MovieChat Forums > Stake Land (2011) Discussion > 6.6?! How low is your bar???

6.6?! How low is your bar???

posted 12 years ago by verabgr
41 replies | jump to latest

I just watched this film and it was terribly bad, to say at least! I've watched many horror and zombie movies, some of them pretty bad and still I find this the worst I've ever seen! Even 30 Days of Night, which has the same rating on here, is way better than this. This wasn't even scary or deliberately funny, it was just stupid. I'm not gonna even try to point out what's wrong with this movie cause I can't find anything good! It's my first time to comment on a movie, I just can't understand how people liked this! Shouldn't have wasted any more time on this, I just had to say something so people don't waste their time on watching it...

Seriously people how low is your bar???

[–] chockybikky 12 years ago

That is your opinion..i think it was a great film and deserves far more than 6.6

"all dressed up and no-one to blow"

[–] verabgr 12 years ago

Thank you for answering to me by pointing out that this was my opinion. It was very effective and helpful and made me understand how people liked this movie!

1st
The narration thing was laughable to say at least.

2nd
Doesn't explain where these "vamps" came from and how did they develop into different species. With so many survivors and communication still possible you would expect people to know.

3rd
A pregnant woman that is about to give birth leaving a safe place to follow two stranger men without knowing where they are heading to.

4th
The whole brotherhood thing, way too laughable. Dropping zombies from helicopters??? Who genius though of that?(I have to point out that this was irony just to be sure)

5th
The vamp was trapped and they had still trouble killing it together and then he was able to kill 4 of them alone with his hands tied and a torch. Really?

6th
The scene when the boy goes back to the car and master is the trunk because there is a vamp 20m away. Why didn't he just leave when he got to the car? He killed 4 of them, couldn't handle one now? Was he waiting for the boy? How did he know he escaped? That made no sense...

7th
They left her alone sleeping and went after the zombie? How stupid can they be? Do they want us to believe this? I'm not a zombie hunter but I knew what was going to happen...

8th
The "twist" thing. So he prayed to his God and gave his blood willingly and he turned him into a thinking vamp. Seriously? Very bad try to fill in that plot hole.

9th
Speaking of plot, was there any? So zombies appeared from nowhere, a boy and a man were heading north, they came across this brotherhood maniacs whose leader transformed to a vamp in the end, a nun and a pregnant woman died on the way to give us no answers! Is that a plot?

10th
Which brings us to the ending, at a totally remote area they happened to find a teenage girl surviving alone and the Master left them to go find New Eden alone and live happily ever after! This is the worst movie ending I have ever seen!

Now will you tell me which one of these made you like the movie so much that you think that 6.6 is underrating it? Or was it the acting?! (irony again) I am surprised that I even remember that much, I guess it was so bad that it will scar my memory forever...

[–] OceanRacoon 11 years ago

You're too stupid to be watching films like this, stick to easier fare more suitable to your intellect, like Saw 4 or Sesame Street

[–] fclermont777 11 years ago

I was about to give it a 6*, but reading your post made me realize how stupid that movie was. The acting was ok, the special effects too, but in no way the decisions the characters took were plausible. Dropping it to 5*.

[–] clacton0 11 years ago

I saw this on Sky HD and gave it a 5 it would have been better if it was not so religious.

www.youtube.com/eastangliauk

[–] Strawberry_Typhoon 10 years ago

Um, religious? What in the hell are you talking about? If it portrayed religion in ANY way, it was negatively. I worry about the future of our species sometimes, the fact that so many people can't full comprehend the information presented to them in 90 minute intervals.

"Nothing says "OBEY ME" like a severed head on a fence post."

[–] zyoung1236 11 years ago

You're probably trolling, and if not, you're are one of the dumbest goddamn people to ever use the internet. You sound like you expect a Micheal Bay film instead of a unique movie. Either way, I'm going to explain all of your complaints:

1. So narration makes a movie bad? You're retarded.

2. They don't need to explain where the vampires came from. (By the way, there's a subtle hint about the origin when Mister is reading a newspaper, which has a picture of a vampire bat, implying that it is some kind of disease that came from bats, because that actually happens.) There are plenty of fantastic zombie and vampire films and TV shows that don't describe the origin. For example, The Walking Dead doesn't explain the origin, and it's a great show, so who cares?

3. A young girl traveling with two men is obviously sketchy. But, the world's gone to *beep* and nothing is safe anyway. Besides, she probably wasn't threatened by a young boy like Martin.

4. According to you, in a post-apocalyptic world, crazy religious cults are unlikely. I repeat, you're retarded.

5./6. Ok yeah, it doesn't make sense that Mister could kill four, but not one. That's just Hollywood logic, though. It's in every movie, and doesn't ruin it.

7. They made a dumb mistake. I guess human error is too unrealistic for you as well.

8. His prayers were clearly his twisted logic. He believed that vamps were god's minions, so he could use the same reasoning to justify his mutation, which happened in other vamps ad well.

9. You are now arguing that part of the plot, is in fact, not a plot. That was the dumbest thing I've read all week.

10. The movie ended in a totally normal way. Were you expecting a "The End" sign and "they lived happily ever after?"

Now I'll explain why it was a good movie:

1. The ambiance was great. Grey, dreary, depressing; the perfect tone for the apocalypse.

2. The music was also perfect. It reminded me of Erik Satie. It was simple, ambient, and condescending.

3. The story and filming techniques were all very artistically done, and guided the movie fantastically.

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] augustwest630 11 years ago

Wow. You have way too much time on your hands to defend bad movies. Face it. It's not that good. I enjoyed it, but at the end all I had left to say was. "Ehh..." That sums it up. Get a job, and maybe a life. Troll...

Don't take life, or yourself too seriously.

[–] zipdraw 11 years ago

It is my (Awesome) opinion that you have won this debate. XD

[–] Weiter-reviews 10 years ago

Narration is used when there is a need for complimentary information, like background info or an explanation on the contemporary society in which the movie takes place. Other times it could serve as way to establish the personality of a character, say the main protagonist. In this movie neither is the case. When we see people sitting in a car driving down a road and the narrator says something like "we drove away" - it simply just says whats on screen, which aren't that exciting.

[–] Amutt 11 years ago

"10th
Which brings us to the ending, at a totally remote area they happened to find a teenage girl surviving alone and the Master left them to go find New Eden alone and live happily ever after! This is the worst movie ending I have ever seen!"

My opinion is that he left to go back to fight zombies having seen the kid to safety since he believed he couldn't be saved (conversation he had with the nun).

[–] smitty_cregger52 11 years ago

1. I liked the subtle narration...way to explain your opinin by saying "laughable" after you berated the last guy for not saying enough.

2. Why does there have to be an origin story? Maybe nobody knows

3. You don't know the circumstances of where she's at, but it's explained that New Eden is supposed to be the "safest" place, and that's where they were headed.

4. I liked the brotherhood aspect...."laughable" again pops up here. People always look for something to cling to whenever tragedy strikes, and it's usually whoever is selling the best story. I guess some dude sold the brotherhood better than anything else.

5. He killed 4 cause he had too, and he untied his hands after the first, and used the torch as a stake

6. I imagine he was waiting for the boy at the car, that would have been the logical place to meet up.

7. Yea, people make dumb mistakes, and he realized this a hundred yards into his chase, however....we're talking about the first intelligent vamp...the rest unintelligent.

8. It's a reach...but it's also science fiction/horror

9. The plot was a boy and a man trying to reach New Eden in the backdrop of a vampire apocalypse.

10. Once he saw the boy fight, he knew he'd be ok on his own.

Worst movie EVER!........that's the most overused line on IMDB.

Also...it's science fiction/horror...it doesn't have to follow the rules of logic....otherwise, go watch a documentary.

[–] alexthewriter 11 years ago

1. The narration part was actually very good. They wanted a moody and sombre feeling and too much dialog would ruin the pacing, so having Martin think out loud filled in some gaps without taking away from the atmosphere.

2. "So many survivors." Try not reading the paper while watching a movie and then complaining about points you didn't get. Mister said everything south of them was "vamped out," Willie said the whole middle east was vamp land, all of Washington had fallen. Martin's narration said the big cities were the first to go, the plague "spread like wildfire" through them. There were barely any survivors much less scientists who could study them in a lab. Besides, why do you need an explanation? A plague is a plague, it's the effects not the cause that were important.

3. Who says Belle was in a safe place? Small towns can be very unsafe for young women. Some creepy guys or guys start to get ideas, what does she do, call 911? Martin seemed like a safe kid, I'd get a ride with him.

4. So they shouldn't have any bad guys or anything other than vamp zombies? You complain there is no plot then complain about what gave it more plot.

5. Mister was a successful vamp killer long before he foudn Martin so killing 4 in the woods doesn't seem so farfetched. Martin helping him in the garage just made it easier, doesn't mean it would have been impossible without him.

6. He was probably waiting in the car until daylight when it was safe to travel. Had nothing to do with assuming Martin would make it back to the car.

7. Yep, you would never get caught off guard and make a mistake when you're alone in the woods and afraid for your life. In real life you'd probably piss your pants every time you heard a cricket. Actually standing there, realizing it was a trick would seem even more illogical since few people would think that quickly.

8. Why do self aware robots see humans as enemies? why would being exposed to alien DNA turn someone into an alien? Why would giving yourself willingly to vamps keep your own intellect as you change? It's called fiction; it just does.

9. It's a road movie. Getting from point A to point B while you survive, meet people, fight creatures, and grow a little along the way is the plot.

10. Mister didn't go to New Eden, he went back to the wilderness to fight more zombie vamps, leaving Martin to go on alone to safe New Eden with his new lady love.

BTW, it was Mister not Master. It wasn't a kung fu flick. Makes me wonder if you even really watched it or just sat there stoned and half-assed paying attention and then decided to complain.

[–] ShaftAlmighty 11 years ago

1st. Your opinion on the narration being laughable......is idiotic simply because you added absolutely no reason why.

2nd. No explanation is needed. Some movies have the basis of the plot focusing on a cure and, thus, the origin plays an important part. Some, like this movie, are about survival and how things have changed because of the problem.

3rd. For all we know, towns might not accept newcomers, let alone one who is expecting to bring yet another into the town. When Mister and the Kid were let into town, one could easily assume it's because the guards find out they're hunters.

4th. Again, your opinion.......is idiotic. You offered no reason why the Brotherhood would be laughable. A fringe group created after an apocalyptic event is not only believable but also expected. The helicopter scene is to show how hellbent they are in their ridiculous cause.

5th. Mister had no trouble killing it. He was using it as a perfect opportunity for the Kid to get some real experience in. Honestly, OP, how old are you? You couldn't put a few thoughts into these questions you had and answer them yourself?

6th. Mister was safe in the trunk. The vamp wasn't aggressive and bashing windows because it could only faintly smell him but not see him. Mister knew this and knew he could easily ride out the night in the trunk, safe, then crawl out through the backseat at sunrise.

7th. Christ, even with dialog and closed captions, you still miss this answer?! Mister had never come across a vamp that thinks. He still has no idea the extent of its intelligence or cunning. He and the Kid were on edge. They were too late when they realized they were simply being lured away from camp.

8th. For all anyone knows, his blood was unique....or perhaps a victim who doesn't fight back can control the change to a certain extent......or simple wizardry. Doesn't matter. It was to show that things continue to change, including the enemy.

9th. Not even gonna bother now.

How many movies have you actually watched? Worst ending ever? Really?! I'm just gonna leave it at that because i don't think you're capable of comprehending too much, so most answers given in this topic are probably wasted on you.

I used to give a $h!t, then i took an arrow in the knee.

[–] mlunnemann 11 years ago

1st
Narration was good, it felt like the characters were thinking out loud to themselves which felt a whole lot more natural than the usual: "How hey audience didn't see ya there, let me tell you a story of how it all began"

2nd
I liked that it didn't explain how and why the world came to be, feels natural and helped the theme of the movie or something like that. I know I don't know, I'm European so I don't mind movies that are open to interpretation and drawing your own conclusions.

3rd
Vampires roam the earth, all logic is out the window. Personally I rather take a chance at finding somewhere safe to raise my child than to stay put and live in constant fear of the brotherhood and the vamps.

4th
I'd like to point out that this technique turned the tides of many battles during the dark ages. The most dangerous threat to a besieged city in the middle ages wasn't flaming projectiles being hurled at their walls, it was when they loaded the catapults with plague carrying rats that things really got dire. Doesn't seem all that far fetched that one of the most resourceful and intelligent people alive in the apocalypse would have been inspired by this and found a way to use it.

5th & 6th
Every time he goes up against a vamp there's a chance he'll be bitten. why even try to finish off the last vamp when you can hide out in the trunk of the car and wait for daylight.

7th
We all make mistakes, but in all fairness, vamps hunt by sound and she didn't seem to snore so it was safe to assume she would be alright.

8th
Isn't it possible that as the transformation is happening you still retain some human intellect same way cancer patients receive a burst of sudden energy right before things are about to take a turn for the worse. I don't think it had something to do with his prayers, it seems like it's just how the transformation process works.

9th
The plot was a nice departure from mainstream cinema, there isn't much you can do with a plot these days to make it unique. Instead the film maker decided to go with a simple plot and focus on the character and their development, it was good and refreshing.

10th
It is obvious throughout the movie that Mister has gotten too comfortable with his situation, he could never adjust to a regular life. His motivation for guiding Martin to the safe haven is that Martin hasn't been tainted yet, if he didn't think that was the case he would have just traveled around with him and exterminated vampires instead of just teaching him the basic skills for survival.

[–] MadRotaryOne_DDCgod 10 years ago

I am watching this now, only because of the high rating, I had previously
saw it on Netflix and it was in my queue, but deleted it cause I had a
feeling it was stupid.

so now so far like you have said, the narration is kind of laughable,
and then they were driving, and a NUN popped out of nowhere?
when is the last time you have seen a nun that wasn't on TV?
I have never seen a nun in uniform just walking around town.
and I live in a pretty big city. and then he takes this wooden
stake thing and throws it and it flies through the air and hits
the guy in his back??? first off, a piece of wood(and it is wood)
would not be heavy enough and have enough mass to fly straight
like that and then to go through someones body?? I don't think so...
and don't give me "well it's a movie" cause I can accept vampires
but if you tell the story, there still has to be physics that
can't be broken if you are still human.

http://www.facebook.com/mike.d.keith?ref=profile

[–] PeterDuck 9 years ago

Thank you for answering to me by pointing out that this was my opinion. It was very effective and helpful and made me understand how people liked this movie!

Haha! Thank you. One of the rules of Internet 101 is to reduce the other person's arguments to "opinion" which supposedly belittles and defeats that person's arguments by default.

- - - - -
There is no god,deal with it and grow up.
http://www.youtube.com/TehMorbidAtheist

[–] clownbaby86 9 years ago

Best vampire film I've seen in quite some time. The movie was like a cinematic version of The Walking Dead, but way better. You do have to admit the vampires had zombie-like qualities. I still thought it was great, though. It's a film about survival, pure and simple. There's heart, emotion, character development, and action. Here's my response to those who pointed out the movie's "problems".

1. The pregnant woman left because she felt safe with Mister and the kid and developed a bond of some kind. Also, she wasn't entirely safe in that town, as we saw by the aerial attack.

2. No explanation for how people became vampires? Have you never seen a zombie or vampire movie before? We all know what they are and what they're about, there's no need for an explanation. If you're confused, maybe you should stick to watching SpongeBob.

3. Dropping "zombies" from the sky proved to be quite effective. It's a bit unorthodox, but it thinned their numbers.

4. Mister survived against the 4 vampires because he's a survivor. That's been established many times throughout the movie. Which trapped vamp were you talking about? I don't remember what you're referencing, sorry, so I can't speak to that.

5. He didn't leave in the car because he was waiting for the boy.

6. Leaving the pregnant girl? They were trying to get the vampire, defending themselves. Have you ever been in a situation like this? People make rash decisions and make mistakes.

7. I agree with the thinking vampire. I thought it was cool for there to be different types, but yes, him praying to god turning him into a thinking vampire was silly, I'll give you that one.

8. Plot? It's a film about survival, adapting, finding a way. Their ultimate goal was to find New Eden. You could argue plot in literally every movie ever. What's the plot of Shawshank Redemption? Guy is in jail, that's it. (no I'm not knocking Shawshank, it's a classic, but just using that as the perfect example of a movie not needing a "plot".

9. The ending? I thought the ending was great. Mister grew close to the kid, taught him how to survive, and the kid shows himself capable of surviving on his own, so he leaves him to start a life with the girl. They went their separate ways. Maybe they'll meet again, maybe they won't. How did you want it to end? Everyone singing around a fire holding hands with butterfly kisses and rainbow wishes? You don't watch many films, do you?

The acting was fine. No one's trying to win an Academy Award here. Just simple acting. The Academy throws away Oscars to bullsh*t performances, anyway.

[–] reverbz 12 years ago

This movie.

Was awesome.

That is all.

[–] reltihizan 11 years ago

It's good for a low budget movie.

[–] smoke_a_joint 11 years ago

Have to agree.. 6.6 is way too high.. compare this movie to "The day" which I watched just last week.. the day has one point lower rating and kicks this movies butt all over the place.. story line makes more sense, it's darker, more depressing/gritty, friendship theme is stronger, etc.. I think this movie (stake land) is only rated highly because chicks watched it and liked the lead character, the sort of "twilight" guy .. yuck :D

[–] bgdc 11 years ago

Interesting as I found this to be one of the few watchable vampire/zombie apocalypse films. This felt like "The Road" meets Matheson's "I Am Legend" novella (not the awful Will Smith movie but the 1950's book).

I wonder often how low the bar is set on most films that are a success. This was made for a few million dollars and with that budget they did a nice job creating a world and characters that we don't see in many movies with budgets 10-20-30 times higher.

BTW, a film like this need not be either scary or funny, but rather a story that's interesting. There's no such thing, to me, as a scary movie (let's be honest it's fake, so what is there to ever fear?), so what I want is something engaging.

Was this at the level of 28 Days Later or Shaun of the Dead? No but it had a different agenda. This wasn't about kinetic energy or clever writing. This was a take on what might happen if a plague spread and we came into the story 1-2-3 years into it. Common theme in books and movies. Many say Matheson's novella did it best and actually created this subset of the undead apocalypse genre. Maybe he did as so many ran with his concept and made their own versions of what he presented.

Was it better than Fido? Yeah. Resident Evil? Sure.

Overall, it had it's own feel and agenda. Thankfully it wasn't about some giant corporation creating a mutant strain. We didn't get answers. The government didn't save the day.

FWIW, I LOVED the idea that zealots had rammed trucks filled with the vampires into major cities to purposely destroy civilization. To me, personally, that kind of deranged view does exist (the church that protests at soldiers' funerals...) and in the throes of an apocalypse I think they would collect believers. Personally, I would have liked to have heard more of how they reconciled their canon with the vampires. If the audience hears about a Brotherhood I wish we'd heard a bit more about what they thought... just me..

[–] Jweeo 11 years ago

I liked this movie. And the fast moving vampires-zombies were a good ideea compared with the slow zombies in the clasical movies.

I gave it a 9*

[–] eunusunt 11 years ago

How low is your IQ?

This movie is gonna stay with me, just like 30 Days of Night (funny you mentioned it)... I watched that one ~8 times by now and am enjoying it every time.

Gave the movie 8*
And FFS they're vampires, not zombies!

------------------------------------------------
They get detention! (Kyle Gass - Lower Learning)

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] augustwest630 11 years ago

You really called someone a homo because they didn't agree with you?

Don't take life, or yourself too seriously.

[–] targa9 11 years ago

I agree, this movie sucked. The movie tried to be too sentimental and slow, with all that VIOLIN and soft piano music, and focusing on the boyish face looking forlorn and serious, give me a break. And yes, the idea that a nun and a pregnant girl would leave a safe town and just trot off into the wilderness, without explaining to us, the viewer, why they would do that, is just plain bad writing. Same with the girl at the end; she had a great setup, food, defense, shelter..and after one night of sleeping on the same bed (not having sex) with the teenage boy, she's ready to follow him off to nowhere without any explanation.
There was very little explanation of anything in this movie--why Mister would even take on this kid, and what the kid offered to Mister. And did anyone else notice they never worried about running out of gas? Even Mad Max nailed that important plot point 5 minutes in, but this movie? Queue the violin music and sad expressions and teenage voice-over, and I guess we'll forget all about post-apocalyptic reality!