.
If you dont enjoy bad horror films.. stay away. Really away.
You could die (?) just like the guy in the first minute for watching too close.
Comedy ? Horror ? Action ? Fantasy ?
It was horror alright. I ended up horrified after watching this. Couldnt believe i completed the movie.
It is awful. I dont mind cheap CGI but this one but even cheaper than cheap.
Dialogue ? Its borderline moronic. Trying to justify what tries to pass as science with some pseudo science.
Plot ? Non existant.
There might be some value for those who like the low budget horror. But having this movie with a rating over 5 will just misguide people trying to find a decent flick.
If you dont enjoy bad horror films.. stay away. Really away.
You could die (?) just like the guy in the first minute for watching too close.
No
zenkat-8060927 February 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I don't even know how to feel about this. No Herbert for one thing, the effects were wack, acting was mediocre at best. Why was it hornier and less diverse than the original From Beyond movie?
I'm sorry, my expectations were low, but damn.
I'm sorry, my expectations were low, but damn.
a heem heem....
venomfroggie27 February 2021
Watchable, but not all that outstanding...
paul_haakonsen21 September 2021
I have to admit that I was pretty thrilled when I first heard about this project back in 2020, I believe it was, and since I always loved the 1986 classic Lovecraftian horror movie "From Beyond", of course I was very much looking forward to getting to see this 2021 version from writer and director William Butler.
Then they released the cover teaser, and I must admit that my expectations dropped down quite a bit, because it seemed like something quite inferior in comparison to the 1986 classic. But still, I kept hope and waited for the release of "The Resonator: Miskatonic U".
And now I finally got to watch it. And I must admit that I am finding myself sitting here with the sense of being torn and conflicted. On one hand, I do like the continuation of the story told in "From Beyond" and the whole concept of the storyline, but on the other hand then "The Resonator: Miskatonic U" feels like something that was intended as a pilot episode for a series and not a feature movie.
Storywise, then "The Resonator: Miskatonic U" does keep up with the classic "From Beyond", so there is a good sense of continuity and connection to the 1986 classic. The storyline told here, though, and let's be honest, just seemed like a copy/paste job of "From Beyond" with a few tweaks here and there. So that was somewhat disappointing that writer William Butler didn't create something new to expand upon the 1986 movie.
The acting in "The Resonator: Miskatonic U" was good. The only performer that I was familiar with here was Michael Paré, and he wasn't even in the lead role. But they had managed to get together a good ensemble of actors and actresses for the various roles and characters.
Visually then "The Resonator: Miskatonic U" was somewhat of a bag of mixed nuts. Some of the special effects were good, while others were really downright laughable and even couldn't even match the effects in the 1986 "From Beyond" movie. I must admit that I had expected a lot more in the visual effects department from a project such as "The Resonator: Miskatonic U".
Continuing on with the visuals, then writer William Butler opted to put in an alien-like female brought about from the other dimension, which wasn't seen in "From Beyond". A nice touch, I will say. However, the design of the creature was just too much similar of the work of H. R. Geiger than it was something you'd see in a Lovecraft tale.
I was entertained by what I saw in "The Resonator: Miskatonic U", sure, but this was by no means something that blew me away. It didn't live up to my expectations, that's for sure, but it was still watchable and entertaining enough for what it.
And I just loved the nod that writer and director William Butler put in there towards the "Re-Animator" franchise. That was simply the cherry on the cake here.
My rating of "The Resonator: Miskatonic U" lands on a six out of ten stars.
Then they released the cover teaser, and I must admit that my expectations dropped down quite a bit, because it seemed like something quite inferior in comparison to the 1986 classic. But still, I kept hope and waited for the release of "The Resonator: Miskatonic U".
And now I finally got to watch it. And I must admit that I am finding myself sitting here with the sense of being torn and conflicted. On one hand, I do like the continuation of the story told in "From Beyond" and the whole concept of the storyline, but on the other hand then "The Resonator: Miskatonic U" feels like something that was intended as a pilot episode for a series and not a feature movie.
Storywise, then "The Resonator: Miskatonic U" does keep up with the classic "From Beyond", so there is a good sense of continuity and connection to the 1986 classic. The storyline told here, though, and let's be honest, just seemed like a copy/paste job of "From Beyond" with a few tweaks here and there. So that was somewhat disappointing that writer William Butler didn't create something new to expand upon the 1986 movie.
The acting in "The Resonator: Miskatonic U" was good. The only performer that I was familiar with here was Michael Paré, and he wasn't even in the lead role. But they had managed to get together a good ensemble of actors and actresses for the various roles and characters.
Visually then "The Resonator: Miskatonic U" was somewhat of a bag of mixed nuts. Some of the special effects were good, while others were really downright laughable and even couldn't even match the effects in the 1986 "From Beyond" movie. I must admit that I had expected a lot more in the visual effects department from a project such as "The Resonator: Miskatonic U".
Continuing on with the visuals, then writer William Butler opted to put in an alien-like female brought about from the other dimension, which wasn't seen in "From Beyond". A nice touch, I will say. However, the design of the creature was just too much similar of the work of H. R. Geiger than it was something you'd see in a Lovecraft tale.
I was entertained by what I saw in "The Resonator: Miskatonic U", sure, but this was by no means something that blew me away. It didn't live up to my expectations, that's for sure, but it was still watchable and entertaining enough for what it.
And I just loved the nod that writer and director William Butler put in there towards the "Re-Animator" franchise. That was simply the cherry on the cake here.
My rating of "The Resonator: Miskatonic U" lands on a six out of ten stars.
Bad Attempt to add two characters from two movies into one.....
utahman197121 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Herbet West was in the Re-animator, not From Beyond. Herbert West would be old in this movie and if that is Crawford's son in this one, then it still makes no sense. Herbert West was college student in 1985, and in 1986 was From Beyond. This movie makes no sense of the original From Beyond. Director just took two different characters in both movies and added them into this one. Poor attempt of a remake or something or online series.
It's alright
benprichardsdotcom14 November 2021
You have to forgive just how small the budget must have been and it's short enough. I thought the main character Crawford looked ridiculous in his first school uniform scene ~ do you get mature students in American universities? A few other glaring plot holes but easily forgivable and entertaining enough.
Stuck Somewhere In Between Bad- and Okayland
Tweetienator1 October 2021
Sooner or later everything that got something to do with Mr. Lovecraft's work will make its appearance on my screen sometime. As we know there are far more bad to mediocre movies or shows based on his work than good ones, The Resonator: Miskatonic U is one of those mediocre attempts or efforts - the story is somewhat okay, the visuals too, the acting also, the budget low: more or less business as usual in the Lovecraft movie department one could be tempted to say. Verdict: not essential, but it is for sure not a flick that I would put into the domain of worst movies ever.
Worthy update of From Beyond
ravencorinncarluk21 September 2021
FLASHING LIGHT WARNING: I don't normally put these, but there are high frequencies and flashing images/light sequences when the machine is on that could be intense for normal viewers, let alone with sensitivities. I personally preferred the high tones to the normal brown-note base horror movies use to cheaply invoke dread.
All right, that out of the way: YES YES YES. I am a Lovecraft fan and a fan of Full Moon cheesiness, so this hit all the right notes for me. It tells the story of From Beyond, but with plenty of its own twists and additions. Yet offers love to its predecessors in ways I appreciated. The colors were the same as the movie, and sometimes Dane Oliver just nailed that early 20th century cadence and behavior. And the female characters seem like actual characters, and not just eye candy to be the next refrigerator girl.
Sure, there are problems with the graphics, but that goes along with B-movie. I actually liked the obviousness of the succubus, because - in a way - it added to the horror: if you saw what just looked like a cosplayer, would you be frightened of it?
The design of the resonating machine itself had almost a Geiger feel to it, and still looked like it fit directly in the Lovecraft mythos.
No spoilers, but I must say the very end scene had me shouting in enjoyment, because it was such a great character cameo, and I really hope it means updates to the stories said cameo comes from. (The actor really nailed it too, and my fellow Lovecraftians will understand when they see it.
Is this for everyone: not by a long shot. It is niche AF. But for those who enjoy that niche, it is probably one of the best Lovecraft movies I have seen in a long time.
All right, that out of the way: YES YES YES. I am a Lovecraft fan and a fan of Full Moon cheesiness, so this hit all the right notes for me. It tells the story of From Beyond, but with plenty of its own twists and additions. Yet offers love to its predecessors in ways I appreciated. The colors were the same as the movie, and sometimes Dane Oliver just nailed that early 20th century cadence and behavior. And the female characters seem like actual characters, and not just eye candy to be the next refrigerator girl.
Sure, there are problems with the graphics, but that goes along with B-movie. I actually liked the obviousness of the succubus, because - in a way - it added to the horror: if you saw what just looked like a cosplayer, would you be frightened of it?
The design of the resonating machine itself had almost a Geiger feel to it, and still looked like it fit directly in the Lovecraft mythos.
No spoilers, but I must say the very end scene had me shouting in enjoyment, because it was such a great character cameo, and I really hope it means updates to the stories said cameo comes from. (The actor really nailed it too, and my fellow Lovecraftians will understand when they see it.
Is this for everyone: not by a long shot. It is niche AF. But for those who enjoy that niche, it is probably one of the best Lovecraft movies I have seen in a long time.
Half Life
jkernodle-609901 December 2021
Deserves a longer cut.
lordpoee-8908227 January 2023
The premise is great, I think I would have enjoyed this movie even more had it had a bigger budget. I feel like this is more of a draft of a film than a film itself. Clearly they were working with budget constraints, I think there are some scenes that were meant to be filmed but weren't instead, brief montages took their place. If you are a fan of horror and HP Lovecraft, you'll want to watch this and the follow ups, the cast is not laughably bad, I think they do well with the script provided. The writing was a little lackluster and and the narrative gets muddier as the series movies along. All in all, if your looking for an hour to kill, might as well kill it with some Lovecraft.
Nice try but...
marcag11 February 2023
How is the f/x so much worse than a 35 year old movie? I know it's a micro budget but come on. The cgi was laughable and there were not many practical effects. The sound was terrible too. Coould they not get the original resonator sounds from the 85 film? On the bright side the actors that played Crawford and Mara were quite good. The other performances were decent, except for the professor. His overacting was distracting & cheesy. The story was decent enough and kept me interested. The ending is a mess but I expect it will be explained in the next episode. If you like the old film this is worth a look but don't get your hopes up.
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