Freaktana A Major Disappointment

Frances Chung Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Wyatt There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Logan By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

spencergrande6 I mostly enjoyed this. The film taken as a whole seems pretty slight, not just in terms of plot (which is standard for the directors) but also in effect. The film is creepy and nasty. There's a horrifying "monster" in this played with great physicality by Fabien Jegoudez. There are scenes of absolute intensity, with beautiful haunting mise en scene. Yet the whole thing feels a bit undercooked. What starts as a dark side of the Spielbergian kids on a mission story turns into a home invasion thriller and then into something else. It's not enough of any but it's fun watching it try. There seems to be a sociological context to it all that was a bit lost on me. Maybe it's a French thing - this worry about toxic gases from the military affecting the children. But should we fear them or pity them? No matter.

thesar-2 Man, had I seen this as a boy, the same age as the boys in this movie, this would've simultaneously scarred me for life and would've been the number one gateway to horror I'd never forget.Boy, the French know horror...but not how to end a film. Granted, I only recall seeing their High Tension and now: Among the Living and both had great cinematography, graphic, original scares and brutality and a WTF ending. Not to spoil either film's ending, but to be positive, this one was far less disappointing, yet still made my head spin.The basic gist: after an incredible start with a wide open range, 3 terrible kids witness a ruthless kidnapping and spend about two seconds both reporting and being rejected by the police. Following, they spend even less time acting like it was a big deal. Well, until they're hunted by one of the savage fiends. The movie had great promise, looked beautiful and was wildly original and all at the same time had huge plot holes, subplots that literally went nowhere and a, again, "really?" finale. Not to mention there weren't many characters to root for with the exception of one innocent family.For the good portion, this is a recommended film and I was thoroughly pleased with seeing a fresh take horror film. And still, I wouldn't denounce it completely for the third act as it's still "eh." So, it's a very soft approval.***Final thoughts: As stated, High Tension had the worst and most unbelievable of the two climaxes, but I would recommend that film more as what led up to that twist reminded me more of why I love horror.

Fella_shibby After watching Bustillo n Maury's Inside n Livid, i was very impatient to watch their Among the Living. This movie was on my radar for a very long time. Finally saw this on a pirated DVD. The movie starts with an intense and gruesome opening. Thru news on TV v come to know the adverse effects of radiation n other war effects. Fast forward n v r introduced to three adolescents who bunk their skool on the last day before summer vacation to avoid detention. So obviously these r your mischievous n trouble causing kids. The early sequences are brightly shot and filled with warmth with some beautiful cinematography. The greenery, the lake, meadows, barn n the abandoned studio r all captured very well. The kids wander about n land up in an isolated n abandoned studio. From this moment the movie takes us into the dark and frightening journey when the three kids happen to witness something they never should have seen.... The kids acted well. The movie works effectively because of its pacing and build up of suspense and frights. I found it to b refreshingly unpredictable on the whole. Kudos to the makers for not showing any harm towards the kids. Most of the kills r offscreen but the tension is throughout. Viewers may find shades of Hills have eyes, Stand by me, Insidious, Halloween.

george.schmidt AMONG THE LIVING (2014) *** Zacharie Chasseriaud, Damien Ferdel, Fabien Jegoudez, Francis Renaud, Theo Fernandez, Anne Marivin, Beatrice Dalle, Chloe Coulloud, Dominique Frot. French filmmakers Alexandre Bustillo & Julien Maury create a knife-edge old-school horror film that echoes Carpenter's HALLOWEEN & early Cronenberg with a touch of Craven about a trio of tweens who on the last day of school come across an abandoned film studio open lot that has more in store for what they bargain for: namely a deformed, deranged murderous young man and his equally homicidal brute father who, once discovered of their existence, enact a vengeance of payback. Graphically violent and peppered with intense suspense and outrageous kills. Nifty homage to contemporary classic horror.