Keep off the grass!

Rating: 3/10 (15 May 2009)

Well I just watched this film and actually felt COMPELLED to come on here and write something about it... that alone should tell you something!
Other reviews I have read on here seem to suggest that the fault lies almost solely with Mark Wahlberg being miscast for the role - well to be perfectly frank, thats the least of the problems affecting this film! Whilst I do agree that seeing an actor who usually plays the role of:
'tough guy just trying to get along in the world. But he is up against it, thrown in an impossible situation and the only way out is obviously a gun and more bullets than anyone would feasibly carry'
Instead playing a role of :
'school science teacher trying to make his marriage work. But he is up against it, thrown into an impossible and implausible situation and the only way out is to be overly emotional armed with nothing but a 'mood ring'' IS a little hard to accept! - However, his acting remains easily the strongest in the movie - that should tell you something as well!
The main fault instead lies with a frankly bizarre premise, a truly awful script (and I mean BAD), poor actors and utterly clueless direction. That pretty much sums it up to be fair but I will elaborate further just in case you still aren't convinced!
Now I love 'end of the world' movies. The hopelessness of everything, is in my view, a fascinating scenario where character development is fundamental and the twists and turns of a good plot within such a desperate concept leave you feeling truly haunted. Constantly quizzing yourself on what YOU would have done, how YOU would try to survive etc so I was keen to see this film despite the poor reviews centred on the miscast Wahlberg.
However, this premise may have been a step too far...
The premise that the plants are releasing a neuro-toxin that affects humans, and only humans, as a defence mechanism is OK. Somewhat unusual, but hey, thats no bad thing. The trouble comes when the film actually goes on to convey the theory that the plants are 'working together' in a coordinated manner. They are communicating with each other kind of similar to that shown in 'The Birds' but nowhere near as effectively. The camera pans from a tree blowing in the breeze to the bush next to it doing the same and now the grass is doing..... OH MY GOD...... NOOOOOOOOOO! Pathetic.
So the plants are now hunting down humanity starting in large population centres and working there way down to the last few groups of stragglers, due to the damage we have done to the planet is quite far fetched to say the least. Add into the mix that the neuro-toxin released doesn't actually kill you but instead causes people to simply freeze for a few seconds before then finding the nearest method of committing suicide - and we have a frankly ridiculous film. Obviously done solely for shock value to include some attempted 'horrible' self inflicted death scenes.
Its a real shame - had the script been better and the actors been better cast it would have been better. Had the plot being changed to an unknown enemy, no reason given at all it would have been better still.
As it stands - the trees and the bushes are out to get you - they are gonna make you kill yourself with a lawnmower - here have you seen my 'mood ring'? Its awful.
I gave it 3 stars - I did watch it all so it passed the time I suppose.