As this is a blog about writing (and theatre, but mainly writing), I am going to write my reactions to films down as well, focused mainly on the writing. I will never say, "You will like this movie." I will say, I liked it, or I think it is worth seeing for educational purposes, but my opinion is just that, an opinion. That said, on with the blog...:
"Disturbia"
by Christopher B. Landon and Carl Ellsworth
This was an interesting movie. I really liked the first act, and most of the second act, but the last portion of the flick feels so damned rushed. A thriller like this, in my opinion, needs time to breathe, time to build into intensity, yet with this, it feels like the killer is discovered very quickly, very simply, and then the movie is over. The relationships between the characters didn't really have time to develop, and I felt that weakened the film. The dialogue was pretty good, not stellar, though I happen to think that was more from the acting than the script.
I liked the mood of the film. In the early portions of the movie, after the set-up had finished, I felt there was this sense of impending boredom, and then it snapped to a close. It felt like the filmmakers (I don't want to place blame on any one person here) thought a teen audience would be quick to shift their attention elsewhere. I don't think that's the case. I feel that a teen audience would be drawn in by the stories surrounding the protagonist, as real life is. Real life is so chock full of subplots and minor denouement, and I really felt this film was going to echo that, and instead, it fell back into a completely linear and easily wrapped up cookie-cutter thriller. Curses.
My big question with this flick is, was there ever any nod to "Rear Window"? I mean, the film is obviously a re-do of the classic Hitchcock film, yet I don't see any accreditation being given to the writers of "Rear Window" nor to Hitchcock himself... strikes me as odd.
In the end though, I enjoyed the flick. I enjoyed the beginning a lot more than the end, and there's the rub.
1 comment:
Rear Window is still one of my favorite films, simply because Hitchcock was a master of keeping suspension taut even when there was nothing overly active going on, on the screen. I think you are right, tension needs time to breath and build. Unfortunately, most filmmakers/storytellers have a tendency to blow their load too early. They can't keep their own attention long enough so they try to create tension by moving too fast. I however think the best tension is the controlled kind. That kind of tension where a commanding hand is kept tightly upon the pulse and airways of the viewer/reader. You could die at any moment, but that hand enjoys watching you sweat so it ever so slowly tries to scare you with the inevitable only to throw out the inevitable and slap you in the face with a surprise.
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