THE SHRINE
Canada, 2010
Director: Jon Knautz
4/10
Canada, 2010
Director: Jon Knautz
4/10
I'm a huge fan of Jon Knautz' wonderful 80s tribute "Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer", that's why I was extremely excited for "The Shrine" since I first heard about it - unfortunately, this weird blend of "Wicker Man", "Exorcist" and "Evil Dead" completely disappointed me.
The movie is boring, slow-paced and predictable (I figured out the plot twist halfway through the movie). The acting is weak and the characters are so shallow and unsympathetic, it's absolutely impossible to like them. The special effects look terrible (the fog in the forest... almost SyFy level), the camera work is mediocre, many of the settings look cheap and the score... wait, was there even a score? I really can't remember.
At least the climax is pretty entertaining and action-packed, there's some great-looking gore, many creepy visuals and the superbly scary Statue-scene - but aside from that, "The Shrine" is just another forgettable DTV lamefest.
P.S. In the beginning there's some talk about dying bees and unpollinated plants - a plot point which was actually way more interesting than the rest of the movie...
Posts
I'll probably skip this one. Does not sound worth my time unless it's a Saturday with nothing else to do. :).
ReplyDeleteJust watched this on Netflix. I didn't dislike it as much as you, but I expected a helluva lot more from Jon Knautz. The lead female has to be one of the top ten dumbest characters in horror history. Agree with the CG FX, freakin terrible.
ReplyDeleteI saw it, and respected it. That is all. respect. No praises. No raves. just plain. quite. respect.
ReplyDeleteI gave it three out of five. pretty basic stuff.
@Mel:
ReplyDeleteWatch JACK BROOKS instead, this one is actually worth your time :)
@Eric:
ReplyDeleteOmg yeah, the main female protagonist is so fucking stupid, it's laughable.
The CGI is what really brought me down. Look at the awesome practical effects in Jack Brooks, and compare it to the horrid-looking computer-fog - SUCKS!!
@Kai:
ReplyDeleteNope. No respect from me. Right before The Shrine, I watched HIDDEN 3D which is actually more enjoyable that this piece of rubbish.
OMG, I thought you're gonna love it. I did. It wasn't perfect, but pretty unique and creepy, and I loved the twist.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to like it but unfortunately it sucked too much. I stick to Jack Brooks.
ReplyDeletethen I guess that's another thing I disagree with you. I dislike Hidden 3D ^^;
ReplyDeleteWell, I understand everyone who hates Hidden 3D - it's rubbish, but for whatever reason I enjoyed it :) Review soon!
ReplyDeleteOh I love The Shrine. It's one of my favorites I've watched this year. I wish the Jack Brooks sequel would hurry though.
ReplyDeleteas you can see, it wasn't exactly my cup of tea, but like you, I totally can't wait for the Brooks sequel.
ReplyDelete