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This is an excellent little film - Don't listen to the idiots

posted 17 years ago by jon-510
15 replies | jump to latest

This is an excellent little film - Don't listen to the idiots.
It's a little too subtle and slow for the average 'werrrst eppisood evvverr' or 'more plosions!!!' type potato.

The ending is clumsy I have to admit, but doesn't wreck the film.

Also you have to get used to the Afrikans accents but I actually thought that helped make it a little unusual.

There are some very chilling scenes done very well, and the music is perfect.

I'd give this film a 3 1/2 out of 5, maybe even a 4 out of 5.

[–] tgemberl 16 years ago

I agree. It's really underrated, and I try to get word about it around whenever I can. Yes, there are no "stars," and it's not perfect. (Spoiler alert.) In particular, the scene where the remains of Helga stalk the other characters and somehow get stopped by the little bit of gasoline they pour around them is not well developed. You get the impression they ran out of money or time to develop it better. The film probably needed to be slightly longer. But I think it's a very intelligent, interesting film. The setting in southern Africa is fascinating, and all the characters are quite interesting.

That scene near the end is the most shocking, because Helga's character is quite well developed earlier, and she's such a brave, strong person that it's shocking to see what happened to her. But I really think the sleeping bag scene is a real classic. I always say to people, "if you're not afraid to get into a sleeping bag in a campground, this film just might make you afraid." It's worth the whole movie.

The love interest between Zack and Mikki is not very well developed. She's hit on by Johan (at least) earlier, but just how she gets so bonded with Zack is not well developed.

So the film isn't perfect, but it's original and well acted. A great Halloween movie: I saw it on Halloween night 2004 while sitting alone in a motel.

"Extremism in the pursuit of moderation is no vice."

[–] solitaryphoenix 16 years ago

I agree. I think is a good movie, and I've seen it a couple of times.

[–] tamra 15 years ago

Agreed: this is quite a good low budget title and a lot of fun. The effects look pretty good, and the monster is unique, which is rare these days (an it looks damn cool!). All of the actors are competent and perform well, and are generally charismatic (especially the female lead). The desert setting makes for some great visuals. I consider this one of the better "small" horror films of the last decade. Yes, it's clear in parts that they were taking off a bit on the success of Pitch Black, but there is nothing wrong with that -- it's not very derivative.

Regarding the gasoline stopping the Magda monster (not Helga), it does seem lame at first but as someone who has studied biology and ant behavior to some extent, I feel it's not that out there. Perhaps some more information on how ants communicate would have helped. They use chemical scent markers for everything, leaving trails to show where they have been, leading other ants to food or away from danger. And there is precedent for ants forming masses with which they build things -- usually bridges or bags to hold other ants during the night. Often ants can be averted simply by putting something with a contrasting scent across their scent markers. So, theoretically, if ants formed a single living mass and encountered something like gasoline, which has a very pervasive smell, it would break their bonds and revert them back to acting as individuals, until they could locate the right chemical signals again. Given that the success of the colony takes precedence over all, if they encountered something that dimished their ability to act as a group (ants thrive as groups, but are weak and stupid as individuals), they would avoid that at all costs.

So really, this may have been a clever scene that was not properly explained to the audience. I remember in the old 50s sci-fi/horrors they often would have someone who was an animal expert to explain how the regular version of the giant monster behaved, and I though this was a lot of fun. I guess they no longer do that as they feel audiences don't want a science lesson with their movie!

[–] tgemberl 15 years ago

tamra,
Belated thanks for that. That's a fascinating take on that part of the film. I didn't realize ants depended on scent that much.

"Extremism in the pursuit of moderation is no vice."

[–] draugwenL 16 years ago

I definitely agree. Of course everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but constantly bashing on it is unnecessary. Of course I found the ending a little silly, but I would overlook that part because it's such an original monster, it has some basis in science, and the first 4/5 of the film create a great balance between character development and pure tension.

[–] Xcalat3 15 years ago

yeah it certainly isn't as bad as most people say

its no masterpiece but its Entertaining

When there's no more room in hell, The dead will walk the earth...

[–] Nick_Jones 13 years ago

My feelings exactly, Xcalate. 6.5

When there's no more room in Hell, The Devil will reapply to the Zoning Commission.

[–] splinter101x 15 years ago

Iam gonna check it out. you are right. dont let the haters kill your trash.
i like my trash too. this seems interesting.

[–] microbit 15 years ago

Amen !
I loved it too when it came out (rental). Wanna see it again, I can't find it for the moment :-(

[–] RichardForbes 15 years ago

'the music is perfect'

What about when Titus is talking about how the demon thing will destroy everybody, drink their blood etc etc and the music sounds strangely triumphant?

[–] jirshon 15 years ago

Is it really only rated R for Language though? Not even any violence? What's the deal there?

[–] mcarter71 14 years ago

I agree this is a good and entertaining modestly budgeted creature feature that has a very interesting monster(s). The music was good, acting solid, and generally pretty good cinematography.