MovieChat Forums > Aftershock (2014) Discussion > superficial, boring and devastatingly pl...

superficial, boring and devastatingly plain.


I was in utter shock after seeing this film.
Eli Roth, member of the Splat Pack making such a boring attempt at horror.
Hardly have I been so un-impressed by a film, an hour long build up with horrendously cliché characters (Russel - Ariel - Monica) take your pick.

For someone who once said "horror should have no limits"... this is the most appalling horror entry in decades. It shouldn't even be classified under horror, it's not a disaster movie either. It was an exercise in cliché's, the short hair strong girl who had problems in her past and has struggled to overcome them. The cute guy who has girlfriend problems and can't help himself but talk about her all the time (while magically still remaining charming, writing songs on his guitar for another girl etc...)
The cool hip guy (modelled directly off Zach Galifianakis because of his huge impact on the hipster scene) who knows everyone and isn't afraid to lie and be a penis to get all the women even though we all know this is merely a Hollywood illusion (just like seth rogan).

This film tries so hard to tell a non existing story that the disaster seems like its only use is to drive the action. To push them from scene to scene. It brought nothing in terms of thrills, horror, shock, gore (the list goes on).
I'm sorry I may be coming off as harsh, but this was a HUGE disappointment and Eli Roth should be told one way or another. If he's gona start trying to sell us garbage now that he's made his millions screw him.
He was given a huge opportunity to advance horror but it looks like he's just another hack...


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It's not serious!

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You can probably say that any character in any movie is a cliché. Name a movie, and I will point out a cliché character. And what are you talking about strong girl that has to overcome problems in her past? I think you are projecting your own agenda into the characters lol there is no indication that she is struggling with any problems from her past. She's just an overprotective sister who is trying to be a better sister. You're reading into it too much. And Pollo is stereotypical but he goes through character arcs. We first see the devastation of him losing his best friend. Then he finally reaches his breaking point and kills the rapist, which is very out of character.

And yes, the tsunami/earthquake is a plot device. It's job is to drive the plot in motion and then be forgotten about, only to reappear toward the end of the film. It's called a Macguffin. It's a commonly used plot device used mostly in thrillers. Hitchcock popularized it, using it all the time in his movies. I bet you think Hitchcock is a hack, though. Right?


"Hate is baggage. Life's too short to be pissed off all the time."

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It really is amazing how two people can watch the same movie and have totally different experiences. I think that Aftershock was SO good that it should have succeeded in the main stream movie world, rather than being more or less relegated to Netflix and small box, quirky, off-the-beaten path viewing.
THIS MOVIE WAS AWESOME!!!
I grew to know and develop strong feelings about each character.
The horrible mess they were in was portrayed in a terrifying and realistic way.
The pain that they felt as they watched what was happening, as they watched their dear friends struggle to live - seared my heart.
I am NOT kidding.
The BEST movie of its type EVER!
If you think I'm joking, I'm not - I gave it 9 stars.
So the OP thinks this was a non existant story and there wasn't enough thrills, horror, shock, gore for them. I don't know what I could recommend then. This movie had it all. It's not that I think it was PERFECT - I could have done without a particular scene of sexual abuse (won't spoil it by being more specific) and there were a few inexplicable actions on the part of some of the characters. Well life is like that.
All I can say is, if you have a chance to see this high impact, beautifully conceived and executed film, by all means don't let the negative comments deter you.

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