Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part II Review

The Harry Potter book series is one of the most renowned book series of all time. Forcing the New York Times to create a children’s top seller list since this series had been overtaking the top spots well past it’s publication date. Needless to say with this series of books and films, J.K. Rowling has solidified her Potter universe into pop culture status. This is a book series that has become a transcendent story that will exists for many years to come. Harry Potter has become part of our modern day mythology. While the movie series has it’s fair share of ups and downs, this final chapter has been long anticipated. With many Potter fans calling it “The End of Their Childhoods,” the one question lingering on their minds since that cliffhanger ending in Deathly Hallows Part I (2010) is “Will the last film deliver the ending that we all want and deserve?”

This film series has come to a fantastic closure. Picking up moments after the last film’s cliffhanger, the film follows wizard Harry Potter and his friends as they seek the means to destroy Lord Valdemort. The story in this final chapter is essentially a two-hour third act. All of the elements that popped in the first seven films, make a return in a exciting and unexpected ways. The film is so taught and so emotionally wrenching that it leaves you as Harry and his friends have been dealing with this whole plot for seven films: Emotionally Exhausted. Is this a negative?; Far from it. What the tail end of the film leaves you with is the sense that this series is done. No loose ends are left and the audience is left with an astounding sense of pathos. The ending works to pin you to the edge of your seat as the pieces are coming together, whereas in the last film, the characters dealt with failure upon more failure. This is one of the grimmer entries in the series. The actors have all brought their A-game to this chapter. The film is filled with so many emotionally heart wrenching scenes that requires talented actors to really sell these scenes, and none of them disappoint by a long strench.

As much as these movies are a joy to behold, there are a few flaws. You can’t watch this film without watching the last one as this is meant to be a part two of a narrative. While a lot of moments in the film feel rushed, at a two hour runtime this film could have been longer. The shortest of the Potter films, but they could have used a bit of pace here and there. The epilogue is a bit much, but leaves the audience on a good note. A very satisfying movie despite these flaws.

The film has so much heart and story packed in that the audience is bound to leave the theater wiping away the tears from their face. The film will leave one with elated sense that their beloved series has come to a very satisfying conclusion and that story the fans of the novels knew and grew up with has been captured on film. After this film, there’s no need for anymore in the franchise. This modern day epic mythology of Wizards and Magic has come to a satisfying conclusion.

Harry Potter…thanks for the wonderful send off.

9 of 10

A-

Christmas Carol in 3-D REVIEW!

Robert Zemeckis is at it again with the all CGI film again, but only in this case: it works really well with the story and it is the only way this story could have been done to do it justice. Charles Dicken's eerie classic story is faithfully told with the right tone, the right look, and the right angle. This film is very dark as Dickens' original novel was parable for righting wrongs and it for the most part doesn't talk down to it's ideas.

First off, the performances were spot on. Of course this is a CGI movie, but the director's intention is to keep some of the actors in the film as much as possible, but the film can't help itself from feeling as if these performances were being compromised or changed as the animators saw fit. Gary Oldman is great in his role as Bob Cratchit and you really feel for his situation. One of my favorite aspects is that they really sell the idea that the Cratchit household is just a depressing place with no ray of hope in sight, but these people hang onto that hope because it is all they have left. Jim Carrey did a fantastic job as Scrooge. Jim Carrey plays Scrooge as the mean and the downright despicable old man that you just can't help, but hate in the opening of the picture. His Scrooge is just a oddly shaped human being that is just as much thrilling as it is disturbingly scary to watch him throughout the film. He does a great job as the ghosts as well. I thought Jim Carrey was the highlight of the film.

The other great thing about this film is that Zemeckis gets the soul of the story down! He gets the griminess of the story and that works well in playing the fact that this isn't a happy setting for Scrooge and it gives him more reason for his change later on in the picture. There is no real presence of Tiny Tim as he was just a side character, and I didn't miss Tiny Tim much. This film does away with the campy and family elements that the previous pictures had, but it does keep all of the depressing aspects intact. The creepy and depressing aspects is what is really going to sell this movie to mature and young audiences. I think that this is definitely a really dark film, but you can take your kids to see this. The 3D definitely worked and I thought it was great!

With all of my praise of the film, I didn't think the film was entirely perfect. The only aspect that I think the film lost me was in the last scene in which Scrooge is being chased by the ghost of christmas future. it is a common criticism. That scene seemed more played for laughs and it downplayed the more depressing aspect about the film, but thankfully it doesn't last long and Zemeckis gets right back on track with getting rid of Scrooge's squeaky voice and his size change and getting serious once again before any real harm is done the integrity of the picture.

Overall, a very faithful rendition of Charles Dickens' classic story. I thought that Jim Carrey, Robert Zemeckis, and crew have done a fantastic job retelling this classic story to a new audience. While I thought the only flaw was a choice with the last act, Zemeckis nails everything else. This is easyily above what Polar Express and Beowulf did both technically and storytelling wise. I'd give this one a FULL-PRICE! Check this out!

Black Dynamite REVIEW!

If I was to describe this movie in one word?...DYNAMITE! God! I enjoyed the hell out of this film! This is a perfect send-off of old classic blaxploitation films. This film captured that vibe of a very low budget film that just had one thing going for it: a cool ass character and the biggest leading man for the role. I don't even think I can go as far as to call the film a parody, because while it is hysterically funny, it doesn't hit you with the jokes as blatantly as it some other spoofs do. This film has a heart to it and it takes it's subject matter seriously to a certain extent. This is more of a film inspired by that nostalgic era in the 1970's where you just had these rushed shoe-string-budget films come out on the market. These movies were the equivalent of what a direct to video movie is these days. These films were made for a certain crowd and it was made to be just a fun time. This film nails that vibe and I ended up loving the living hell out of this film.

The script...is utter crap. Like the films that this was inspired by There is no reason for this film to exist apart from the fact that they want to make a film that had a black cop busting crime, doing kung-fu, kicking a lot of ass, sticking it to the man, and having his way with the ladies. Black Dynamite is that film that escaped from the 70's and brought into today's world. The story is just overly cheesy. The script is full of plot twists that undercut the previous plot twists. Flashbacks are used to tell stories about how characters came to be when it is not needed. It also has a ridiculous conspiracy involving malt liquor. All of this leads up to a last act that just becomes truly unbelievable. Does this mean the film's story is bad? Yes! But is it boring to watch? NOT BY A LONG SHOT! All of these flaws serve to help the film reach that level of entertainment where you can just sit back and enjoy the film's flaws for once. The script maybe mediocore, but it's just a lot of fun to watch! The film is freaking hysterical. The writers definitely knew what it wanted to be and they did a great job in making a retro-feeling blaxploitation film! There are tons of great one-liners, action sequences, fight scenes, deaths, and gags that you are just going to really dig the hell out of. It's just a treat to walk into this movie and just laugh all throughout!

The acting overall is bad. But it's purposefully bad. It's not painful to watch, but quite the contrary, it makes the fun just so damn enjoyable and fun to watch. The main actor that sticks out here is Michael Jai White's performance as Black Dynamite. He has a presence that is reminiscent of a Shaft-like character, but you don't watch this film for one second and think about Shaft or any of the classic characters of this genre. Black Dynamite sticks out among the crowd and he is fucking awesome! You can't help but cheer when this character is just kicking ass and blowing shit up or laugh hysterically when he tries to deliver a line that holds a semblance that resembles serious emotionality. Michael's performance is spot on. When the performance is off, he knows. That is the whole point! This is classic blaxploitation character that is just badass and is everything a man wishes he could be and do! Just a hysterical performance!

The one thing I walked out of this film really enjoying was the cinematography. The film was shot on a super 16mm camera and what that does is just give the film just a high contrast feel that it was made for dirt cheap. But it works to the film's advantage and the cinematography almost becomes a character in the film. There's not much to say about how the film looks. It looks like crap. The lighting is horrible, but that is the intention. The editing techniques employ a lot of the fads that was present such as split-screening during the action. Or having long periods of green-screen work that clearly couldn't be ok in any other film apart from this genre. Or even having stock footage of a car blowing up or a big budget effect. They all stand out, but it's just a hysterical thing to watch onscreen!

THIS FILM IS THOUGHLY ENTERTAINING! There are so many gags for the film buffs and the movie loving crowd that you just forgive the film and you take these "flaws" as the tone of the film! Not in a while was I more happier to just watch a "bad" film and just walk out of it really loving it. All I can say is that Tarrantino and Rodriquez are going to be pissed off. This is how you really pull off exploitation films! Unlike Tarrantino's and Rodriquez's Grindhouse (2007), this film nails that look, tone, and feeling of a exploitation film. From the script, to the acting, and the editing; this is a hilarious film inspired by the blaxploitation era. When you see all of the flaws in this film, you don't think it's a letdown or a betrayal of the filmmakers. You come to love it as it's own thing and it's not a flaw after the first few minutes. These flaws are the films biggest strengths because it is these flaws that make it so damn hysterical. This film took the best parts of blaxploitation and just made them so fuckin' fun to watch! This film is even better than the trailer and it lives up to the promise of just being a fun film to watch! This is one of the funniest films to come out all year. I certainly had a blast watchin this film! It's undeniably a high FULL-PRICE!!! Go check this out with some friends and have a blast! CAN YOU DIG IT?!

Where the Wild Things Are REVIEW!

If I was to describe this film in a word, I would have to say its "childhood." The film is Spike Jonze's way of telling kids that childhood is a great time, but sooner or later; we all have to grow up. The main point of this film is set behind the idea of what it means to grow up and what it means to take your own temperature as a child. Spike Jonze nails so many sentimental and emotional beats that it just becomes such an inspiring a great ride into the imagination of this little boy.

The story line was told well. I think Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers did a fantastic job adapting the very short book into a feature length kid's story. While there are some flaws, the positives of the screenplay supersede any of the inherent flaws the film has overall. The storyline is about childhood and the pain that comes with growing up and just realizing that it's time to move on and face yourself. It's a kid's movie, but it's a kid's movie of a different sort. This is the type of kid's movie that parents take their kids to if they want to find out the harsh realities in life and how we all have to grow up sooner or later. The great part about the film is how they channel Max's childhood feelings and thoughts into the creatures. You feel that these creatures are strong and dangerous, but gullible, naive, and with the thought process of a child. You know what, that's exactly what they are! Why would they believe that Max is a king? Because it is his imagination. These creatures want that person to look up to take care of them and nurture them...just like Max. The film delivers some of it's mature thematics in an eloquent and beautiful way that you feel this film is transcendent of the genre.

The acting of the film is quite strong. While in the opening act of the film you see exactly how out of control Max is and why he is feeling as he is, but you don't really fall entirely in love with him at the start. You're not supposed to. He is a normal kid that is not trying to impress anybody and he is doing his own thing, while others have moved on and grown up or just need to better their own lives. That comes in direct conflict with Max as he is comfortable being a young kid, not growing up, and causing trouble. This is directly communicated fantastically by newcomer Max Records. He delivers such a great performance as this out of control kid that you sense there is a change in him by the film's end. You start off not liking his character, but his character really does grow on you and you feel a connection to his character in this magical world. All of the other voice actors all do a great job with their roles. The casting of James Gandolfini as Carol is a brillant move on Spike Jonze's part. His voice puts you on an uneasy path because James' voice is menacing and it is everything it needs to be to convey the feeling that these creatures are fun, but he is unpredictable and dangerous. The parrallels between Max and Carol are just so brillantly told that you sense that Max is needing to change his own ways or else he'll stay being that wild and unpredictable in his home life. It's only until he gets a taste of what it feels like to deal with him that it starts to make Max do something he'd thought he'd do: Grow up. The acting was just great. Catherine Keener was great in this film in the small part she plays, but Mark Ruafflo is a bit wasted in this film. Overall, great acting in the film by both the humans and the creatures.

You can't talk about this film without mentioning the spectacular work of the creature effects. The creature facial work is done so well that the blend of CGI and practical effects become seamless. It works as a storytelling device and you don't feel these creatures are being held back by any means. These creatures look fantastic! The cinematography of the film also is amazing as well. The movie is so well composed that you sense that magic that is evident in each frame. It's just a stunning visual treat!

While I did like the film a lot, there are some flaws. The film tried a bit to hard to not talk down to kids to the point of it having a real crisis of identity. It doesn't want hold back mature themes, but the film carries a feeling of melancholy that you don't know what to make of it when the film's magical moments are over. The material covered seemed a bit too depressing and shoe horned in. Another flaw I found was that the middle of the film dragged for a bit too long and seemed as if it had nothing to do for a while. They are building this city...for what really? it seemed a bit like they ran out of ideas for Max and the wild things to do that the middle section of the film didn't live up to what the film had to offer with the first couple of acts, thankfully the last acts of the film pick it up. The film just seemed to be a bit hallow despite of what it tried to convey to the audience. It also seemed to be a children's movie, aimed at adults. It has a high nostalgic factor for adults that most don't know what to make of it. It's just a bit all over the map, but it didn't detract the film for myself.

Spike Jonze has captured what it means to have to come to that age where you know you are getting older and need to mature. He captures the spirit of the book effectively. His film is a beautifully told sentiment about growing up in a rough time. Most important of all, it's about how when we are in our most vulnerable, we turn to our own imagination to find solace. Overall, While not the movie we expected, it's still very enjoyable. it wasn't trying to conform to the formula of it being a kid's film, but it's transcendent of it's own genre. This is a dark and deeply emotional, but a bit hallow at the same time. This is a FULL-PRICE movie to me. This is a special film and I enjoyed it quite a bit!

Extract Review!

Getting back from this screening, I still didn't know what to think about this film. This film is just optimizes the very idea of someone who is at a low and dead end point in their lives. He is his own boss, he has a wife, and he works at creating one of the things he loves: extract. The low point in all of this is that he hates being his own boss, his wife doesn't sleep with him and he questions her feelings for him, and nobody isn't really interested in extract. The film is just about how we can all come back from these intense low-points in our lives by all the unlikely places. This film just nails the aspect of having a light at the end of the tunnel, but you need to find closure in yourself first.

The plot of the film is interesting in the fact that it doesn't follow a real structure and there is really not a build-up towards the ending. The ending kinda comes and we don't really have an emotionally connection to any of the characters. Some of them just seem a little too bland except for the 3 mains leads of the picture: Jason Bateman, Kristen Wig, and Ben Affleck. With this said the film is still funny. The film is more tongue in cheek and subtle than something like The Goods. While it's still a good movie, you need to take your time and see what it is all about. It's not dull, just a more laid-back film and it takes it's time trying to get to it's points, but you are going to have some laughs along the way.

The acting of the film is comparable to most of Mike Judge's films. Jason Bateman I think did a great job with his character as there is alot he conveys with the character without beating me over the head with. The same goes for Kristen Wig's character. She conveys a lot with her eyes and you can tell that her and Jason Bateman's characters have a lot to say to each other and the audience, but they have no words for it. Ben Affleck's character is funny as hell in the film. It's him playing him if he was a massive laid back dude. His character is just funny throughout the film and feels very much like a Judge character. He is a slacker and everything that Jason bateman's character wishes he could be.

With all of this said. The film is still funny, but I wouldn't say rush out and go see this one in a theatre. This is funny, but not trying to be Office Space. This would be the boss's version of Office Space. This is a RENTAL. Don't pay to see it on the big screen, but I wouldn't discourage anybody from seeing the film at all. It's a good movie, but not a great one!

District 9 REVIEW!

Oh man. None of you folks out there realize the surprise your in for when you check out Niell Blomkamp. When I first saw the trailer for this film, I thought "This is Peter Jackson and Niell Blomkamp's replacement for the HALO film falling apart." This is essentially what this is, but it is something that is in every sense different and stronger because of it. First off, Nobody is prepared for this film. This film completely wasn't what I was expecting and it was better than I could have thought it was going to be. This film is one deep and intelligent science fiction film. I have heard that this film is being touted as one of those films that will stand the test of time and is going to be that one film that will be compared to along the lines of such sci-fi classics as John Carpenter's The Thing and James Cameron's Aliens. After seeing the picture, does it stand up? Does it live up to the small online hype it has had? I'd say it trumps that expectation and Neil Blomkamp delivers a film that says "Halo, hold on! I'm Still watching District 9 here!" Does it stand to be the sci-fi classic that it deserves to be? Only Time will tell.

The Plot of the film is very original. You have not seen a an alien invasion story treated in this particular fashion. I can't say too much about this film without spoiling it. The trailers and TV spots tell you nothing about the conflict of the film whatsoever, but that is why this film is so effective. The film takes a slow-burn approach to the opening acts of the film. The film opens up and it plants images in your head that resemble what the Africans have been dealing with for decades with the apartheid. The film utterly shocks you into thinking that nothing really has changed and that it is basically what we humans have been dealing with and not even an alien invasion will change what we all are still struggling with in today's world. At it's core, the film is about putting aside our differences and coming together. While without giving too many spoilers to the film, the film clearly is made by an intelligent filmmaker in Niell Bloomkemp. Much of the credit of this film has to go to Neill for creating such an original story-line and experience with this film that it doesn't really feel like a wash of everything that had been done before. You have not seen aliens of this type. These aliens are essentially like "us" if we landed and were stranded on a far-away planet. There are so many brilliantly presented allegories to some of our current world problem that this film nails and doesn't beat you over the head with. You can clearly tell Bloomkemp's heart and soul went into this screenplay as he presents all the allegories with such an originality that you just can't take your eyes off the screen. I felt I wasn't being preached about those aspects and this film is at a it's heart a thinking film, but it does deliver on the action sequences with some inventive weaponry and a satisfying story arc for the lead protagonists of the picture. The best part about this movie is that the big twist isn't given away in any of the trailers and that works to the film's advantage because you have no idea what you are in for. If I was to sum this picture up: i'd say it's Starship Troopers, Cloverfield, and City of God kinda rolled up into one in a interesting style.

The cinematography of the picture is a hybrid of both documentary style and a traditional editing style as well. But the Documentary style works in conjunction with the rest of the picture and it doesn't feel out of place. The creature effects in the film were great! I was surprised that this was a relatively low-budget picture and the quality from the special effects that they managed to get out of the picture was just above par and it delivered a visceral experience. This film is definitely an R-Rated film and there is a lot of gore in the picture without it being too much or distracting. It is necessary to the story and it needs to be there to show the raw brutality of this universe. The ending of the picture leaves so many possibilities and is the perfect ending to this picture.

While this film definitely impressed me, avoided many of the potholes of the genre and exceeded my expectation, it isn't going to be a film for everyone. Like Cloverfield before it, it will have some people that won't get it and won't go along with the gimmick. That's what makes this film so special is that it is for all intents and purposes a studio film, but isn't. It is much smarter and deeper than that.

Overall, this is definitely another one of the biggest surprises of the summer. It does show that Neill Bloomkemp has the ability to make a film on a epic scale, with a smaller budget and deliver an extraordinary and original cinematic experience. This film is definitely a FULL-PRICE! I can't recommend this one enough! A film to remember and can stand a chance to be a classic. We have to thank Peter Jackson for giving Neill the chance to shine with this modern sci-fi classic!

Be sure to check out the Original Short film Alive in Joburg that Inspired this film!

Take care Guys!!!

FUNNY PEOPLE Review!!

The Plot: This movie was spot on about what it has to say to be a comedian and how most of the great jokes that have come out of life are usually the horrible things that happen to us. The film sets up the fact that Sandler's character is a secluded comedian that is dying from a disease and when he gets wind of his impending death, he has nobody close to him to tell. This movie is about the bad mistakes that one goes through in life and what that means for you in the end. The main theme of this movie is what happens when life doesn't go exactly your way and what that means when you know exactly where you are supposed to go and you go in a completely different direction and about how we lie to ourselves to make our lives better. Director Judd Apatow nails so many different aspects of what it is to live in the life of an entertainer whose worse moments are the one the audience pays to hear about. He plays on the fact that both Ira and George are really two sides of the same coin and they parallel each other so well in terms of what Ira can become and what George used to be as a struggling comedian. The script also manages to create characters that are dimensional. The film knows what it wants to be and it achieves that so brilliantly. The script is written well to where we cringe at moments where these characters just have no spark in their comedy routines and we can't help but laugh along with the audience at the jokes that are working. It has you rooting for the characters when they crawl their way of the crap situation that they are in and just hate, but understand them at the points where they become competitive and cutthroat in getting their names out there. How it is in the real world. Everybody is waiting for the moment to play their card. When it comes they'll take it, but what are the ramifications of doing so. That is not to say that this film ain't funny. The jokes are almost kinda of incidental to the plot. The real funny bits comes from the more depressing moments of the film, but that is the point to it where our worst moments are our funny bits and we take those shitty moments and try to make people smile with them. But this film is definitely funny, but its not the typical Judd Apatow film. It also is funny in the fact that they are congruent with the real world that you get one of the characters going to see a movie that just opened up in theaters a few weeks ago, and making jokes about how Seth Rogen lost too much weight and needs to gain it back to be funny. It had me chuckle a few times at those moments when it realized there is a real world. It leaps beyond being a comedy and actually tells an engaging and heartfelt story about a guy who comes to a point where he realizes where he is going to end up and realizing he has nothing. The film is quite depressing at times, but that is exactly the intention so that we come to care for each of these characters and Apatow nails it! Overall, a great script and the ending is great and sentimental.

The Acting: The acting in this film is very subdued and not as over the top as some of the other Apatow films. This isn't 40 Year Old Virgin or Knocked Up, but it isn't trying to be or outdo them. It is more comparable to Punch Drunk Love or Spanglish. This is a more introverted, deeper, and darker story. With that said, all the performances are pretty much excellent. The standouts in this film has to be Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen. The both play their parts very subtly and they aren't trying to outdo each other. They complement each other and they work as a duo in this film. I also liked how Apatow was able to reign in Sandler from being "Adam Sandler" and just have him give a strong dramatic and comedic performance. Seth Rogen was also great and he plays everything a bit more straighter than any of his previous films and he is a idiot like the rest of us, but that is why he works so well in this film. He doesn't know where to start his career off as a comedian, and he isn't funny. The writing for his character shows an arc that is very satisfying by the end of the picture. The performance by Leslie Mann was also effective and I did enjoy watching the scenes between her and Sandler as they added a lot of depth to the narrative and punctuates the mains points of the film so well. The one actor that really surprised me was the Eric Bana character. Without giving too much away, you kinda are lend to not like this cat from the ads and even in the film, but when you are introduced to this character, you would gladly have a beer with this guy because he is a good dad. If he is a good husband, I'll leave that to you to find out. Overall, great cast with appearances by famous comedians and the typical Apatow crew all shine in this film at various points.

The Negatives...

Well, there isn't much I have to say against the film except that the film had a rough start. The film felt as if there was an uncertainty of tone and it felt as if it took awhile to find itself, but that is a minor quibble and that went away fast. I just enjoyed the film, but it does run a bit long at times. Some of the scenes could have been trimmed without hurting the film, but its just a case of tightening the film up.

Overall, I enjoyed the hell out of this film and this isn't 40 Year Old Virgin or Knocked Up, this is something completely different. It is a very relatable story and it is effectively maybe Judd Apatow's strongest piece of writing thus far as it doesn't rely on the jokes as his other films do. I'd give it a FULL-PRICE! I enjoyed the hell out of this film!

Till next time keep the laughs coming! :P

Orphan REVIEW!!

Before seeing this film, This trailers gave off the impression that this was going to be a film that was very much in the same vein as the classic horror film The Omen. It also seemed to me like a film that was destined to let me have a great first half only to deliver a lackluster 90's style plot twist that negates the whole point of the first two acts. I went into this with an open mind and I decided to give this movie a shot. To which, I can safely say I am glad I did.

Ok this film completely surprised the hell out of me. Without giving away any spoilers of the film, this film established within the opening that even though they are treading the old and cliche' plot device that seemingly is taken straight out of a film such as The Omen, this film is going to present a different angle to the whole kid killer story. This film knows what it is, and it knows what it wants to be. It is also aware of the fact that this is a child murderer movie and it uses that knowledge to it's advantage. You can tell that the filmmakers all saw films such as The Omen in which the antagonist is a child and is seemingly in control of the situation. It knows that audiences out there have seen films such as The Omen or The Good Son. Whenever the film seems to be heading into cliche' territory it redeems itself in surprising ways. What this film does so effectively and brilliantly is play on the fact that this is a kid killer story and they use that to it's advantage. As I was watching the film, I got more and more tense especially in the first acts where you realize that kids are both in danger and committing the crimes. These filmmakers are aware of the fact that children doing these heinous and evil things is much more disturbing to an audience than if an adult was doing it. The filmmakers understand that the best angle to get through and convey these intense feelings of terror and suspense to the audience is to put the kids in dangerous and believable situations. This film nails it!

The opening act of the film is rather predictable to say the least, but after an OK first act, it redeems itself and quickly gets into full swing. This film is the type that as the plot keeps progressing, it gets better! In the second half of the film it becomes an engaging mystery. Not in the same vein as a film like The Omen which relies heavily on fantasy biblical elements or how The Good Son revolved around an inexplainable killer mentality, the plot in this film is very believable. It doesn't feel like a cheat when you get to the last act of the picture. They also have moments that nearly parody those classic Kid killer movies with the characters having some beats that are taken from those film, but twisting them in a way you haven't seen before.

What this film also does effectively is create characters that are dimensional. These characters are all flawed in some way and they are all using each other to get that sense of happiness, but that becomes their downfall. The Characters of Kate and Peter Coleman have some dimensionality to them that shows they are flawed, but they are trying their best to keep the family together despite the situations that come about. They don't seem like the typical parental figure that doesn't see their flaws in the family, but you can't help but understand why they are in the situation they are and what is going through their heads. With that said, I was kind of let down by their logic for wanting to adopt. It seems a bit easy, but it went away quickly and it's a very small complaint. This film gets you to care for the characters more than your typical suspense thriller. That's what makes Kate's character so good in that you understand she is right in her understanding what is going on around her and putting the pieces together, but she's in a real deep hole that is tough to climb out of with those around her. You can't help applaud when she tries to not let her family become next in line to this child antagonist.

The standout in this film without a doubt is Isabelle Fuhrman as Esther. She gives about as creepy a performance as you can get in these child murderer story. At the beginning of the film, she does something that the audience kind of isn't expecting...she actually wins us over, but you still get the hint that there's something not totally right about this one. The opening act of the film show that she can be a lovable child and that you don't really see a logical progression as to why this child goes on to do what she does. She is also not the typical child murderer who kills simply because of the fact she enjoys killing. You get the impression that she is doing it on a "Either-it's-me-and-you" basis and definitely chooses the latter. Her progression in the film doesn't seem like a cheat and as she tears the family apart and you see how manipulative she can get, you sense that she's in full-control of the situation. That creates an effective villain and by the end of the third act, she has you in her grim and all bets are off by that point in the film. That is a true sign of an effectively scary and unpredictable character.

Onto the flaws of the film. While I did enjoy this film, this film maybe too much for audiences to take. Because it is so tense and you understand that children's lives are at risk, it almost becomes too much to a point. While I thought this worked to the film's advantage and it certainly had an impact on myself, I would say that there's still that audience that is uncomfortable with seeing children in danger this way. But that's merely a case of knowing what your in for and to go along with it.

Overall, I thought this film was a big surprise! I wasn't expecting this film at all. It's definitely an entertaining one and effective thriller at that. It didn't leave me feeling betrayed and it kept the intensity all throughout. The film has some creepy and uncomfortable moments that are played brilliantly with the knowledge that this film is in familiar territory. It does not feel intimidated by the films that have come before it, it merely knows what it wants to be and knows of a good angle to give that thrill to audiences. I'd say that for the film it is and you know what you are in for when you see this, this is worthwhile and entertaining. I'd never thought I'd say this, but it's a FULL-PRICE! I enjoyed the hell out of it!