146 reviews
- Draysan-Jennings
- Sep 24, 2021
- Permalink
Okay, so it's 60/40 for me on this one. The acting is good. The 'gore' and shock factor is great (if that's your thing) All of the technical aspects are okay. That said, after watching it I thought to myself, *WHAT WAS THE POINT?* I don't want to include spoilers, but I found the plot itself very frustrating and unsatisfying. Would I recommend a watch? If there's not a lot else out there... sure. But I wouldn't go out of my way for it.
- frances_farmer0
- Dec 14, 2021
- Permalink
I understand why people are angry after watching the movie. Some say it's "pointless", but that is not lazy writing which makes it so, on the countrary. I think the idea of this movie is to show how crazy anger can be and how pointless the deaths can be, yet they still happen. I think the ending, which doesn't explain much, actually adds up to this point. Yet still, I felt unsettled by the ending, cause I really wanted some closure.
- What-a-Punk
- Sep 25, 2021
- Permalink
This film is one of those that is frustrating because it is so close to being great but it just can't get there. The majority of the performances are excellent, the cinematography is beautiful, the concept is intriguing, the biggest let down is the plot.
Whilst I have no issue with a slow burn plot, the issue I have with this film is the repetitive scenes that take place and cause the progression of the story to be unnecessarily slow. Basically there are 5 different instances in the film were a character attempts to escape from the two captors. Granted some of these scenes are shorter than others but as you can imagine, the failed escapes get rather dull fairly quickly.
I would have rather had scenes of plot progression, better dialogue scenes or more flashbacks examining the core point of the film. I think if less screen time had been spent on people running through forests or down dark roads I would have been more invested. Instead it was just frustrating. After the second attempt it became pretty clear the main character was not going to manage to get away, as then the story would not be resolved, and all the following escape scenes became redundant and therefore had no emotional impact.
Credit where it is due, the film wasn't bad and there were elements that were excellent. I just wish there had been more of those and less chase scenes.
Whilst I have no issue with a slow burn plot, the issue I have with this film is the repetitive scenes that take place and cause the progression of the story to be unnecessarily slow. Basically there are 5 different instances in the film were a character attempts to escape from the two captors. Granted some of these scenes are shorter than others but as you can imagine, the failed escapes get rather dull fairly quickly.
I would have rather had scenes of plot progression, better dialogue scenes or more flashbacks examining the core point of the film. I think if less screen time had been spent on people running through forests or down dark roads I would have been more invested. Instead it was just frustrating. After the second attempt it became pretty clear the main character was not going to manage to get away, as then the story would not be resolved, and all the following escape scenes became redundant and therefore had no emotional impact.
Credit where it is due, the film wasn't bad and there were elements that were excellent. I just wish there had been more of those and less chase scenes.
I really did enjoy this film. It was brutal, tension filled, and I liked the fact that these many acts of violence weren't just "cause we wanted too" but that there was an actual reasoning behind it.
The directing was brilliant, the sound design was spot on, the performances were top notch... my only complaint is the script. It starts off so strong but loses its way towards the end. I think for a film that answers most of your questions, the ending just leaves you with more that you didn't even know you had. I also think the running time was just a tad bit long.
But these are just my own opinions. I truly think if you love thrillers or slow burn horror (this film definitely gives off horror vibes) than it is definitely worth your time.
The directing was brilliant, the sound design was spot on, the performances were top notch... my only complaint is the script. It starts off so strong but loses its way towards the end. I think for a film that answers most of your questions, the ending just leaves you with more that you didn't even know you had. I also think the running time was just a tad bit long.
But these are just my own opinions. I truly think if you love thrillers or slow burn horror (this film definitely gives off horror vibes) than it is definitely worth your time.
- travisthegrimm
- Jan 31, 2021
- Permalink
No, this isn't action packed but that's ok because it's DOES have a story and it DOES have a point! I don't think the people who thought otherwise watched past the first 20 minutes! If you like a gritty and sometimes gruesome thriller, give this a watch. Yes, there were a few plot holes but nothing that really made a difference to the film. Dark and meaningful. I would suggest watching with subtitles on though, because some of the important dialogue is quite mumbled!
- dukecitydoors
- Nov 29, 2021
- Permalink
I only decided to watch this movie because of Daniel Gillies and I also read some good reviews and it was indeed good it kept me in agony all the way until the end it wasn't boring at all the actors played their roles perfectly, honestly since the beginning it left me in shock I won't spoil, though I wish it had a better ending.
- marinaant-36217
- Nov 23, 2021
- Permalink
This starts out as a Funny Games style horror thriller but soon gets bogged down in rather preposterous plot machinations. The lead bad guy is quite good but that doesn't make this film worth watching. It's worldwide gross was $59,000. Says it all.
- lafebre-80307
- Sep 25, 2021
- Permalink
Easily the darkest and most intense road movie I've seen since Robert Harmon's The Hitcher. Great acting, cinematography, the lot. There isn't much light here, given the circumstance of the story. But it comes highly recommended, as it completely drew me in.
Maybe my english isn't that good.. but the dialogues were weird and most of the time didn't make any sence... it was hard to understand what they were talking about even with Greek subtitles.. haha... but if i skip this, the movie was pretty good.. it had some brutal scenes that came up out of the blue, it had a dark back up story and what did happened is food for thought about violence, about revenge and what i finally kept on mind is that doing something bad and do nothing to stop something bad, live on the same place. It's more like drama but with strong elements of horror! It's a movie for 6 stars but i 'd give one more for two reasons, it was a New Zeland production and because action started up quickly without boring intro stuff...
- pacocharte
- Oct 10, 2021
- Permalink
- Rickinator69
- Sep 24, 2021
- Permalink
When a couple of drifters descend on the family outing, it immediately gets really tense and really ugly. Even though it's not really a 'horror' flick, it delivers on creating tension.
- jeroduptown
- Oct 13, 2021
- Permalink
The scheme of a couple abducted by a group of psychopaths reminds me OPEN SEASON and PENTHOUSE, in a disturbing, nasty, insane atmosphere, where audiences feel dizzy nearly all long the movie. It is not always very clear and fully explained, you have to watch and listen it very closely. Not for all audiences, not for Hollywood crap films fans. Don't watch it with your parents in law around the poultry, this is not entertainment. This is actually a complex psychological study which maybe needs to be seen several times. This is not a gore, horror movie, nor a thriller, perhaps more a bloody and brutal drama. There is also a bit of Michael Haneke's FUNNY GAMES, but just a bit.
- searchanddestroy-1
- Feb 14, 2022
- Permalink
Gross violence with a psychopath and a story that is not remotely interesting. If you want to see people viciously killed for 90 minutes this is for you. There really is no surprises or twists either, ends ridiculously.
- gustheaffen
- Dec 3, 2021
- Permalink
- PedroPires90
- Dec 20, 2021
- Permalink
- Serenity3000
- Dec 2, 2021
- Permalink
- greyfeatherd
- Oct 1, 2021
- Permalink
This film should be included in the list of top 20 most boring films of all time. There are no thrills, suspense, or tension. It's one of those movies that takes a brain-dead sitcom scenario to the outer limits of what an audience is willing to tolerate.
- BOOKSMART1
- Sep 24, 2021
- Permalink
I haven't always been the biggest fan of New Zealand films in the past. So I went into 'Coming Home in the Dark' a little guarded. By about the 20 minute mark in the film though I knew I was in for an absolute treat. There is a truly shocking scene early in this film that sets the tone for the entire premise. It tells us that nothing is off limits and nothing goes without saying from here on out. This is a seriously good film.
The best villains are always the ones you can sympathise with. You don't have to side with them or agree with them in any way, you just have to understand where they're coming from. 'Coming Home in the Dark' has two of the more expertly crafted villains I can remember seeing in a film in a long time. At first there's a bit of a 'Funny Games' feel about them, however as the film goes along we realise there is a lot more going on behind the confident facades than we first imagined.
I will not ever be the type to enjoy or praise a film simply because it is made in New Zealand. That didn't factor into my love of this film in the slightest. This film doesn't need that. It is more than strong enough to stand on its own. It is unpredictable, original, bold and layered. Not to mention a very entertaining ride at the same time that will have you on the edge of your seat. Bravo James Ashcroft. This is a gem you have delivered us.
The best villains are always the ones you can sympathise with. You don't have to side with them or agree with them in any way, you just have to understand where they're coming from. 'Coming Home in the Dark' has two of the more expertly crafted villains I can remember seeing in a film in a long time. At first there's a bit of a 'Funny Games' feel about them, however as the film goes along we realise there is a lot more going on behind the confident facades than we first imagined.
I will not ever be the type to enjoy or praise a film simply because it is made in New Zealand. That didn't factor into my love of this film in the slightest. This film doesn't need that. It is more than strong enough to stand on its own. It is unpredictable, original, bold and layered. Not to mention a very entertaining ride at the same time that will have you on the edge of your seat. Bravo James Ashcroft. This is a gem you have delivered us.
- jtindahouse
- Aug 12, 2021
- Permalink
- popestreet1004
- Sep 25, 2021
- Permalink
Like a decently written book you give a decently presented movie a break at the beginning: o.k., show me something, entertain me, educate me. I'll give you some time. But within the first half hour I was feeling more than a little abused. Mix completely gratuitous violence - I know, I got that the perps were probably abused in the past, but really? - with some of the most boring aspects of old French cinema and you get the idea: People are killed with no explanation, and while you're vainly waiting for one a character lights up, blows smoke while staring at the camera, or someone, or whatever, for way too much time (this tells you that it's serious "cinema", or cine noir, o merde, je ne sais quois). The camera shows the characters' half-lit faces (maybe an attempt at chiaroscuro?), then spends even more time showing various road surfaces in the dark. Finally, you're waiting for some credible explanation that will justify the agony of watching this, only to have one of the antagonists declare, "I hate this place." It would have made more sense if he had said, "I hate this movie."
- lkcoleman-09722
- Oct 17, 2021
- Permalink