2015

Director: Peyton Reed

Genre: Superhero Action

This film is a masterpiece.

It has such a perfect build of tension and suspense. It has deep character conflict and a looming sense of dread. But it also has many surprises, and unexpected twists.

I usually don’t do this for reviews, but I need to just go through each scene in detail so you get what I’m talking about.

The film begins with our main character, Eric, slowly exiting his house. We see that this young boy is in a wheelchair, and we picture the intense struggles he must have to endure.

Eric takes a moment to look around at the majesty of nature, and perhaps dwell on the futility of all the places he can never walk to.

Then we see his friend emerge from her house, and rush toward her friend. The two of them share a clear bond. They have plans to meet and enjoy this beautiful day together.

But then Eric reaches the edge of a steep hill. And as he looks down in fear, his wheelchair starts to roll forward.

The tension rises in an instant! Eric’s wheelchair is out of control! His friend cries out to him in panic as she witnesses what just happened!

Eric rolls down the hill, gaining more and more speed. He tries desperately to pull the breaks, but the lever snaps off!

It seems like everything is over. And we, as an audience, are aghast at how quickly this all escalated. But we can only watch, as Eric and his wheelchair reach the edge of a cliff.

Eric falls, toward the water below. We hear his panicked screaming before the water swallows him whole. And it seems like it would all end there…

And then! A small alien pops its head into screen! The alien was right beside the water. It saw everything! It could save Eric!

But we don’t know if that ever happens, for the film ends on the face of this alien. And we will eternally wonder what this creature will choose to do.

Brilliant movie.

My only real complaint is that when Paul Rudd decided to show a clip on Conan, he showed the whole movie instead. Strange choice.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️