MovieChat Forums > 10.5: Apocalypse (2006) Discussion > Star of the film: the ZOOM LENS!

Star of the film: the ZOOM LENS!

posted 16 years ago by bobbeecher
17 replies | jump to latest

Forget Beau Bridges and Kim Delaney. The star of this film is the much-overused ZOOM LENS. In an irritating variation of the once-popular "shaky cam" style, this movie looks like it can't decide how to frame each shot. Cut to medium two-shot, zoom out...zoom back in...reframe... then, zoom out a bit, all in about six seconds. I found myself yelling, "Hold still!" a few times while watching this sequel to an only marginally-better "10.5" made-for-TV film.

New tagline: "If the tremors don't make you queasy, the camera work will!"

[–] MathusRayn 15 years ago

Agreed, for some reason I'm watching this movie right now and the constant zooming in and out is making me sick.

[–] iheartjacksparrow 15 years ago

I'm watching it right now, too! I had to come to this board to see if there was anyone besides me who thought the camera work was nuts. There was just a scene where a bunch of people were climbing a staircase, and it was: focus on person, zoom in, zoom in some more; cut to next person, zoom in, zoom in some more; and repeat, repeat. I realize the zooms were supposed to create tension or suspense, but it's just distracting to me. I keep waiting for the next zoom to occur.

[–] Hoffe-4 15 years ago

It totally took the fokus from the movie for me as well. At the end (I mean the end of my 30 minute session, I couldn't watch this entire movie for all the free popcorn on the planet) I just couldn't stop my self from giggeling (is that a word?) every time that stupid zoom occured.

[–] martipawlik 15 years ago

This movie made me seasick. I almost puked.
Thank you, camera operator.

[–] will2518 15 years ago

Good lord! Maybe the camera operator was having muscle spasms. Or the director was a 10 year old...

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] JoeyBagOfDonuts 15 years ago

This was like the Hokey Pokey of the cinema world.... except without the catchy tune.

I had actually forgotten I had seen the movie, and watched it AGAIN last night... only to be reminded about WHY I had forgotten it!

"Please sign on the dotted line."

[–] dukeb0y 14 years ago

New tagline: "If the tremors don't make you queasy, the camera work will!"

No kidding.

Another ZOOM mess, The Rock. When Sean Connery is driving the car, way too much Zoom in N'Out to make the car chase more exciting. What horrible camera work.

The new Battlestar Galatica (TV) did that way too much too.

[–] simplemines 15 years ago

Hey, it's a SciFi channel movie, which has a high guarantee of suckitude.

But WTF is with the damned camera?? Did they hire Michael J. Fox without the meds to shoot??

The day this retarded camera style disappears I'll be thrilled (but if you don't keep shaking the camera, someone just might notice how freaking BAD this moron movie is!)

[–] JoeyBagOfDonuts 14 years ago

Dude! Michael didn't deserve to be dissed like that!

Even when he was filming Doc Brown at the mall at 1am he did a better job!

"Please sign on the dotted line."

[–] PestVolk 15 years ago

THE ZOOMING

THE *beep* ZOOMING!

My God I just can't get over that.

I don't really mind bad acting or horrible special effects, lame cgi, but the zoom lens.. Honestly whatwere they thinking?
It makes me sick and makes me want to yell 'keep the thing still you moron' to the tv. D:

I'm watching this right now and I just had to check imdb if I was the only one annoyed by this.

Also, caps lock for cruise control.

[–] michaels_hbk_21 14 years ago

The camera work was awful. I think I could be in a real earthquake and shoot better than they did. Whats with all the zooming? It made it appear amateurish, like someone discovered the zoom button for the first time and was so fascinated by it that they had to use it a million times.

[–] DickFondleman 14 years ago

Yes! Thank you.

I could only watch the movie for a few minutes due to the camera work. Whenever I discuss bad movies with people I always reference this movie for this very reason. I wonder how many don't notice? How do you not? If I ever make a movie, I'll have to make sure the cameraman doesn't have ADD.

[–] wrightwe 14 years ago

OMG, that damn zoom lens was AWFUL!! It was so bad, I couldn't even pay attention to the story, I just kept getting more and more pissed off with that damn zoom lens. Whoever told them to do that should never work in fllm again.

[–] vee-vee 13 years ago

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL. The title of your message made me crack up in class. That's what I get for browsing IMDB instead of listening to the teacher.

To do is to be - Descartes, To be is to do - Voltaire, Do be do be do - Sinatra.

[–] jmillerdp 9 years ago

And, they can't just zoom in and zoom out! They zoom in a little, then a little more. Then they zoom out a little, then a little more.

So, it's: Zoom In, Zoom In. Zoom Out, Zoom Out.

Those must have been the only directives from the "Director" of Photography!

I. Drink. Your. Milkshake! [slurp!] I DRINK IT UP! - Daniel Plainview - There Will Be Blood

[–] thivai-1 9 years ago

Or swaaay the camera from one side to the other, then zoom in. It was really annoying.