Before I entered the movie theater I had that feeling creep up. The one I got when I finished reading Romeo and Juliet as a kid, the one that left me feeling numb after CMBYN. I was so excited, I paid for 2 of my friends tickets so that they could see it with me. I was prepared to leave the theater with a gaping hole in my chest. I was prepared to feel the grief of finishing a gut wrenching novel, with tears streaming uncontrollably down my face.
I left the theater with an upturned face and a bag of popcorn filled 3/4 of the way (I lost my appetite... so did my friends). The gore was fine and expected btw. As I tossed and turned in bed that night I kept wondering... why on earth didn't I LOVE this movie? It had all of the elements of a perfect movie.
This morning, I had an aha moment. I never felt personally invested in the characters. Maybe their other worldly-ness was the intention. The movie did explore themes of morality and trauma bonding. However... I needed to get to know the characters more, in order to grieve them. Their cannibalism was the focal point of their entire personhood.
I liked the scene where Lee played Kiss in the bedroom. I liked the montage into their attempt at normalcy (should've been longer). I loved that during the final scene they zoomed in on the poptarts, CD's and condom wrapper. It just wasn't enough for me to feel something. I needed more. They had an entire road trip! What did they talk about?? Why did they actually love each other, besides the trauma bonding. Who were they besides their disease? What did they really think? I couldn't relate. I couldn't connect. What we end up loving about people are the little things. I didn't love them, I didn't grieve their story.
I left the theater with an upturned face and a bag of popcorn filled 3/4 of the way (I lost my appetite... so did my friends). The gore was fine and expected btw. As I tossed and turned in bed that night I kept wondering... why on earth didn't I LOVE this movie? It had all of the elements of a perfect movie.
This morning, I had an aha moment. I never felt personally invested in the characters. Maybe their other worldly-ness was the intention. The movie did explore themes of morality and trauma bonding. However... I needed to get to know the characters more, in order to grieve them. Their cannibalism was the focal point of their entire personhood.
I liked the scene where Lee played Kiss in the bedroom. I liked the montage into their attempt at normalcy (should've been longer). I loved that during the final scene they zoomed in on the poptarts, CD's and condom wrapper. It just wasn't enough for me to feel something. I needed more. They had an entire road trip! What did they talk about?? Why did they actually love each other, besides the trauma bonding. Who were they besides their disease? What did they really think? I couldn't relate. I couldn't connect. What we end up loving about people are the little things. I didn't love them, I didn't grieve their story.