I love me a slow, dull movie where the characters are more concerned with just standing around talking about things rather than having big action sequences. No I'm being completely serious, I love my sci-fi long and drawn out with a haunting indie score. Just look at Solaris or Stalker. Not a movie meant for your average movie-goer thoughThe Phoenix Project is a modern day homage to Frankenstein and one that would make Mary Shelley proud. It's exactly what I needed to in a low budget sci-fi and one that will leave you feeling a little hollow but encapsulated by its bleakness.When four scientists move into a home to begin a project of raising the dead via their ingenious machine, tensions flare as the project becomes more about personal ambitions, career obsessions and underlying motivations rather than simply breathing new life into a dead mouse. Directed by Tyler Pavey, this film as previously mentioned isn't flashy. You'll get no scenes akin to Dr. Frankenstein screaming 'IT'S ALIVE! IT'S ALIVE! MY GOD IT'S ALIVEEEEEEEEEE!'. You'll get no monster terrorizing the countryside.You'll get four dudes doing science in a garage and you'll like it consarnit!This movie is concerned with the relationships between the scientists as they deal with the frustrations of scientific advancement, the tensions associated with limited grant money and getting their tests exactly right, and most importantly the flair of temperaments from living in such close proximity to each other throughout the project.I believe the alternative title is something like 'Technology with unexpected consequences' and that's basically the best way to summarize the film. It's a film that questions morality in scientific advancement and reveals the unintended ramifications of trying to blaze new trails.Decently acted, the four main characters show extreme levels of chemistry on screen as the story waxes and wanes through collusion, comradery, and eventually collapse. The story is character development at its finest as we see a spectrum of emotions from all four scientists as they each have to confront their personal demons and are pushed to the brink in order to achieve immortality both in terms of their scientific contributions and more literally with the success of their reanimation project.If you like minimalist science fiction you'll love this film. If you adored the story of Frankenstein for reasons other than the monster you'll love this film. It's a character driven plot with masterful levels of human drama and it all takes place in a 2,500 sqft home. I encourage you to watch the credits in their entirety and just let that level of creepiness sink in if you still wish it were more like Frankenstein.Read the full review and others like it on the Drive-in Zeppelin Website
... View MoreOnly good thing about this movie is the soundtrack. It was so slow it felt like it was going backwards.The storyline really drags and it is frustrating to watch the dialogue try to be Oscar-worthy.I really do like the music.If only it wasn't so predictable.And so so very slow.And overly dramatic.And slow and boring.And too artistic.And boring. And whiney.Loved when it ended, because it actually ended and didn't go on for eternity which is what it felt like.
... View MoreThe most boring film you will ever see in your entire life. Stay away at all costs. If your idea of a great time at the movies is watching lab experiments on rodents for over an hour then by all means, buy a ticket...take the ride. The acting is sub-par, the writing is dreadful and nothing happens until the very end of the film. What kind of movie is that? I want my time back but alas, that time is gone. If you are someone who funds films, please do not ever give these filmmakers another dime. I really hated this film, it may even be in my top ten least favorite films of all time. It's pretentious, boring and lame in every possible way. Licking stamps and addressing envelopes is more fun than this film. You've been warned.
... View MoreThe other reviewers were bored with this, and you will be too, if you don't like the scientific method. I found the character development and motivations well done, unlike the other reviewers. The other reviewers obviously wanted something more exciting. I myself was riveted. Biological Science does use mice and rabbits, and hot girls and wacky entertaining scientists aren't usually involved, so if that is a motivator, don't watch it. I am not a science geek, but if you have a moderate attention span, and are moderately intelligent, you may like it, or think it was excellent like I did. I didn't give it ten, only because the ending was a little disappointing. The moral question part of the ending was great, but the characters reaction, as far as the success of the experiment was concerned, was a head scratcher. Remember that the success of an experiment is to get a positive result. Yes, there was tragedy. But the experiment wasn't about human issues.
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