The thread on Skinamarink mentioned another movie called Antrum, so I gave it a watch. Anyone else seen it? If you haven't, I would give it a 7/10. Interesting concept, good acting, and a legitimately creepy atmosphere, but it didn't quite deliver at the level I was hoping it would. Still, if you want a supernatural horror film that delivers some moments that will make you uneasy, you could do a lot worse.

[SPOILERS]

Ok, if you've seen it, here's a little more detailed review. Overall I enjoyed Antrum well enough. The setup fake documentary portion was a little bit overdone, but was necessary to set up the central conceit of the movie. The actual "film" itself started out well, and the horror elements built well all the way up to the climactic scene with the cannibals, but then after that it just kind of... ended - and just when I thought it was starting to get really interesting, too. I never got the feeling I was watching a truly cursed movie. The ending bit with the demonological symbols was a nice touch, and I get that they wanted you to leave the movie feeling like maybe you had inadvertently summoned an actual demon just from watching it, but... I don't know. It didn't deliver on the premise quite as well as I felt like it could have.

What's everyone else's thoughts?

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Posted by SlowFlowPro

With populists, expect populism

Member since Jan 2004

473647 posts

Posted on 1/18/23 at 12:53 pm to TheTideMustRoll

quote:
The setup fake documentary portion was a little bit overdone, but was necessary to set up the central conceit of the movie.

Honestly I thought they could have done it without this. This was just a sales pitch that got it buzz online

I did a thread (unsuccessfully) on it a few years ago

I gave it a 6.5/10 and my review was a lot more praising of it than your's. I guess I'm a harsh critic

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Posted by TheTideMustRoll

Birmingham, AL

Member since Dec 2009

10603 posts

Posted on 1/18/23 at 12:58 pm to SlowFlowPro

I saw that with the cross that turned upside-down for one shot too. I didn't rewind it to check myself but I would be shocked if that was just my mind playing tricks on me because it stood out so much.

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Posted by shutterspeed

MS Gulf Coast

Member since May 2007

72035 posts

Posted on 1/18/23 at 4:05 pm to TheTideMustRoll

Obviously, I plan to give it a watch. Will report back.

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Posted by SlowFlowPro

With populists, expect populism

Member since Jan 2004

473647 posts

Posted on 1/18/23 at 6:34 pm to shutterspeed

On a side note, I bought this on blu ray at Dollar Tree last year

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Posted by shutterspeed

MS Gulf Coast

Member since May 2007

72035 posts

Posted on 1/22/23 at 12:45 am to SlowFlowPro

Finally was able to catch this tonight. Have to say that I was pretty disappointed. I don't have an issue with the documentary aspect of the film. The main problem is that the central Antrum movie just doesn't deliver. Aside from utilzing a faux-35mm film format, the movie isn't successful in conveying any sense of evil or dread. There are movies, such as Last House on Dead End Street, that are more convincing at creating the forbidden film feel.

Since Antrum was compared to Skinamarink, I'll just say that there really isn't any comparison here. Antrum has more in common with found footage, snuff film, and grindhouse films. Skinamarink is experimental horror. Whereas Antum's 35mm film look was part of its central conceit, Skinamarink uses the analog format as a creepy, disorienting aesthetic choice. Antrum also has much more of a narrative thrust, which Skinamarink doesn't rely on at all. There really is nothing else like Skinamarink out there that I can recall.

This post was edited on 1/22/23 at 12:48 am

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