joeboulter Reviews

Red Eye (2005)

The drop in Hollywood standards is clearly evident here!

[4/10 · 16 September 2005]

The problem with Red Eye is that it is a very good idea.

It's a problem because once we leave the plane Red Eye turns into a generic thriller with no suspense and zero threat. Cillian Murphy is a fantastic villain but would a killer for hire really be so inept at taking down a civilian. On the plane however there is nowhere for the audience or her to go, she is trapped and she uses cunning and intelligence to outwit her foe.

As a member of the audience however hope was lost as soon as the plane land's, turning from an edgy claustrophobic thriler into a predictable mess which signifies the decline in modern film standards. Ignore this film and watch 'The Conversation' instead!

The Haunting (1999)

Not a touch on the Robert Wise classic!

[1/10 · 3 June 2005]

Considering the original film version of 'The Haunting" is in my top ten films of all time' I approached this adaption with trepidation. I was right to be cautious as this film is a poorly written and badly executed load of old tosh, all those involved should be ashamed. the original was terrifying to me as a child for one reason! you see nothing. Robert Wise used innovative camera-work and superb lighting to generate fear and this is why it work's. The shame of the new version is that it relies on clever special effects and pyrotechnics to get from A to B, sadder still is that the ingredients were there (actors such as Liam Neeson, Catherine Zeta Jones) to do something different. This film should only watched as an example of studio butchery!