Open Grave (2013) Review

Open Grave is a compete mystery. The whole way through this film I had my brain on override to figure what the hell was going on, normally in horror films especially I get what’s happening and I have a good guess how it will end. This though, no idea until it revealed what was happening at the end. So to summarise it’s a horror film with a lot suspense and clues so small/scattered that it will keep you guessing until the end. Really hard to review this without spoilers so preper for a lot of them. I’ll go into much more detail below but for now bookmark this if you are waiting to see the film, leave any comments below, and I will look forward to hearing everyone’s thoughts.

“I feel like I’ve done something I wasn’t proud of, that I might not have liked the man I was”

Plot:

A man (Sharlto Copley, DISTRICT 9, ELYSIUM) wakes up in a pit of dead bodies with no memory of who he is or how he got there. Fleeing the scene, he breaks into a nearby house and is met at gunpoint by a group of terrified strangers, all suffering from memory loss. Suspicion gives way to violence as the group starts to piece together clues about their identities, but when they uncover a threat that’s more vicious — and hungry — than each other, they are forced to figure out what brought them all together — before it’s too late.

Tim’s Film Reviews Recommended

Story: 70%     Acting: 65%     Characters: 70%     Dialogue: 65%

Horror/Suspense: 90%     Style/Sound: 70%     Visuals: 80%

Total: 72%

The story is complicated and messed up and mixed with plenty of flash backs and people with amnesia, it’s crazy but very interesting. Spoiler! The idea behind this film is that they are all friends and scientists trying to find a cure for a disease which turns people into something very much like zombies. The world is mostly lost but you never even for a second think that during the film because it is set in such a remote location.

The cast and characters are okay but nothing special, pretty generic but not bad. Playing amnesiaed isn’t all that hard, just look at every soap ever made. The “zombies” looked okay, crazy and weird nothing new but it worked for an indie project. Paranoia and trust play a big part in this and if you can try and imagine waking up somewhere with a group you didn’t know and it does have a very scary feel to it. Hard film to review so I am just leaving it there.

Trailer:

The best reviews I found would be these:

“I have a feeling that the first time you see the dead people tied up to trees you’re going to get an inkling of what’s happening here, but, if you don’t, don’t worry because they all start to get their memories back and the events leading up to the pit / house thing get revealed through flashbacks. There’s some pretty grisly stuff here and there and even a German but overall this is not disappointing at all. There’s a really cool scene involving a bunch of lumberjacks about 2/3rds through the movie.” Isaacs Picture Conclusions. Full Review

“Think of Open Grave as rope in knots. Each passing second the twists and turns of the narrative slowly unravel it until we finally have enough rope to climb out of the very same grave we started in. Gonzalo López-Gallego has crafted a brilliant indie film that will no doubt find a cozy, dark corner inside the horror genre. It starts out simply as an open grave, but where it’s headed is truly the most terrifying part of it all because as they say, no secret can stay buried.” Rhino’s Horror. Full Review

“The truth is, “Open Grave” exceeded my expectations, but that being said, they weren’t that high to begin with. The story is phenomenal and Copley is stunning as usual. They are let down by the choppiness and inexperience surrounding them and the final product radiates this inconsistency. But again, that being said, it’s better than a majority of the genre’s efforts, combine that with an enthralling story and Copley’s fine performance and it’s enough to make “Open Grave” recommended viewing…Seriously, the story is what makes this worth the watch alone.” The Cinema Monster. Full Review

Spoiler

My favourite scene would have to be the reveal; the best part about this film is how it bleeds clues but never gives away the why of it all. But at the end it does and it so interesting, the idea that it’s so much bigger than you think it could be is a testament to the director’s ability to lead you where he wants you to go.