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The Watchers - Creepy premise, but did it deliver?

Okay, so I just saw "The Watchers" and I'm honestly a little torn. The basic setup is fantastic, right? Lost in the woods, trapped with strangers, and something is watching them... the creep factor is definitely there from the jump. That wide shot of the forest in Ireland? Gorgeous and immediately unsettling. And Dakota Fanning, while I think she's usually great, felt a bit... muted? I don't know if that was a character choice or just her performance, but I wasn't totally sold on her grounding the film. The other three 'watchers' were good, if a liiiiitle stereotypical 'diverse trapped group' which made me roll my eyes a couple times. The first half of the movie, building the tension and revealing the secrets of the "watchers" (the creatures, not the humans lol), was really well done. The pacing was tight then, quick cuts, and you felt the claustrophobia of the bunker. I'm a big fan of practical effects and creature design, and these were pretty cool, especially in the limited glimpses we got. But I think it started to lose its way in the back half. Things got a little convoluted, honestly. Like they tried to introduce TOO many layers of explanation and it ended up feeling messy. I'm all for a twist, but the reveal of why they were being watched felt kinda weak, frankly. And the ending? I won't spoil it, of course, but it left me feeling a bit... unsatisfied. It’s like it built up this incredible atmosphere and then didn’t quite know how to resolve it in a truly impactful way. Pacing issues maybe in the last act? Overall, it's definitely worth a watch for the atmosphere and the first half tension. If you're a fan of folk horror or movies like "The Ritual," you'll probably find something to enjoy here. Just don't go in expecting all the answers to perfectly add up. A solid 6/10 for me. What did you guys think?

andersoncuts
6 months ago
4 comments
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