I had high hopes for this film as Blumhouse has made\released some pretty good thrillers in recent years.
The "troubled people in a relationship who go to a remote place to put things back together" is a over used trope in so many genre films. I have never found it believable that people who have come to dislike\distrust one or each other would think going away to a trip of any kind would make things better. If anything, time away or in therapy would do them more good! Thus right from the beginning when the wife suggests such a thing; and then acts like a terrible person to her husband during the trip, makes the set up hard to believe.
Turns out hubby has a plan that centered on the wife picking the location, the house, and wanting a getaway and... What if she had suggested a separation? Counseling?? Hmmm? There would go the entire film!
Tepid dialog and wacky twists (which are not so wacky once crazy is established) follow Example: None of the things that happen seem remotely possible. But a supernatural element which is at first suggested then confirmed allow real world actions\rationale to go out the window.
The actors involved are not given a whole lot by the writer. The best role is given to Jacob who plays Issac and who truly channels the bats**t. Angela Sarafyan and Lia McHugh as mom and daughter are solid, with the latter not given much to do but look scared and cry (I have seen both in better; Angela in the "Westworld" TV show and Lia in "The Lodge"). Everyone else does well with, again what they are given. Any artistic fault lays purely on the writer and director.
The ending leaves us with a "now what?" hanging over the characters.
I wasn't bored tho. Nor was I tempted to turn the movie off! Just wish all performers had been in a better movie!
The "troubled people in a relationship who go to a remote place to put things back together" is a over used trope in so many genre films. I have never found it believable that people who have come to dislike\distrust one or each other would think going away to a trip of any kind would make things better. If anything, time away or in therapy would do them more good! Thus right from the beginning when the wife suggests such a thing; and then acts like a terrible person to her husband during the trip, makes the set up hard to believe.
Turns out hubby has a plan that centered on the wife picking the location, the house, and wanting a getaway and... What if she had suggested a separation? Counseling?? Hmmm? There would go the entire film!
Tepid dialog and wacky twists (which are not so wacky once crazy is established) follow Example: None of the things that happen seem remotely possible. But a supernatural element which is at first suggested then confirmed allow real world actions\rationale to go out the window.
The actors involved are not given a whole lot by the writer. The best role is given to Jacob who plays Issac and who truly channels the bats**t. Angela Sarafyan and Lia McHugh as mom and daughter are solid, with the latter not given much to do but look scared and cry (I have seen both in better; Angela in the "Westworld" TV show and Lia in "The Lodge"). Everyone else does well with, again what they are given. Any artistic fault lays purely on the writer and director.
The ending leaves us with a "now what?" hanging over the characters.
I wasn't bored tho. Nor was I tempted to turn the movie off! Just wish all performers had been in a better movie!