Hostile (2017)

In a post-apocalyptic world, Juliet is hurt and isolated and overwhelmed by vivid memories.

A horror film with a lot of potential, only half realised due to the mix of a sappy and unconvincing parallel story that instead of completing the main one, it invades and corrupts it, especially in the highly unlikely ending. At least it doesn't last too long.

Directed by: Mathieu Turi

With: Brittany Ashworth, Grégory Fitoussi, Javier Botet

Rating: 6/10

The Rover (2014)

10 years after a globally spread economical collapse, a lonely man is vigorously pursuing those who stole his car, having no other companion than the brother of one of the pursued.

An apocalyptic drama/thriller that wants itself to be and manages to be different from others of the same genre to the extent that the action could very well take place in so many places in our world today. Depressive but also captivating from the first scene, The Rover manages to maintain an almost invariable rhythm through a mixture of perfectly balanced tension and intrigue. The soundtrack is also a good source of contrasting senses, appreciated but that fact still makes you wonder for a brief second if the film only benefited from a rushed post production.

The film does not offer any characters that could be generating sympathies, either through lack of context or just by insisting on making them do terrible things.

The emotional substrate is so thin that you almost miss it.

The lack of anything too obvious, however, does not steal at all from the emotional effect of the edifying end.

Screenplay: Joel Edgerton

Directed by: David Michôd

With: Guy Pearce, Robert Pattinson

Rating: 8/10

Translated from an old post from 11/2015

The Rover (2014)

La 10 ani dupa o cadere economica globala, un barbat singuratic urmareste cu indarjire pe cei care i-au furat masina, neavand alt companion decat fratele unuia din cei urmariti.

Drama/thriller apocaliptic care se vrea si reuseste sa fie diferit de altele din gen in asa masura incat actiunea ar putea foarte bine avea loc in atatea locuri din lume in prezent. Depresiv dar si captivant de la prima secventa, reuseste sa pastreze un ritm aproape invariabil printr-un mix de tensiune si  curiozitate intr-un balans perfect. Coloana sonora e de altfel o buna sursa de ceva constraste in simturi, binevenite dar care te fac totusi sa te intrebi pentru o secunda scurta daca pelicula a beneficiat doar de o editare post productie pe fuga.

Filmul nu ofera personaje care sa fie sursa de simpatii, fie prin lipsa de context fie prin insistenta de a le pune sa faca lucruri teribile. 

Substratul emotional e atat de subtire ca aproape il ratezi. 

Lipsa de evident insa, nu fura deloc din efectul emotional al finalului edificator.

Scenariu: Joel Edgerton

Regie: David Michôd

Cu: Guy Pearce, Robert Pattinson

Rating: 8/10

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