Aftershock

Plot synopsis:
Three travelers, Gringo, Ariel, and Pollo travel through Chile. They party in a club and meet three young women, sisters Monica and Kylie, and their Russian friend Irina. The two groups pair up and decide to travel down to Valparaiso together. They party at another club in Valparaiso when an earthquake strikes, killing many of the partygoers and trapping some under debris. Ariel's hand is cut off as he tries to help a trapped bartender. The group tries to get out but their exit is blocked by more falling debris. The cleaning lady of the club leads them through a tunnel to a nearby manhole. As they proceed to climb out, a passing truck hits the old lady and kills her. Once out on the street, the group tries to get to their car but find it destroyed. Ariel's condition continues to get worse due to blood loss and the group decides that they need to get him to the hospital on top of the hill as soon as possible. Suddenly, a tsunami warning is heard and they all rush to the cart going up the hill. After some negotiation, they are able to get Ariel on the cart with other people in line. The group watches the cart reach the top of the hill when an aftershock suddenly occurs, causing the cart to fall all the way back down, destroying the cable and killing everyone inside.
After mourning the death of their friend, the group heads toward the cemetery, trying to reach the cathedral at the top of the hill through a previously mentioned hidden tunnel. The group comes upon a looting party on the street which turns out to be escaped prisoners from a nearby prison that was damaged during the earthquake. They try to run past but the women of the group attract some attention. While running away, part of a building falls on top of Gringo and pins him in place, still alive and conscious. Monica and Pollo leave to get help while Irina and Kylie stay with Gringo. While they are seeking help, Monica and Pollo come across an out-of-control firetruck. The truck crashes and one of the firefighters in the cab is run through by wooden beams while the other one is trapped. Pollo and Monica get the living firefighter out, who explains that some prisoners were trying to take over the firetruck, which was why it went out of control. Meanwhile, as Irina is trying to comfort the seriously injured Gringo, Kylie hears the prisoners approaching. Gringo tells Kylie and Irina to hide, reasoning that they would only take his money. The women hide in the tombs while the prisoners threaten Gringo. They pour alcohol on him, threatening to light him up if he doesn't tell them where the women were. Frightened, Gringo motions toward their hiding place with his eyes. Irina crawls out of her hiding place and tries to run away. She is quickly captured by the prisoners. The leader of the prisoners rapes Irina while the rest of the gang sit around telling jokes. Gringo throws a rock at the leader, trying to stop him from continuing raping Irina. The leader, enraged, lights him up and burns Gringo alive, killing him. Kylie, hearing all the chaos outside decides to run. The group goes after her, but the leader's brother stays behind to continue raping Irina. Kylie is able to run away, bumping into Monica and the others. They go back for Irina and Pollo axes the leader's brother to death. Just as the group is about to run, the prisoners return, the leader seeing the dead body of his brother and fires at them, killing Irina. The rest of the group manages to escape and comes across a gated building with other survivors who live there. A single mother does not want to let them through but her neighbor wants to open the gate. As Pollo begs, the woman shoots him in the chest injuring him. The others help carry him away but decided to hide him so they can go get help. Pollo's phone suddenly rings and one of the prisoners hears it and finds him. They kill him and continue to go after the others. The group finally arrives at the cathedral where they are saved by a priest who shuts the door just in time. As another aftershock hits, the Cathedral begins to fall apart. The priest leads them to a secret passage inside the cathedral. As the group descends a ladder through the secret passage, another aftershock shakes the ladder off. The priest falls off in the process to his death, and Kylie falls on top of a metal object that pierces her thigh. Monica, meanwhile, is stranded at the top alone as she was the last to go down the ladder. The firefighter attempts to help Kylie by removing the object and takes off his own coat to try to stop the bleeding. Taking off his coat reveals the prison tattoos on his arms and shoulders. He turns out to be one of the escaped prisoners who was taking over the fire truck, Kylie panics and promises that she won't tell anyone.
Monica is able to find some ropes and goes down the ladder shaft to an empty landing. She finds Kylie's body in one of the tunnels. The fake firefighter/prisoner then tries to kill her but an aftershock occurs and Monica is able to kill him with the axe instead. Monica finally manages to escape through the tunnel and onto a beach. She walks around the beach, bewildered that she was able to escape to safety at last. As she turns around, she sees a tsunami rushing toward her.

Tags: revenge, suspenseful, murder, violence

Review:
Just bad, unoriginal, characters you have little reason to care about, in search of shocks the film continually seeks for escalations but most of them, right down to the ending are predictable.
The acting and dialogue weren't altogether bad but I'm really not sure whether in the end this was a bad comedy or a truly awful disaster movie.You have to hope that in the end Eli Roth is not funded to make any more rubbish films - ironic to think some really good film makers get funding cut off at the knees for being un-commercial but this sort of junk gets made.
After an earthquake they have to find their way out from an underground nightclub only to find the city in chaos with cons roaming the streets.The opening is way too long and does not indicate at all what genre it belongs to, nor does it hint that the characters will face off against criminals in the last third of the Movie, major plot flaws if you ask me.
Everything here is just so trite and so plain, so cliché and laughable, downright vulgar and derivative, at the best, i finally came to the conclusion that maybe I should truly stick to some of those low budget's B or even C grade Horror flicks, that, at least, most times, are way more interesting to watch than anything like this mess, since those indie Horror's dare more, they push the limits, and, they truly get controversial!
But, this semi costly crap, all telephoned as it is, and, on top, even so fake as it feels, to the limits of ridiculous, ends to become only another annoying failure to entertain, at its very best, and, it never even gets real scary or chilling, nor sexy, and, truly, never visionary, or, at least something a little interesting to watch at any possible level..
If, instead he was to go back to watch those classic Euro Horrors from the Golden era, he says inspired him so much, then, who knows, perhaps, and, with a little effort, he could go back on shooting some new film, and, finally make something daring, provocative and thoroughly scary, and, with some tension, like his first Cabin Fever was...
First thing is I love disaster movies even ones which have been slated I have enjoyed but this just doesn't work on any level, first thing is nothing happens for over 30mins I suppose they were trying to get you attached to the characters or use shock when things kick off which works incredibly well with an epic film like the perfect storm you really do end up completely engrossed, but with this its an epic failure I just ended up thinking what I'm supposed to feel for these drunks, these over privileged rich kids that act like selfish aggressive *****, I actually was hoping they were going to get taken out lol, mix this with terrible acting clichéd ideas, its all terrible, it earns 2 stars because underneath it there is a couple of nice ideas, but it just goes to prove you do need proper writing/direction and people who can act not just play drunk well, also what we are meant to feel sorry for the main dude because he has a kid.....
There is obviously a joke to be made about fecal matter and the title of this picture (which has probably happened a million times) but after watching Aftershock...a total disaster "of a" movie, I don't feel like "piling" on.
Not so much the blood and guts kind of way (which was lacking) but important stuff, like major events that come out looking like something you'd see on SyFy.But even better (if you are looking for this sort of thing) the combined horrible writing/acting on display, actually kept my interest from start to finish, in a so bad it's good kinda way.
With a busy schedule and a short attention span, I have a hard time sitting down for a movie in one viewing but no lie (maybe I was in a really good mood at the time) I watched Aftershock the entire way through on the first try, with only a slight ache in my belly from laughing so hard.For those interested in what Aftershock was shot with (a C-300) and more importantly what the final outcome looked like, I'm pleased to say the outside daytime shots looked great and the low-light shots were more than passable.
Ignoring the fact that there is a lens being used that is probably more expensive than the camera it is attached to, this should inspire a lot of future filmmakers to go out there and make their own movies without the constraint of needing expensive cameras looming over them.PROS -One or two good twists relating to how one might act during a crisis -Killer untouched locations straight from the actual quake -Shot on a camera cheaper than most cars but doesn't look like it -Eli Roth's over acting is fun to laugh at.CONS -Virtually no gore in a movie promising gore!
A rubber appendage from the dollar store bouncing around the screen for 5 minutes does not a Fulci film it make.FINAL SCORE I was all set to give it 1/10 for being a technically well shot movie but still horrible, then a 2/10 for making me laugh when I wasn't expecting to but as the final scene approached, I told myself, if the film makers went in the direction where I hoped they were going to go, I'd bump it up another point.
Pretty good special effects, bad acting at times...but, what movie doesn't have all that, anyway?Give it a shot...there's some gore, there's some cursing, there's a lot of violence.
When they see the women on the streets, they hunt them down along the nightmarish night."Aftershock" is a lame American-Chilean horror movie with a terrible story that is a nightmare for the viewers and shallow characters.
Aftershock (2012) * (out of 4) Set in Santiago, Chile, a group of people are traveling around partying and having a good time but that all changes when an earthquake rips the city apart.
EARTHQUAKE meets THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT is pretty much the only way to describe this awful movie that starts off bad and just gets worse as it goes along.
Reminiscent of the character build up that came with Eli Roth's own Hostel director Nicolás López delivers a hard hitting freely traditionally shot (no found footage here) well executed, gritty disaster film which successfully shocks with its unnerving set ups and exceptional special effects.
While not a horror in the traditional sense with graphic amputations, rape, drugs, a human torch, shooting and murders to name a few, granted it will make the regular viewer wince but it's well written and sharply directed by López - forget the endless copycat films of the same sub-genre if you rated Hostel and part 2 this sleeper isn't one to miss..
I understand Eli Roth had something to do with the film and people say he was responsible for most of the gore, but wait a minute, the gore and tragedy are nowhere near this fluffy and nice in real life.
and don't skip ahead like some people suggest, the movie builds up and connects you to all the characters in just enough time that right when you say: okay enough partying, things are going well, I get it - bam!
I think I'm going to have to make peace with the fact that Roth will not be making quality horror films like Hostel or even Cabin Fever anymore.
The film immediately opens with scenes of three men, Gringo(Roth)the practical guy, Pollo(Nicolás Martínez)the laid back ladies man and Pollo's lifelong friend Ariel(Ariel Levy)the nervous type who is preoccupied with reconnecting with his ex-girlfriend, all vacationing in beautiful Chile, having a blast club hopping while looking for some beautiful women to spend the night with.
Cutting to the plot-line itself, I found it refreshing that unlike many other lower-budget and less-known disaster movies, the viewer is given time to settle into the scene and characters before all hell breaks loose.
Though somehow this felt different perhaps it was the anticipation, the fact that I (foolishly) avoided reviews and put my faith in Eli Roth, the sick yet somehow unmistakable visionary behind the glorious Cabin Fever (2002) and Hostel (2005) and refused to foresee anything other than a blood-drenched, high octane original thrill ride that would stand as one of the guilty pleasures of the year.Ladies and Gentlemen, I can inform you with much certainty that there are no pleasures at all to be gained here, and that Nicolas Lopez' grand, thorough failure is one of the worst movies ever made.Is it the acting?
I understand that as a producer he needs to promote his project, but to recommend Aftershock is to recommend creating a latch in your head and pouring your brain cells down the sink.As a film fan, I just want to feel a connection to the material displayed before me, whether it be through fear, grief, joy or humor; movies have a magical ability to transport us places and show/teach us things that stick close to our hearts and heads, as well as entertain us like no other art-form in the process.
I went into this expecting a lower budget film about a group of party goers including Eli Roth, who get trapped inside a nightclub when a massive earthquake hits Chile.
The scope of the movie shows much of "The Real" Chile as the character played by the director Nicolas Lopez tells his American friend simply called "Gringo" played by Roth.
It takes a bit of run time before the earthquake happens, but not too long and then the action does not stop.In the DVD making of the director said he got the idea for this movie because he survived a tragedy like this that struck Chile in 2010.
(How did they build a hospital with only cable car access?) By this point you won't need reminding this is an Eli Roth horror movie, for better or worse, and you know it's going to be brutal.
If you've ever seen an Eli Roth movie, you know what to expect, which essentially is that it's kind of cheap, lots of blood, lots of gore and a few awkward laughs thrown in here and there on a modest film budget.
But I do want to express that I feel this was an absolutely brilliant movie by a wonderful and talented newcomer, Nicolas Lopez, with the collaboration of established master Eli Roth.We'd all like to think (or hope) that everybody will be philanthropic and kind in the face of disaster, but this film shows us the frightening reality of human nature.
But after forty minutes of needless setup, scene after scene of sequences which mimic those outrageously low budget SyFy Channel movies shown at two in the morning, and the fact that my suspicions of this films watchability were already high considering it was only produced (not directed) by Roth, it soon became clear that "Aftershock" was built on a foundation which literally fell apart at the seams.Synopsis: A group of "young people" who seek an adventure (lead by non-actor Eli Roth himself) attempt to find it in a country outside of the United States.
So, after said phenomenon occurs, the movie doesn't seem to know what to do with itself, as if Roth and friends hadn't come prepared with any other plot development which could sustain a feature length film.
So, aside from a few smirk inducing social network jokes, an extremely short back and forth between Roth and one Selena Gomez and some minor suspenseful situations in the final 30 minutes, "Aftershock" is a generic and somewhat boring horror endeavor.Final Thought: The ending is actually the best part of this movie, and I'm not even being sarcastic.
oops I guess there goes keeping this short.Anyways, I just watched it this morning so while it's fresh in my mind, is this movie any good?If you like horror, action and/or adventure (along the line of Jaws, though this is no Jaws) you might enjoy this.
Add in a couple of "didn't see that coming" plot twists, a fun ending and you may start moving towards the edge of your seat but, I don't think you'll make it all the way there.Bottom line, it's not a particularly moving piece of cinema but,if you got an hour and a half to kill and you're not paying for it (like me I caught it on cable) It's still better than a lot of the other crap I've seen lately on TV so it's coming in at a solid, watchable but not earth-shaking 6.
It's certainly an original film and makes some intriguing points sadly it's bogged down by the amateurness of the production overall and a controlling need to try and make the proceedings entertaining which they never are.So if you've seen taht nifty red band trailer that looks utterly ridiculous and like a lot of fun you're in for a much different experience indeed for better and worse.
Anyone can meet their untimely end when you least expect it, just like a real life disaster.This may sound like an intense and nihilistic experience, but beneath the surface, the film sticks to the usual horror movie rules and holds back too much to be a truly effective shocker.
A bunch of tourists are in Chile to party, but when an earthquake hits the city, they need to fight for survival, not only against the natural disaster, but also against criminals who seized the opportunity to escape from prison.I would have rated 'Aftershock' higher than 6 of 10 if it wasn't for the boring first 30 minutes.
Probably should have avoided it for the persistent Eli Roth involvement, but considering this is meant to be a disaster type movie, it was grotesquely over the top in terms of pointless gore and death, above and beyond what would be realistically expected in an earthquake.i'm not even someone who gets sick or repulsed by gore in movies but much like fudgy chocolate cake, if you eat fifty pounds of it in one sitting, you'll never want it again and you'll wish everything around you was dead.this film takes a tediously long period of time to actually get to its core concept, spending way too long to build up a group of barely likeable characters cruising around Chilean nightlife looking for parties and women.
'AFTERSHOCK': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five) Horror master Eli Roth co-wrote, co-produced and co-stars in this disaster/horror film about six tourists trying to survive the aftermath of an earthquake that hits an underground nightclub in Chile.
The movie feels like a slasher version of your typical disaster flick with the earthquake and societal chaos being the movie's main villain.The film revolves around six travelers in Chile (Roth, Andrea Osvart, Nicolas Martinez, Ariel Levy, Lorenza Izzo and Natasha Yarovenko) partying at an underground nightclub in Chile when an earthquake hits.
The two groups spend the next day together and go to an underground party when an earthquake hits.This is Eli Roth and his two douchey friends with 3 hot girls in a troubled South American country.
Writer Eli Roth bags a big role as a geeky father figure who spends his time trying to score with various women, although Nicholas Martinez's comic Pollo is the film's most likable character.
Aftershock is written and directed by Nicolás López (Eli Roth takes a co-writing credit) who uses true stories of the real 8.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Chile in 2010 as the basis for his survival film, and filmed it in a lot of the same locations where the actual earthquake hit.
Although the story and characters become a bit predictable, with a couple of plot holes here and there, it still is an entertaining film to watch and more so if you enjoy Roth's work..
Working with co-writers Nicolàs López and Guillermo Amoedo, this kind of approach makes the film function but not entirely, seeing as this is the kind of story that could've greatly benefited from scenes of true terror and fright.Good horror/disaster movies have unfortunately become novelties, but because of its lower budget, Aftershock possesses a kind sincerity and intimacy in its material that allows itself to be rewarded with recognition.
More stupid people in ridiculous situations, more women treated like pieces of meat on the male hormone market and more stupid decisions that lead to dumber consequences.The only thing decent about this film was the fact that Eli Roth allows himself to be killed off.That's not normally something you see...lead actors biting the dirt.As for the rest of the cast...good riddance.
Aftershock is written and directed by Nicolás López (Eli Roth takes a  co-writing credit) who uses true stories of the real 8.8 magnitude  earthquake that hit Chile in 2010 as the basis for his survival film.
The build-up to the disaster takes forever though, and we spend half of the film meeting the characters before the earthquake.
Not the worst horror movie I've rented recently, but with Eli Roth involved, one would expect better..
Oh, by the way, Eli Roth "acts" in this movie, and his character suffers a particularly extended and gruesome fate.
I'll leave it there since I don't want to spoil the ending.Although the story and characters become a bit predictable, with a couple of plot holes here and there (I really didn't understand the fireman characters intentions), it still is an entertaining film to watch and more so if you enjoy Roth's work..
There is some pretty brutal violence and unpredictable deaths, but there's not nearly as much carnage as you might expect, or hope for, from a movie with Eli Roth's involvement.I was generally entertained by Aftershock, but it didn't blow me away and, like so many modern flicks, it just feels kind of disposable.
You know that is true before you ever start watching am Eli Roth film.