Alicia I love this movie so much

KnotMissPriceless Why so much hype?

Inclubabu Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

ChicDragon It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

screener101 I can remember a time when movies really took the trouble to build a relationship between the characters and the audience. This movie certainly does that. It carefully allows us to know and care for the Pastor and his family. Then, when they are placed into great danger, we have an emotional investment that adds to the thrill factor. Every performance is right on. The family seems real and the cult members are cold and dangerous. It's like being drawn into a world filled with light and shadow, each element fighting to rule the screen. I love film noir, and this movie reminds me of why I do. The tone and structure of the film are carefully drawn, and the result is a movie to enjoy and remember long after it's over. Kudos to everyone in front of and behind the camera. A great time at the movies.

bam0625 I went to Wake Before I Die with very high hopes. There are very few Portland films that acquire a budget, so I was curious to see how this feature turned out. Sadly the whole experience was a major let down. For a film with a budget, it looks very cheap. No attention to lighting, simple camera set ups, mediocre editing. Luckily there were several solid performances turned in by Prosser, McKeehen and a few others. My main problem with Wake was how dull it was. Portland seems to have an obsession with slow dramatic pieces. Dramas can be dramatic and still entertaining. This was not. Entertainment value seems to be something lost on the film world of Portland. Pieces like the clever Forge, the entertaining One Foot in the Gutter or the impressive feat James vs Reality sit on the sidelines while budgets are handed out to films like this one which have no mass appeal beyond the local film crowd.

mooncountry I really enjoyed the movie which contained some mystery about who was good and who was evil. There were a religious and cult elements that made the movie both interesting and creepy. In the end you are left with the sense that while there are some good church people out there...there are way more evil ones. There is definitely an undertone that there are just people out there that don't have a clue about what is actually good and what isn't and they are easily swayed by those who believe strongly one way or another. The idea that there are people willing to kill for what they believe - not defending what they believe but that advancing their agenda gives them license to kill - holds true in today's world which makes the movie relevant in that sense. The characters in the movie who are faced with that element struggle to find the line where they should stand. Mostly though, the movie is just about really creepy bad guys trying to take over a small town and the good guys trying not to die and give up.

MIDMIN2000@aol.com Modern and yet reminiscent of a Val Lewton thriller, this depiction of the age old battle between light and shadow, good and evil, hits the bull's eye through crisp narrative and cinematic style. Every performances is "spot on" perfect from the true to life depiction of family life in a church parsonage to the brooding underbelly of a cult gone mad. It takes its time, introducing the characters, endearing them to the audience before they are thrown into the midst of potential harm. The effect is spellbinding, drawing the viewers into a dreamlike world where almost anything can happen and sometimes does. Dig deep into the popcorn, take an extra long drag from the soda cup, and get ready for an entertaining experience amongst dancing cinematic shadows with this one! IT SHOULD BE NOTED that I originally wrote this review following the Cast & Crew showing last year. I must admit, since I've seen the completed film, I find it to be even more pleasing. Of course I am the Father of the filmmakers. But, I'm a Dad who has a rich history in all things cinema, and after 65 years I certainly know a good movie when I see it. No matter who made it.