Richard Barrett53 said:Sure, this movie is a disaster, but I suppose we should probably consider the vast majority of Steven Seagal, Dolph Lundgren, or Chuck Norris films. They’ve put out plenty of absolute garbage that managed to be far more successful than this. This one just seems to sit somewhere in that mediocre middle ground for those "turn your brain off and grab some popcorn" nights.
Anyway, since everyone seems so deeply invested in arguing about this particular flick, you might want to keep in mind that this is hitting theaters soon:
It's a film by Roland Emmerich, a guy who basically specializes in catastrophe movies, covering the exact same theme—so I guess we'll just have to see who does a better job of tearing down the White House and who manages to look more patriotic.😁.
I mean, come on, at least Steven Seagal actually knows how to throw a punch. He’s got that essential combat stance and that animalistic stare in his eyes, you know? The guy is a legitimate, proven martial artist. That matters so much in movies like this.
But this Butler guy? He just walks around looking like some straight-edge nerd.
The whole casting is just a massive miss, the President looks more like some random hillbilly to me ☕
Christian Torres3 said:My dear Patrick Martin, I feel the exact same way when I read your posts on those other epic threads.
Patriotism, loyalty to the President, the Constitution, blah blah—it’s all there. There’s some seriously stupid stuff in there, but I didn't exactly expect WHB to build an entirely new universe from scratch. 😍
Man, seriously, it’s the same old story here—a massive pile of nonsense being defended just because there's some "action" and shooting happening, goddammit. Meanwhile, over in Prometheus, actual good stuff gets tossed out the window over some tiny, trivial details, and we're talking about a freaking fantasy monster flick.
Give me a break 🙄
Christian Torres3 said:My dear Patrick Martin, I feel the exact same way when I read your posts on those other epic threads.
Patriotism, loyalty to the President, the Constitution, blah blah—it’s all there. There’s some seriously stupid stuff in there, but I didn't exactly expect WHB to build an entirely new universe from scratch. 😍
For real though, I actually started thinking the director was low-key trolling Americans on purpose, like he was being all sneaky and clever about mocking us.
Honestly, this thing blew past my expectations for pure, unadulterated cringe and forced patriotism. I doubt anything could ever top this level of cheesiness. ☕
I used to think Total Recall was the absolute peak of mindless action movies, but this makes that look like high art by comparison. The dialogue is just... man, those kinds of brain-dead plot holes and lines are a rare breed. ☕
Even the title itself is just pure, concentrated garbage. 🤮
They should've just leaned into it and made some weird parody version, like something out of Star Wars, because Freeman probably wouldn't have even had to change his acting style one bit, considering how wasted he looked the entire time.
briskhound2 said:What arguments? 😕 It’s just mindless shooting meant to entertain. The movie isn't out here trying to sell us snake oil or anything. I don't see anyone actually defending it as some masterpiece of action...
Good for you if that kind of mindless shooting keeps you entertained, man. I played those kinds of shooters a while back until I realized they're all completely hollow.
Oh no, that's dangerous, we should probably ban it then.
And that bit about "passing off fake crap"... honestly, that just makes me laugh. 🙂
God dammit! Honestly, when I see the kinds of arguments people pull out just to justify this shameless exploitation, I feel like my head is actually going to explode. 😢
Just so we’re clear here—even Training Day (which should be, like, the absolute pinnacle of fucking cinema) is a total waste of time to me. I seriously don't get what everyone is raving about, or why Denzel even snagged an Oscar for that role. 🤷 It’s the same deal with Departed; I honestly can't recall a single fucking frame from either of those movies.
And really, now that I've already laid out my thoughts on the greatest fucking movie ever made, do I even need to bother giving an opinion on this latest disaster?
I just watched it and honestly, I’m at a loss for words 🤷
Look, the movie had massive potential—you've got a story based on actual events, stunning locations with insane natural beauty, and some seriously high-quality cinematography. But man, what a waste. All that visual stuff doesn't mean squat when the actual heart of the movie—the drama, the core writing—is totally hollow. The way they handle the relationships between people stuck in these extreme situations feels like some mediocre, low-budget Bollywood production. Seriously, there are moments where the characters act in ways that feel like a bad parody of real human behavior. It's painful to watch. Even that veteran actor couldn't save this thing, though he actually tried; he was the only one who felt halfway decent compared to the rest of the cast.
To be fair, there are rare moments where they actually nail that claustrophobic feeling, which, along with what I mentioned earlier, is the main reason this isn't a total dumpster fire of a movie.
Casey Cox2 said:iTMOM is such a killer psychological horror—immediately makes me think of Zulawski's Possession (1981) Another great example: http://www.leninimports.com/julie_ch..._dvd_cover.jpg http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069995/ then there's T. Scott's The Hunger (1983)http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085701/ after that, most studios were basically blacklisting anything involving T. S. for a while. Personally? I think the movie is awesome and just totally "underrated"
I definitely need to sit down and watch iTMOM and The Hunger, plus Don't Look Now. You really hit the nail on the head with those classy picks👍
driftinggull21 said:I'm digging both of them, honestly. They’ve got that old-school vintage vibe, kind of like Tales from the Crypt.😁 That's the kind of horror I live for.😍
darkbadger46 said:From a purely aesthetic standpoint, the movie is absolutely gorgeous. The cinematography and the framing of certain scenes are just fantastic. As for whether the CGI holds up—well, that's really down to personal taste, so why not judge for yourself: after Earth Movie clip
Terry Morris41 said:The second tape is honestly pretty mid—just kind of monotonous and easy to forget, even if the whole vibe of filming in a gorgeous park or a nice little forest on a bright sunny morning is cool. The ending gets a bit bloodier which helps, but still, nothing to write home about.
I mean, seeing a movie through the eyes of a zombie? That was actually a pretty fresh take. And man, I really dug that crisp, high-def look they went for under that bright sunlight. It’s a legit change of pace because, let’s be real, every single found footage flick we've seen lately is filmed in some dark, grainy basement with garbage video quality. Anyway, it felt like a breath of fresh air.
Terry Morris41 said:I'm not so sure about that The first one is the best baseline for comparison, and honestly, it’s three times better plus there are way better found footage horrors out there than the first Blockbuster. REC obviously comes to mind first
I watched The Blair Witch Project (2008) and The Poughkeepsie Tapes (2007) which are both kinda "slower" paced found footage flicks, and they were decent enough, but I feel like the genre actually works better when it has that high-octane, frantic energy you get in stuff like V/H/S or REC.
though for me, boredom might actually be one of the best examples of found footage (aside from the pioneers at the CIA) The Ring (2005) what really worked for me there was that specific kind of balance
I’m actually digging how found footage has evolved lately. It’s like the director kind of hinted at this shift a while back, and now these V/H/S flicks have basically cemented this whole new direction—this subtle blend of found footage mixed with actual genre filmmaking. Even if you aren't a huge fan of the style, it feels fresh and unlike anything else out there right now. Honestly, almost every segment gave me the creeps. I will say though, that last story felt a bit rushed and kind of "cheap" compared to the rest.
All in all, for what it is within its subgenre, it’s definitely a solid job! 👍
Wait, hold up, is Smith playing some kind of tough guy here too? Because honestly, every time I catch a glimpse of that ridiculous face of his, my stomach starts doing somersaults.