Reviews

My son and I just watched all the episodes over 3 days. The series was excellent. I thought it was way BETTER than season 1. It was an interesting story, fast-paced, and easy to follow. The acting was good. The cinematography was great. I love the scene where the boat is released from the aircraft.

Yes, there was the same unrealistic stuff found in all action movies - like the main characters escaping injury and managing to take down 1,000 enemies, and the political ramifications of US helicopters landing at the presidential palace and shooting up the place. But it's just a show.

The only thing that bugged me was that they made the Venezuelan opposition leader a socialist who would save Venezuela. The reality today in Venezuela is the opposite. Since my time backpacking through Venezuela in the 90s, the left wing socialist dictor Maduro has risen to power and destroyed the country and impoverished the people. But, hey, everyone knows that Hollywood has a political agenda with it's hatred for Trump at the core.

After spotting the high rating on IMDb, I decided to go see this movie. Beyond that high rating, I intentionally avoided reading any of the reviews. I wanted to go into the theater with a clean slate, without knowing the plot or having predetermined expectations.

Given my rating, you can see that I was disappointed. I enjoyed the development of the main character Mike Enslin. I also enjoyed how the hotel manager attempted to talk him out of entering the hotel room. By the time Enslin entered the room, I was ready for some scary stuff.

First chocolates appear on the pillow and the toilet paper is folded. Enslin reacts in a believable manner. He's freaked out. I'm encouraged and think to myself, this is going to be good. The people who made this movie understand that less is more.

But it's what happens next that was a big let down. The subtleness is quickly replaced by the predictable shotgun approach... Just blast the audience with every Hollywood scary trick in the book and hope that something works. Let's see, a clock radio that turns on by itself? Good, that's always scary. Objects that move around in the room? Good, you can't complain about that. Blood dripping from the walls and sink? Great. Ghosts that commit suicide? Good. Anything else? How about loud noises, shaking, fire, more shaking, messing up the room, more blood, etc etc. It's all good. And it's all been done before. Overstimulate our Attention Deficit Disordered audience with all kinds of stuff in quick succession, and they won't be able to look away.

Well, it didn't work for me. And you know what else? When I go see a horror movie in a theater, it's typical to hear several groups of girls in the audience yelling in fear at scary moments. But this movie had no scary moments. The audience was silent and disinterested. I felt no chill down my spine. Nothing. The Shining was 100x what this movie tries to be.

So who are all these people who are saying that it is one of the best horror movies ever? Friends of the director? Sorry, I just don't get it.