MovieChat Forums > Elfie Hopkins (2012) Discussion > I get the impression this isn't going to...

I get the impression this isn't going to be a popular opinion but


I actually really liked this movie.
Didn't really buy Jaime Winstone as a teenager and sometimes it seemed like someone had spent a little too much time going 'shaun of the dead was really popular - can we make it something like that?' BUT it was amusing, I loved the clothes and I LOVED the Gammon twins, especially Ruby. I love psychotically whimsical characters like that - whispering to a disembodied ear, nibbling on fingers, when she waved to Elfie with someone elses dead hand, all while dressed like a china doll - I want her to be my friend.

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I liked it too. Its got some serious issues, but overall I liked it. The 3rd act was a nice shift in tone and I was quite surprised at how much emotion it was going for.




"Flatly My Dear, I Don't Riverdance"

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I was watching this again this morning & I absolutely LOVE this film!! Yes, we seem to be a very small minority of people who do; but it just a matter of personal taste & opinion. I thought a lot of the aspects Were innovative, but also understand the criticism. I don't understand the bashing & dissecting it to pieces; people spend more time writing about a film they hate than discussing ones they love. I'll NEVER understand that mindset.

Anyway my favorite thing about the film was the overall Atmosphere; I LIKED how it has a very "shot by an art major" indie film look to it. This interestingly mirrors the protagonists & how they are told time & time again they are just failures who never solve anything, who are NOT perfect detectives (they're young without any training & use their own DIY approach), & make several mistakes along the way. But in the end, they DO succeed!! ;) I also enjoyed the quirky charters too, Ruby Gammon was my favorite; how could you not like how F-ing creepy she was with her "little girl" butterfly/doll persona, who's weapon of choice is a samurai sword?! (ha) I wish we could have seen even More of the depths of the Gammons, I wish for an extended director's cut; that will Never happen. Some of the acting was Not top notch, but it was not atrocious, as people claim; I think Everybody did a fine enough job to not destroy the film in Any way. In my opinion Jaime Winstone did a Great job playing Elfie & is an actress who has Major potential to be a stellar actress in the future! I thought the soundtrack matched the film just Perfectly. With Charli XCX, Big Pink & others; Grimes would have also been PERFECT on the soundtrack (Elfie's character kinda reminded me of her..idk why Exactly..) as well.

I SEE the flaws people are picking apart in it as a film, but I'd really like to see those people make a better film. Hell, all the vast art snobs online go on about all mediums of art & how awful something may or may not be, how nothing is original, ect. Most are Not Artists & I'd like to see them come up with a work of art that is 100% original (near impossible to do in 2012; ALL post-renaissance artists use/are inspired by ideas by prior artists..), it is VERY hard. I say this as a DIY artist who practices many mediums. And I say (iMo) as an artist, this gem of a film that I REALLY enjoy, is a very fun indie film & applaud all the artists who created it!! To the art snobs & haters: go watch Evil Dead or Shaun of the Dead (two films I ALSO love; a LOT!! I have VERY diverse taste in all art) for the 1000+ time. I'll never understand why your're on a forum wasting your time bashing a film you hated, post after post. Those of us who like the film, wish to discuss it in peace. Anyway, it IS just ALL Personal Opinion & in mine; I LOVE this film, despite some of its flaws!! :)

~ @deadpopstar

-disappear here-

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I actually liked it too, found it little more surprising to what I was expecting, when I read the back sounded more comedy, but I was shocked by how dark it was. I give it at least an 8 or a 9.

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This is exactly why I don't listen to the critics. I've watched a plethora of films rated in the 1-4 out of 10 range and ended up enjoying 90% of them. This just goes to show that you really have to look at it subjectively and dive in for yourself. After watching this movie, I'm baffled as to why this movie has such a low rating. Despite the somewhat rushed ending and weird suspicions early on in the film, it doesn't deserve such a low rating. The acting was decent. Elfie Hopkins felt like a real character that actually cried during the right circumstances and the transition to hunter was well-built. I do wish it took more time though. The kills happened a little too fast and I couldn't really bask in the bad-assery of Elfie Hopkins fully. That was my only gripe. I'm definitely gonna watch it again though. The cinematography was good and the atmosphere felt very Addams Family-ish. Screw the critics for bashing this to death. Rotten Tomatoes can go eat rotten tomatoes. There are plenty of movies out there far worse than this.

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I actually didn't know what this film was about when I watched it, as it was a friend that recommended we watch it. I'm so glad I didn't see the alternative title, which gives away that this is a cannibal film (I don't even need to flag this as a spoiler, as it's already given CLEARLY in the alternative title on the main page for the film).

Since it's a murder mystery, why would they give it an alternative title that gives the game away? So I'm so grateful I didn't come on here first, otherwise I would've gone into the film knowing what Elfie was hunting.

Anyway, my feeling is that those who didn't like the film already knew what the bad guys were, and they would've known straight away (not just merely guessed) that Elfie's mother was most likely killed and eaten by the Gammons. That in itself would make it unwatchable. It would be like watching an episode of Jonathan Creek or Midsomer Murders and already knowing the main plot device.

It wasn't an amazing film, but by not knowing that the Gammons were cannibals until later on, this turned an otherwise pedestrian film with quirky characters into a genuinely great film. I really don't understand the need to spell out what the film is about ("Elfie Hopkins: Cannibal Hunter" - seriously!!). What's the point in watching it if you already know the punchline? IMDb should hide the alternative title with spoiler tags. I'm just glad I didn't come here first; otherwise the film might well have been a drag. It'd be like watching The Sixth Sense and already knowing... (I won't spoil it, in case you haven't seen it!)

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I enjoyed it too. It had moments of being funny, scary and sad. Love the ending as well! :)

"Hey! Ladies! That was fun!"

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Sure I liked it, it's the kinda movie you watch on a lazy Saturday afternoon. And I don't think Elfie and Dylan was supposed to be teens, they were young adults refusing to grow up, as both Pippa and Ruby remarked. I guess that's main massage of this lil flick, telling young adults to quit goofing off and go get a REAL job.

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The movie itself wasn't bad I didn't think. Not great, but I don't regret watching it. But the character of Ruby...I absolutely loved. She's a doll as it is and a cutie, but she was so creepy in like a "this is bad but I don't really look at it as bad because it's all I've known" type of way. She may be one of more favorite antagonists.

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Saw it on the Horror Channel on SKY (UK) after my last shift and it was an easy view, might have felt a bit different if I'd had to shell out some of my hard earned but I'd give it a 6 or 7...............

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