Exhilarating terror.

Rating: 9/10 (19 January 2008)

We were pretty early for the film and I was worried there wouldn't be a crowd. Yes, I wanted a crowd. This fear was unwarranted because just before the previews started the place filled up. Mostly adults. Think about that for a moment. Adults, filling a theater at two in the afternoon on a weekday. My friend Jason and I were a little nervous that the film might suck and we'd look silly for being so excited about it for as long as we have been. One person who was leaving the theater after an earlier showing said 'It sucked'. We didn't believe them. The previews were ones I've already seen before except for one. It's was a teaser for the next J.J. Abrahms film and the audience was all atwitter about it. I won't tell you what that film is going to be but it'll be huge.
The film opens and it's immediately apparent that it will perfect. The first twenty minutes is basically set up. Talking, no action. Even this part was great. The humor and camera work was done well. Jason turned to me and said 'How could this film not be great? This is awesome!'
The drama reaches an apex and then things go wrong. Very wrong. I get the added anxiety because New York is still vivid in my mind and I love that city. Seeing the city empty in 'I Am Legend' was fascinating. Watching this city get destroyed was also fascinating, but also brought back memories of 9/11. The destruction is massive and believable.
You, the reader have questions. You want to know what the 'thing' is. You want to know what the film is actually about. Trust me, you don't want to know. Just let it unfold. Pretend it's you in the situation, imagine yourself as one of the characters and what you would do. I found everyone's reactions reasonable and logical. The terror one would experience during such an ordeal makes for strange decisions. I found my reactions occasionally divergent with the people on screen but it turns out my reactions would have gotten me killed simply because I didn't have enough information about the situation. On the ground, you don't really know how bad it is. The situation is beyond bad. Beyond dire. Escape? Wait it out? Hide? Good luck.
Jason and I have similar tastes in films and I can't tell you how many times we said 'What!?' in unison or swore in disbelief. I jumped many times, my hands clenched, pulse racing. At one point Jen screamed. We all did. My hand actually went out towards the screen in self defense. It didn't work. A moment expected yet totally unexpected. There were many moments of shock and they were earned, not cheap. A quiet terror builds inside, a numbness. 'This can't be happening.' One minute you feel hope, the next despair. You keep begging them to run. Run faster actually.
You'll be hard pressed to stop watching and I don't recommend you leave the theater for more popcorn or to go pee. You'll definitely miss something. Don't take your eyes of the screen at the end. Yes, you'll know when the film is ending because it's almost perfect. You should sit through the credits as well. The film leaves you wanting more and you'll have many questions. During the credits Jason remarked that he'd never seen so many people still seated and talking with each other after a film. He was right. People were in no hurry to leave.
Jen and I talked about it and we're going to go see it again tomorrow in Federal Way. Yes, it's that good.