Dark Reprieve (2008) Reviews

• Filmed in Moms Basement

  Stradale2009-08-23

  I realise that all involved in the film industry have to start somewhere but that doesn't excuse really low quality films clogging the non-pay-for-view channels. It was fairly easy for the plot of this particular pile of doo-doo to look unusual and creative in summary. In practice it's amateurish, incoherent and very, very cheap. I'd like to be more critical of the plot but in all honesty I really don't have a clue what's going on. The gap between scripted lines is audible and the actors (who look like student buddies) express emotion in such a hammy telegraphed fashion you feel like applauding. If you are reading this then you are a fellow film buff and please believe me when I say I'm not a particularly demanding viewer. I always 'IMDB' my films and 5 minutes into this particular mound I was alarmed at the 'Indy Praise'. This is not, by any stretch of credulity, a 5+ star production. If your broadcaster schedules this film it's worth a complaint.

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• Horrible

  Iamthelaw992008-09-19

  After reading the last couple of reviews for this movie, I decided to give it a try. Much to my surprise, I should have listened to my first instinct and avoided watching it and wasting an hour and eighteen minutes of my life. The plot of this movie could have actually gone somewhere if it weren't for the two main actors. I'd be lying if I said their acting was half-decent. Their performance was nothing less than amateur and unrealistic. It did not sit well with the plot of the movie, I could not even connect their emotions to the way they spoke in every line. I've seen better actors perform on the street. Great movie title, poor performance.

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• Poor storyline & poor direction.

  nk83502008-10-25

  I guess this movie is make with a tight budget. The beginning was confusing and i hate the way they keep giving flashbacks or sudden scenes changes which is disturbing. There is not much element or storyline either to the movie. I could not understand the link of each scenes till the ending. They are like completely different. The monster in the movies look dumb instead of really frightening. I almost fell asleep watching the movie. The actors performance are average and at times not convincing. The only thing i like is the ending part. It has quite a twist to it. Other than that, as a viewer, i felt its absolutely disappointing to watch.

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• the ending ruins the film

  movieman_kev2009-04-16

  Matt and Kate both awaken in an abandoned prison, neither one of them recalling the chain of events that led them there. They don't seem to be alone as they have run-ins with supernatural creatures. Meanwhile Raquel is being interrogated by police detective Marks about a series of unexplained murders. Could she have any connection to the two trapped people? While I applaud the makers of this movie for trying something a bit different in a DTV market populated by interchangeable cardboard cut and paste slasher films, the outcome wasn't the sum of it's parts. The story itself was pretty interesting and, for a DTV release, most of the acting was adequate (some was embarrassingly bad though) But the frequent jump cuts became a tad grating after a while and the ending (which i won't spoil) was so far out of left field that it just about ruined the whole film for me. I'd like to see certain actresses in this movie in other films though. My Grade: D+

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• This one is Deeper than it seems

  Rabh172009-04-12

  Warning to those who take this movie solely on its Genre category of Sci-Fi. It IS a Sci-Fi movie-- but only in the technical sense. There are NO flashy pyrotechnics and FX. No slithering aliens or monstrosities. This is a Sci-Fi movie in that the story really comes from a Story that touches on the philosophical question that can only be raised in the presence of technology. So those who expect a Saturday night flashy boom-boom screamer will be disappointed because of misplaced expectations. This one is a Thinker's Sci-Fi. And it's a Mystery. One-- they did this with a non-Hollywood budget. Two-- they did it with Good Actors who I hope move onwards and upwards. Three-- The script and the setting had holding power thru the simple but elusive power of Mystery: Who were they? Where were they? What did they do to cause their imprisonment? What did they have to do to get out? If one of them was to succeed, does one of them have to fail? The Audience watches with those questions in the fore-front. You want to know. Four-- the cut interrogation scenes from outside the prison that seem to tie elusively to the two victims inside the strange, deserted prison. What's the connection? The ending surprised the heck out of me because the creators allows the audience take a very common direction for explanations. . .then TWIST. YES-- it was what you began to think. and NO, it was different. To tell you more is to take the spice out of the movie and destroys what the creators are doing. WATCH it and draw your conclusions. It touches Innocence, Crime & Punishment, Redemption & Religious belief. But none of these fit together the way you THINK they do. The beauty of this movie is that the detailed Pieces of the Puzzle will continue to fit themselves together after the credits have rolled. This one is a Saturday Night Movie-- but you have to be prepared for it. You have to pay attention. This one is what I call a "Girlfriend Test Movie" because the plight of the two victims should engage her with metaphorical questions. If your Girlfriend does not feel engaged during the movie or asks probing questions at the end -- Dump her. You can do much, much better. If her intellect is engaged by this movie-- you will do well together. I'll watch for the creators of this movie-- they have the roots of story-telling genius.

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