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Definitely not a masterpiece but heartbreaking to watch because of River


From what I've read, the production and the release of this film have been an utter nightmare! The script of this movie was deemed unappealing by famous actors (Johnny Depp, Michael Caine) who threw it away without even reading it. The cast actors didn't get along with each other during filming - River disliked Judy so much that he asked to postpone the physical scenes between Boy and Buffy which they did not film at all in the end due to River's death. The production of the film was suspended after River's death, and the footage was abandoned in a warehouse for almost a decade. The film director, George Sluizer, was then diagnosed with a heart disease and feared dying but also feared that the footage would be destroyed, so he decided to release the movie anyway as soon as possible. However, there was no money to support the release of the movie and so the director crowdfunded it online in Netherlands. Now, not only River, the lead actor, is dead, but also the film director who passed away in 2014, two years after he succeeded in releasing River's last film. What an immense effort to support 'such a gentle and gifted actor' (director's words about River from the beginning of the film). River's last scene in the movie is even more heartbreaking to watch as he fights to breathe presumably like he did in real life when he passed away. River's last role is a haunting one indeed because it was both his first role as a villain and his first mature role (no longer a teenager with long golden locks), but also his last ever role...

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I found it surprisingly okay

R.I.P River

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Frankly, I thought the script was undercooked, and but it does have some positives. Foremost, of course, are the fantastic performances. The script might be middling, but there's nothing middling about anything coming from River Phoenix, Judy Davis, and Jonathan Pryce, who frankly, stole the show for me. Obviously, River's loss is huge, but Pryce brings his A-game here.

There were some really interesting, odd things going on with the bunker room, the dolls, and stuff like that, but never explored enough to pay off properly or really make the film soar.

It's never quite thrilling enough, never quite high-tension enough to totally work (for me, anyway).

I did also love seeing the vistas, but again, it's kinda shot "flat", and the director doesn't fully capitalize on the scenery.

The voice-over covers for the missing scenes work surprisingly well, though, and it's stitched together nicely. Considering the battle they'd have gone through to finish it, it did turn out surprisingly okay, as you say. It's a good movie, it's just not great or as brilliant as one hopes.

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