Dagon film review (6/10)
Setting the scene
The scene setting is pretty obscure from the outset starting with a real shock perhaps like a real horror should. Well at least a glimpse of that all important action from the film climax to entice you in. This film sucks you in with a firm tug from the outset. The locations for scenes are very pleasant and scenic which makes the film seem like more of an odyssey that a dull studio affair. The characters are clear from the word go with a straight forward introduction of a limited number. Relationships are included with romance which is always good to see (especially in a horror before something happens to your favourite).
Main body
The romance quickly fades as a characters mental state is seriously challenged by scary thoughts. After the initial shocker things settle to almost a crawl for a long time. This is perhaps where the rating comes down and the story needs a little injection of enthusiasm or humour. Perhaps the lack of drama with effects results in a flat period. For whatever reason you have to struggle through to retain enjoyment which is a shame after the great opening. The concepts and story-line is good however so would have been nice to be driven forward with a little more imagination for costumes and creature mobility.
Music
The music is fairly dramatic, if limited and does not resonate fear like it should for a good horror especially during the climax of the film which it would really benefit from. The music is far from exciting and not very memorable.
Ending If you make it to the last half an hour you get your first hit from complex sides and relationships which make everything more interesting and exciting. For the last 30 minutes the characters gel and the acting really comes through in a more positive light. The main characters bonds are truly tested and the pace dramatically picks up. The emotions are evidently lacking where they should be, yet abundant where needed. All sorts of fight scenes, escape scenes, gore and turmoil explode out to finish things nicely. This almost makes up for the dull centre and closes things out in the correct way for the beginning shock to " reveal all" like a good ending should. This does however mean that a sequel may be quite impossible to create as a continuation.
Summary
A well thought out, imaginative story with good acting in parts. A great opening and conclusion with a little boredom and drawn out plot in the middle. With adaptation the film if remade has the potential to be amazing due to simplicity and themes. Needs to be shorter or more dramatic in the middle.
Setting the scene
The scene setting is pretty obscure from the outset starting with a real shock perhaps like a real horror should. Well at least a glimpse of that all important action from the film climax to entice you in. This film sucks you in with a firm tug from the outset. The locations for scenes are very pleasant and scenic which makes the film seem like more of an odyssey that a dull studio affair. The characters are clear from the word go with a straight forward introduction of a limited number. Relationships are included with romance which is always good to see (especially in a horror before something happens to your favourite).
Main body
The romance quickly fades as a characters mental state is seriously challenged by scary thoughts. After the initial shocker things settle to almost a crawl for a long time. This is perhaps where the rating comes down and the story needs a little injection of enthusiasm or humour. Perhaps the lack of drama with effects results in a flat period. For whatever reason you have to struggle through to retain enjoyment which is a shame after the great opening. The concepts and story-line is good however so would have been nice to be driven forward with a little more imagination for costumes and creature mobility.
Music
The music is fairly dramatic, if limited and does not resonate fear like it should for a good horror especially during the climax of the film which it would really benefit from. The music is far from exciting and not very memorable.
Ending If you make it to the last half an hour you get your first hit from complex sides and relationships which make everything more interesting and exciting. For the last 30 minutes the characters gel and the acting really comes through in a more positive light. The main characters bonds are truly tested and the pace dramatically picks up. The emotions are evidently lacking where they should be, yet abundant where needed. All sorts of fight scenes, escape scenes, gore and turmoil explode out to finish things nicely. This almost makes up for the dull centre and closes things out in the correct way for the beginning shock to " reveal all" like a good ending should. This does however mean that a sequel may be quite impossible to create as a continuation.
Summary
A well thought out, imaginative story with good acting in parts. A great opening and conclusion with a little boredom and drawn out plot in the middle. With adaptation the film if remade has the potential to be amazing due to simplicity and themes. Needs to be shorter or more dramatic in the middle.