Was drawn into seeing 'Retina' with a cool poster/cover, a very intriguing and creative premise (one of the most innovative for any film seen recently) and as someone with a general appreciation for the genre. That it was low-budget, which from frequent personal experience is rarely a good sign due to that there are so many poor ones out there, made me though apprehensive.
'Retina' is a film it doesn't do enough with its potential (although there are far bigger wastes of potential in film) and could have been much better, can't say that it is a great film because it isn't. It is not a terrible film though, as far as recent low-budget film viewings go it's lacklustre but with good things. It certainly could have been far worse, considering the large number of films seen recently being mediocre at best and irredeemably terrible at worst.
Lets start with the positives. The scenery is atmospheric and spooky and 'Retina' is surprisingly well shot and easy on the eye, was expecting a cheap looking film and to me that wasn't the case here.
Found that the acting was not bad, while not award-worthy it was not amateurish and it seemed like the actors were trying to engage.
Also that there were a few nice moments that intrigued and there was some suspense and unsettlement, the first portion is promising.
The suspense and unsettlement doesn't come consistently however, with the second half having very little if any of either. What stops them from being frequent and stronger is an at times deadly dull pace with too many overlong scenes of little going on, not all necessary either and there for padding mainly, and also a structure that is not as cohesive or clear as it could have been.
'Retina's' idea was great but the content is nowhere near enough for a feature film. It feels more like a short film over-stretched. The over-stretched sense is present too in a deliberately sparse but rushed-first-draft-stage script. With a pace and structure that fails to compel it is very difficult to ignore.
Characters have very little to them, while the editing is careless at times, the direction shows little personality or atmosphere, the sound is random and obvious and the music is more monotonous than ominous.
Overall, lacklustre. 4/10 Bethany Cox
'Retina' is a film it doesn't do enough with its potential (although there are far bigger wastes of potential in film) and could have been much better, can't say that it is a great film because it isn't. It is not a terrible film though, as far as recent low-budget film viewings go it's lacklustre but with good things. It certainly could have been far worse, considering the large number of films seen recently being mediocre at best and irredeemably terrible at worst.
Lets start with the positives. The scenery is atmospheric and spooky and 'Retina' is surprisingly well shot and easy on the eye, was expecting a cheap looking film and to me that wasn't the case here.
Found that the acting was not bad, while not award-worthy it was not amateurish and it seemed like the actors were trying to engage.
Also that there were a few nice moments that intrigued and there was some suspense and unsettlement, the first portion is promising.
The suspense and unsettlement doesn't come consistently however, with the second half having very little if any of either. What stops them from being frequent and stronger is an at times deadly dull pace with too many overlong scenes of little going on, not all necessary either and there for padding mainly, and also a structure that is not as cohesive or clear as it could have been.
'Retina's' idea was great but the content is nowhere near enough for a feature film. It feels more like a short film over-stretched. The over-stretched sense is present too in a deliberately sparse but rushed-first-draft-stage script. With a pace and structure that fails to compel it is very difficult to ignore.
Characters have very little to them, while the editing is careless at times, the direction shows little personality or atmosphere, the sound is random and obvious and the music is more monotonous than ominous.
Overall, lacklustre. 4/10 Bethany Cox