A pleasant, slow-moving watch

Rating: 8/10 (8 March 2018)

This is really, as I just mentioned in the title to this review, a very pleasant, slow-moving watch. The lovely cinematography elevates what could otherwise have been another silly teen-horror-type affair into a fairly immersive experience. In fact, I regularly found myself pleasantly puzzled by the effort which had been put into creating such a visually engaging film, when it really wouldn't necessarily be expected of it, given the subject matter. But, naturally, it is this emphasis on slowness and cinematography which really crafts the whole experience.
I don't think it delves too far into the realm of spoilers to say that this is a 'nice' horror film. There is nothing emotionally wrenching. There is no torture porn... Nothing to make you particularly miserable. It just plods pleasantly along, not moving you too desperately as it goes... but in a good way. There are also no dumb jump scares. The nature of the villain is brooding, and that is how the film presents itself.
Now... While the film does a great job of being absorbing and just sucking you in with its long takes and gently spiralling panoramas, it is not without its cinematic faults. There were two points in the movie where completely unnecessary (and appallingly bad) CGI abruptly took me out of the moment and reminded me that I was actually watching an unbelievable horror film. The use of godawful CGI for these two shots absolutely baffles me. I imagine you'll spot the bits I'm talking about. It looks like freakin' Birdemic and is completely out of character with the rest of the film. Just bizarre. Still... this was only a few seconds out of the movie.
The cast seemed to me to do a fine job. No quibbles there.
This movie, told as it is, feels very much like an allegory. A metaphor for the hopelessness of being young and directionless in a consuming spiral of tedium and urban decay.
It's pretty great.