Review: Wes Craven's Dont Look Down

[RationalGaze]

I struck gold on my trip to the video store this week, getting some damn good flicks, and this is among them. Dont Look Down isn't really a horror film, its more in the suspence genre, but fuck genres, if a movie is good, it never matters.

This film starts off with Rachel and Carla, a pair of very close sisters, traveling to a secluded area with Carlas husband who happens to be a photographer. Carla gets her pics taken close to a deep drop, and as the boyfriend worries for her safety, the rail snaps under the weight of the sister, Rachel. They try to save her by pulling her up, but alas, her grip fails and she plummets to her death.

Soon after, Carla is haunted by images of her sister and a nasty fear of heights, due to what happened with her sisters death. She gets help in the form of a radical therapy class that a University Doctor is trying. Members of this therapy group die one by one, linking their deaths to the Doctor and to Carla herself.

The movie was quite boring to begin with but got really good, really quick, cementing Wes Craven as one of my favorite directors of all time. Not much gore or anything, just some decently creepy moments and a very good "whodunit" plot. I give this film 4.5 of 5 beers, utterly solid performance with some fairly decent acting. Only downside was a lack of nudity and the hottest girl in the flick is killed off in the first five minutes.

[Darigaaz]

I dont agree on the acting ability, it was pretty poor in my opinion. The movie wasn't to bad, not Wes Craven's best work but it wasn't bad for low budget film.

[RationalGaze]

Darigaaz said:

I dont agree on the acting ability, it was pretty poor in my opinion. The movie wasn't to bad, not Wes Craven's best work but it wasn't bad for low budget film.

When it comes to horror films, as long as the people arent robotic, I cant complain, your not gonna see many amazing actors in low budget films, especially horror, so maybe from seeing so many Im kinda desensitized.

[Goremonger]

Darigaaz said:

I dont agree on the acting ability, it was pretty poor in my opinion. The movie wasn't to bad, not Wes Craven's best work but it wasn't bad for low budget film.

To be honest with you, I'm not sure that you can really classify this as a low budget film, I'm sure that they atleast threw a couple million into it, and that's not low budget, though I may be wrong but I don't think so.

[RationalGaze]

A couple million compaired to the 100 million dollar pictures that get released seems like small beans. That said, the acting didn't offend me to my core, and thats all I ask.

[WesCraven]

Firstly I would like to mention that Wes Craven didn't direct (or write) this movie. He was merely a producer and slapped his name on it to hopefully get more people to see it.

And secondly this was also a made for TV movie, and thus the budget probably wasn't all that high (but I could be wrong).

[Chucky]

I thought this movie licked ass. Should never go out and rent a movie with Craven's name on it thinking it'll be good unless it specifically says that he directed or wrote it.



The ending was so painful to watch and not because of any violence...

[WesCraven]

Sadly Chuck's right, Craven has put his name of some pretty bad movies.

[Goremonger]

WesCraven said:

Sadly Chuck's right, Craven has put his name of some pretty bad movies.

I think that all producers and directors have a shitty film or two under there belts, it comes with the territory I guess.

As far as budgets go Rat, you are right two million is small beans compared to the 100 million dollar pics, but I think that this is only a trend and in the next few years the execs are going to come to there senses and realize that a great film can be made for alot less then 100 million, I mean I think that's fucking rediculous give any asshole a good script a crew and that kind of money and if he does'nt turn out a decent film he would have to be fucking retarded. I hate what mainstream film is coming too, glad that most of what I watch is indie and that's the way it's gonna stay.

[Darigaaz]

WesCraven said:

Sadly Chuck's right, Craven has put his name of some pretty bad movies.

I'm not sure if Craven had anything to do with Dont Look Down, maybe he produced the film or something like that but he didn't direct or write the movie.

[WesCraven]

WesCraven said:

Firstly I would like to mention that Wes Craven didn't direct (or write) this movie. He was merely a producer and slapped his name on it to hopefully get more people to see it.

And secondly this was also a made for TV movie, and thus the budget probably wasn't all that high (but I could be wrong).

You'd be correct Darigaaz..