The Abandoned
An American woman searching for her birth parents learns she has inherited a house in the middle of a forest in a remote area of Russia. It is the house where she was born. Abandoned and uninhabited for 40 years, it stands in total disrepair and neglect. There she meets a mysterious man claiming to be her twin brother and together they find the house holds dangerous secrets to a past they don’t even remember. They are forced to relive a series of horrifying events and shocking murders that occurred just after they were born, and in the place where they were supposed to die.
Member Reviews
L'arnaque de l'année... - Gladiator
Ce film n'a aucune logique, il enchaîne les situations avec une incohérence déconcertante, rien ne trouve d'explication, on s'ennuie ferme pour finalement ne voir aucun rebondissement, et se sentir complètement roulé à la fin de "l'histoire". Un suspens artificiel qui lasse bien vite, de l'action inexistante, et des effets de surprise et d'épouvante minables et par conséquent inefficaces pour créer le moindre petit sursaut ou ne serait-ce un petit regain d'intérêt. On s'accroche jusqu'au bout mais rien, on veut y croire, et là le générique apparait, la lumière s'allume et on se dit que ce film était une bien mauvaise blague.Genuinely Creepy - agent_aardvark
I would give this movie 3.5 stars... Its a very original story, featuring some good creepy moments. Some may find the story hard to follow at times, but is still spooky to watch. Even when you don't know whats going on, there's enough happening to make you want to find out. The actors are great and it's nice to see characters of an age that is rarely seen in a hollywood movie. (over 25 and under 65)DO click the rent button! - OvarianEYEball
This is the long-awaited- in some circles at least- feature-length directorial debut of Spaniard Nacho Cerda, whose short films, the scathing Aftermath and the eerily beautiful Genesis, gained him a film-festival following.
Raising the expectations even higher is the fact that Cerda shares writing credits with Canada's own enfant terrible Karim Hussein (Subconscious Cruelty) and Richard Stanley (Dust Devil, Hardware). And setting the bar yet higher, the fact that Cerda is working in one of the most oversaturated subgenres of horror- haunted house/ghosty story. How does The Abandoned stack up 'gainst such expectation and adversity? Pretty well.
What we have is a very atmospheric, downbeat, and adult take on revenants here. The plotting feels classical, but not derivative- the doppelganger motif is proven to be far from bankrupt. Its refreshing to see a horror film NOT peopled by blank-slate young blonde teenagers- our protagonists are 30somethings with troubles and regrets. The built sets and location-shooting in Bulgaria are skillfully maximized for creepy effect- like the Overlook Hotel, the old farm house here is a foreboding character here in its own right. To be sure, there are a few 'off' moments, but overall the Abandoned is very effective spookiness, with some truly gruesome scenes meshed into its oppressive fabric. Everything builts to an interesting, existential voice-over denouement that crystallizes grim themes you will never find in a Hollywood film.
To say the film 'makes no sense' is a bit harsh. This is a horror film that may stretch rational logic- but it does so to pursue an entirely different logic- the disruptive, associative logic of dreams, of nightmares. That can be a strength in horror, not a failing. If a filmmaker can successful create a waking nightmare, well, anything can happen.
Overall, a brooding, at times brutal, exercise in atmosphere. Turn those lights down low, watch it alone.
Member Reviews
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L'arnaque de l'année... - Gladiator
Ce film n'a aucune logique, il enchaîne les situations avec une incohérence déconcertante, rien ne trouve d'explication, on s'ennuie ferme pour finalement ne voir aucun rebondissement, et se sentir complètement roulé à la fin de "l'histoire". Un suspens artificiel ...Genuinely Creepy - agent_aardvark
I would give this movie 3.5 stars... Its a very original story, featuring some good creepy moments. Some may find the story hard to follow at times, but is still spooky to watch. Even when you don't know whats going on, there's enough happening to make you ...DO click the rent button! - OvarianEYEball
This is the long-awaited- in some circles at least- feature-length directorial debut of Spaniard Nacho Cerda, whose short films, the scathing Aftermath and the eerily beautiful Genesis, gained him a film-festival following.
Raising the expectations even ...