Markus Feußner
First of all: I'm German and watched the movie in English, so i can't really say much about the vocals.That being said, my thoughts about this movie: The general idea may not be original but it is good none the less.I'd rate the movie as follows (out of 10): score (3), sound effects (8), photography (7), visual effects (6), plot and idea (2), locations (4), casting (5), acting (4), script (3)The worst thing are the immense holes in the script and nearly impossible things like killing yourself by drowning (seriously: Did the writer read about suicides committed in the bathtubs and assume it would be by drowning?) Children dying by drowning didn't commit suicide, they either had an accident or were murdered. Secondly: Why do suicidal people have to be "cleaned up"? They either kill themselves or are of no harm (other than having a god complex it seems while watching the main characters).The story just doesn't make sense - and for me a low budget doesn't excuse that.
Jesse Boland
This movie is a real mess, the amazing amount of effort the cast, and production team must have used to make it is the only thing worth seeing. The acting is abrupt, and sharply inconsistent, all of the players seem lost, and confused, but at the same time they are trying so hard all just itching to jump in with the lines they think they have learned. Great use of special effects, they floating screens are handled like it is very ordinary, and nothing new. The story is a disaster that makes complete sense. The edit feels rushed, and really off with the out of sequence scenes that are repeated (and just as bad when the story finally catches up to those points. The story is a disaster, yeah I said that, and that is how the story feels, you have a bunch of very willing actors in Norway who seem to think they are speaking clear English, and what seems like a bad translation that has not been explained to the actors properly, though the fiction holds up sort of. (side issues. If you have a gun in your pocket it should show in the mirror even if you don't, and is it only you that doesn't see your reflection in the mirror, do other people see you in it with them?) To be blunt, I really tried to Enjoy this movie, I was quite impressed by the effort that the cast gave, it is just a shame that they could not have just spoken Norwegian, and subtitled it, this might have seemed less like a college production. The special effects and the tech over all was well done, and gave a real feeling of our future, so if you don't mind something that fells like it was made by kids for nerdy kids, then give this one a go, they really do try hard these folks.Jesse of www.Jesse.ca
pontram
...is not masterb*t**g, no, of course, it's shooting. Handling cool weapons.In the opening, there are two boys, which are the main characters in the movie, fighting inside a research building against numerous enemies in SWAT uniforms, defeating them, and then disappearing using some Hi-Tech devices they were searching for.After that, we follow a young man, Ian Finch, one of the two boys we've seen before, going out for a walk in the morning with his 6 years old brother Dylan, before Ian has to leave Dylan for work. First Dylan seems to be a bit sad, but when they are on the walk, he is OK. Back at home, he puts a notice into his brother's trouser pocket, and when Ian finds it on his way to work, he is alarmed and immediately runs back, but only to find some remains in the bathroom which are looking like ashes.Next, Ian is facing a mysterious, hostile boy, the other one of the two at the opening, in his own home.While to this point there maybe enough for a viewer to be caught for watching the whole movie, it became obvious that this is not a really professional production. In fact, it is a project from students of the - what I read - Ullern Highschool in Norway, funded with a budget of circa 7000 Euros or about 9600 USD. That is very few money for a movie, and we have to honor that the director/producer was able to make a movie with it.Also to honor is the basic idea - three billions of people disappear and the main character is on the run to rescue his little brother - and the professional camera-work and scenography, and especially, a compelling soundtrack.But there most of the good ends. One can literally smell the spasmodic efforts (in the cut-room) to make this a good modern movie, and technically, with the above said, this should work. Although, it doesn't. On the contrary, it fails on the most important occasions. The dialogs are often very cheesy, while meant to be cool, especially when it comes to revealings. Scenes from the future of the storyline, at an investigation office, are placed against the flow of the story, seemingly to polish up the thing, while they are only annoying. The movie tries to put a puzzle together, or, two parallel universes, but a lot of logic and consistency is lost during the process, and the plot itself has not enough substance for advanced puzzling. That's sad, because with more care and a more mature approach, it would have had the potential to be a decent movie. And, someone may have thought, that showing people who are permanently waving guns is essential for a good movie instead of being more subtle.Subsequently, the focus of the adventure goes to practice in handling guns, a big firefight - that from the opening - and teleportations like in "Jumper", but through public accessible portals, while escaping the authorities. A certain revelation at the investigation office mentioned above, near to the movie's end, is out of the blue and not understandable. It's verbal Deus Ex Machina like in some SciFi of the sixties. Only the last look in the mirror is something appreciable.So, I say, the creators are talented, even gifted, but obviously do need professional support and supervision in storytelling, character development, dialog writing and script QC for coherence. The movie itself maybe finished for its makers but is in a raw state and should not have been released on DVD before a rework. Theoretically someone will buy the idea and do a remake, which may or may not be better, but more watchable.But, to see what today's 17 years old youngsters are capable of achieving, its a good occasion, and only one worthwhile hour to spend.
