This was a movie that I thoroughly enjoyed, and it’s also a movie that made me super sad, because from it I learned that sometimes it’s not about who comes up with an idea first or at all; it’s more about who can get it out there the fastest.  This is something I think all creative writers run into at some point, and let me tell you, it can be a very disappointing experience.  The plot of this movie is very similar to a piece I had been working on since middle school, and I never had the nerve to publish because I thought I was too young at the time (forget the fact that Christopher Paolini published Eragon at 15; I just thought he was one of those exceptions to the rule), not to mention I was waiting for the “perfect conditions” before my grand reveal.  Needless to say, as much as I enjoyed the film, it was also pretty depressing to find out that I would no longer be able to publish that story unless I made drastic changes, lest I face shaking fingers accusing me of plagiarism.

Anyway, I realize I’m starting to veer off course here, so let me get back on track with my thoughts on this movie.

I remember the day I went to go see this quite clearly.  I went probably about a week or two after the movie had first come out, and I was just looking to kill some time.  I had pretty much seen all that there was to see, however, so my only options were to either take a chance on one of the movies on the board I had never heard of before, or to just walk a few blocks from the theater and hit the bookstore.  I probably would have gone for the bookstore option, had it not been for a conversation I overheard an elderly couple have who were in line before me.  One told the other that they had heard it was a good movie, so I decided to take a chance on it as well, despite the fact that for some reason the title seemed to give me the vibe that it could be from the horror genre.  I figured the worst case scenario would be I would just walk out of the theater with a $6 loss.  I’d live.

I enjoyed it immensely, and it is definitely currently one of my most favored.  It was visually stunning in the theater, and I also think the casting was very well done in this film.  Of course, if you really want to nit pick at it you’ll find plenty of loopholes, but honestly what film doesn’t have those?  There’s also the argument that the ending is cheap and gimmicky, but I personally didn’t mind it at all.

The replay value on this one is debatable.  If you watch it and end up enjoying it as much as I did, this will probably end up on your DVD shelf, as it did mine.  However, I can also see this viewed by others as good for a one-time viewing only, as once you figure out the ending, there’s really no reason to go back and watch it again aside from trying to find the “clues” that you missed the first time.

FINAL VERDICT: A-

Not without its imperfections, but I thought this was a solid effort.  Also, I think this movie really kicked a few acting careers into high-gear, or at the very least, revived them.  Anyway, I’m sure most everyone has seen this movie at this point.  If you haven’t, I highly recommend it.