User reviews

I stumbled upon this film knowing absolutely nothing about it, and I think that's exactly the right way - perhaps the only way - to approach this bleak, suspenseful tale. So I won't spoil anything for you and concentrate instead on my impressions from the film. Firstly: great production values; set and sound design can compete with anything you normally see in big Hollywood productions. Secondly: fantastic actors, and if you're into dark, disturbing films, great story. I don't understand how a gem like this - which was obviously very well made - could fly under the radar and miss a wide theatrical release; a film of this caliber and with such a great cast should be seen in the theater. The current rather low IMDb rating bugs me and I think it will go up as soon as more people have seen the film. I'd highly recommend this film to anyone who likes a well told gritty story - I rate it a solid 7 out of 10.

Favorite films: http://www.IMDb.com/list/mkjOKvqlSBs/

Lesser-known Masterpieces: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls070242495/

Fun B-flicks/low budget films: http://www.imdb.com/list/YV1Lxq7WLkU/

Favorite TV-Shows reviewed: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls075552387/

In an ideal world, movies would be made without the aim for a certain rating. This article sums up why this is so important:

www.the-fanboy-perspective.com/the-importance-of-the-r-rating.html

Film quality was average and the scenes set up well. The acting starts a bit rough and ends up a bit above mediocre. Story was somewhat original, but was not presented very well. There were many unnecessary plot points and interactions that made it a bit frustrating to watch, as they didn't provide any substantial information until the end. The plot points that were necessary were explain haphazardly and were convoluted. The setup and trailer makes this seem like a SAW movie, but its quite far from it.

It's a decent film, just don't go into it with any expectations. If you can help it, the least you know about it, the better as the trailer for example will give a bit too much away.

Gonzalo López-Gallego's (Apollo 18) latest offering, Open Grave, is a rare pleasure where the viewer doesn't quite know what's going on until fairly late in proceedings. As with 1997 'cult' classic Cube, we find ourselves in a similar position to the protagonists, who wake from unconsciousness with amnesia and something resembling a warzone outside, with trees and fences littered with fetid corpses and those still slowly expiring.

When a 'John Doe' (Sharlto Copley) regains consciousness to find himself in a large pit in the woods in the company of innumerable cadavers, it doesn't take a genius to work out that something very bad has happened and might just still be happening. When he finds a gun, his panic escalates; is he victim or murderer? A mute figure, Brown Eyes (Josie Ho), throws down a rope to help him escape and leads him to a shack in the woods where several other survivors/victims are discovering the situation for themselves. Suspicion and blame ensues as the group tries to establish their identities and just what the hell is going on...

There's a great deal to like about Open Grave, from the opening sequence in which a pair of unblinking eyes slowly fill with confusion, awareness and panic to give the impression that, like with Cormac McCarthy's The Road, we'll never know exactly what, why or where. There are nods in several directions (World War Z, 28 Days Later, Contagion), all of which keep us guessing as to whether we're in the presence of zombies, the aftermath of a government experiment or some new Captain Trips. López-Gallego doesn't allow us to know how far it stretches or how serious the situation. If the characters in the middle of it don't know what state their lives are in and how many breaths they still have, why should we? Would that more thrillers took this approach!

Like Apollo 18, Open Grave is likely to attract a limited audience of a certain demographic but for those who like their horror a little less obvious and with a hint of mystery, this should fill a Friday evening quite satisfactorily. There is a quantity of violence and gore as one would expect and it is sufficient to make it feel 'real' without pandering to the morons who only find pleasure in gratuitous blood spatter.

A lack of genuine scares steers Open Grave away from being an out and out horror but it does play on the nerves, keeping us on edge until we know what's going on. This feels like a low budget flick but López-Gallego handles it well, eking it out so that rather than allowing his film to feel empty, he emphasizes the isolation of the characters.

Copley recently complained that Hollywood doesn't know which box to place him in because he plays such a varied range of characters. I'm not sure I'd go along with his own assessment yet. Though his eight features to date, including this month's particularly dark Oldboy, have seen him play both solid support and quirky lead, I'm not sure there's sufficient chameleon-like qualities to have Ben Kingsley worried for the time being. Nevertheless, Copley remains a very watchable actor and as the John Doe in one hell of a tight spot, he keeps us both guessing and attentive throughout.

Open Grave isn't going to scare you witless like Insidious or have you avoiding the trees like The Cabin in the Woods, but if you're looking for a mild thriller that doesn't lay everything out before you in the first act, you could do far worse than this.

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Not easy to describe this movie. Almost like 'The Walking Dead' meets a Whodunnit movie. Kept me entertained till the end and more original than most in this genre.

The synopsis of this film is enough to make you want to watch it. A man wakes up in a pit full of dead bodies. He has no memory of how he got there. After escaping he enters a house full of strangers who are also extremely agitated and just like him they have all lost their memory.

The elephant in the room though is that if they are all alive then who has killed all the people? That is when the fun begins. What I really liked about this film was that it continued to surprise, I got it wrong every time I tried to guess what was coming next and that for me is a real plus.

The cast are a brilliantly disparate group too and they all do an excellent job of keeping you right on the edge of your seat. The pacing is just right; the make up spot on and even the music gets the mood just right. There is not a lot not to like here (sorry about the double negative). It was filmed in Hungary but has a feel of being American despite a cast that is International. If you like your horror's to be a bit on the dystopian side then you should have a look at this.

It's one of those mediocre movies that you might like or might not. I found it dull after the first ten minutes or so. It gets really slow and the pay off isn't worth it in my opinion. I like all horror movies and this didn't even feel like one.

I watched it cause I'm a fan of Sharlto Copley, but even he was dull. He's a fantastic character actor so of course he plays a normal guy in this movie. It's like getting Superman and giving him Kryptonite. So it's a horror movie that's not really a horror movie and the lead was wasted. When the movie was over, I felt like i just wasted a huge chunk of my life on nothing and wished I could take it back.

Trust me on this one. The less you know about this movie the better.

I came across this movie knowing nothing more than the IMDb plot summary. Hence I did not know what to expect. And that is exactly the mindset "Open Grave" will work best for. It is hard to say something about this movie when every statement regarding the story, characters or structure could potentially reveal too much...

"Open Grave" is a smart movie. Its well thought out narrative structure invites you to constantly try to solve the puzzle. This suspense is maintained all the way until the last ~20mins of the movie. The story and heavy atmosphere are supported by the superb acting and skilled cinematography. It is almost impossible to not get immersed in the movie's microcosm. There are also a few good scares and action sequences to ease the pacing and give your brain time to relax.

...

Are you still reading? GO WATCH THE MOVIE! ;-)

Engaging from beginning to end with excellent performances from every member of the cast. In a genre so played out, so overblown, and over exposed, this is a refreshing creation that doesn't go into cliché autopilot mode, mock itself, mock you, or mock the industry.

Sure there are one or two bits that are fair game, but overall it doesn't degenerate into some stylized sexist no talent tit and dick prop running around. Instead you have dialogue. I know, amazing concept; making you continually ask who, what, and why like some kind of horror thriller where the protagonist, antagonist, victim and suspect are all the same person, but at the same time they aren't. Exactly.

Great atmosphere through out with solid sound work, unfortunately the ending doesn't do the rest of the film any justice, but it's rare that any endings in these kinds of film do so -3 points. Highly recommended.

I love these films of a lot of strange people who don't know each other, they wake up in a stranger place, without knowing where they came from, where they are going, and who they are, associated with this a large scale epidemic, zombies, carnage, a lot of persecution and run ... Impossible best for the days of infected covid... Wonderful...

After quite some time of waiting for something different, for a new approach, we can finally say we have lived to see it: Open Grave!

Now, without spoiling the plot, I can't really go into too many details, therefore I'll keep this short and try to focus on the important thing: getting YOU, to watch IT! Man oh man, this one right here, on a cold night, darkness surrounding your screen, and utter complete silence, makes for one hell of a movie! You'll love it, you'll scratch your head so many times trying to figure out what exactly is going on, you might turn bald at the end of it. For some, it won't be too hard to understand what's happening, especially after around 40 minutes, but still, you'll be dying to see more!

Why would I recommend it? New way of saying the story, lovely acting, good atmosphere, perfect tension (provided by great soundtrack), and a story that reveals itself little by little. The end, will be a few minutes when you'll stay on your couch, and feed on the dying moments, as they conclude into something great.

Open Grave (not the most original name) but surely an original and complex way of telling a story.

Stop me if you've heard this one before: a group of strangers wake up in a strange place with no memory of who they are. They go through the usual motions where characters discover special skills and everyone's feeling each other out. Generally strange and grim things pop up as they explore their surroundings and elements are introduced that couldn't possibly begin to be fully explained.

Director Gonzalo Lopez-Gallego delivers some wonderfully macabre visuals and scenarios that he sprinkles throughout and the cast holds up as well as one could hope, but much of this plays like cut scenes from a more interesting video game. While still a marked improvement on his previous effort, Apollo 18, this film attempts to pack in so much as it unfolds that it overwhelms the original conceit, making it more annoying than mysterious.

Once the picture has finished with its big reveal, one immediately wonders why we wasted all that time fumbling around figuring out who was who and how many languages people spoke when we could have been exploring something much more interesting. It seems for that, we'll have to wait for the sequel.

I heard about this film because I've been a fan of Sharlto Copley since District 9. When I saw the trailer, I was extremely interested. I wanted to watch it to find out why the hell he was in a pit of dead bodies and why he didn't have any memory of how exactly he got in that situation. The plot has many little details that give you hints as to what is going on, but when I finally pieced them together, I was surprised. It keeps you guessing as to whats really going on throughout almost the entire film. I won't ruin the reveal, but I did NOT see it coming. It's a fairly interesting and original film, and I enjoyed the ride.

The movie begins excellent, the actors portray a group of people who have no knowledge of where they are and how they got there; including each other. Slowly each character develops thinking they are someone they are not, intensifying into conflict. As the story unfolds, relapses in memory begin to occur, and we begin to see the true intentions of each character unfold, or as we the audience are to see happen.

The actors do a great job, the main character Copley does a great performance as I myself enjoyed his other characters especially in the movie A-TEAM, and ELYSIUM.

OVERALL - great beginning, gets a little too repetitive in the middle, and the end just seems to rush it out without really giving the plot any resolve. Be your own judge! I personally believe this movie was intended to make you just as lost as the rest of the characters... right up to the end. So if thats your cake, then go eat it up.

The film's opening takes you from you seat and places you in the full horror of waking up in an open grave of dead bodies with no memory of how you got there.

The cinematography is ambitious, the music and sound are used subtly and with good effect, and the film's first quarter drags you in well and you want to know on earth happened just as much as the characters in the film. But as they begin to interact, it all goes wrong. The dialogue is forced and unnatural, their decision making strange, and the American accent by South African Sharlto Copley distracts, especially when you are trying to understand someone who has just woken up not knowing who he is.

As the film gets past the hallway point, it loses its direction. It feels like a collection of scenes pasted together sloppily than an evolving narrative, and by the time the truth is revealed you have already stopped caring.

Yeah, I'm going to try and say as little as possible about the plot. Actually, nothing about the plot would be best. Some people spend the entire time watching a movie like this trying to "figure it out" or whatever. Which is fine and all but disrespects the movie to a degree. I'm not one of those people but even if I were, I seriously doubt it would help much.

The story has quite a bit of mystery to it. You don't really know much more than the characters for most of the run time, but it's a good thing. It isn't frustrating/mysterious like David Lynch or something, and there is a pay off in the third act. I'm not a particularly dumb man but a couple things I was still vague on at the end, but I prefer that to being beaten over the head w/explanations or, god forbid, a narrator.

I suppose it's more of a 7-8 but I'm giving it 9 for originality (more impressive considering it's somewhat unoriginal setup and seemingly going into an extremely overdone genre). Yeah, that won't make much sense until you watch it. Neither will this smooth segue: I don't like Vin Diesel at all (See! what?) but I still give Pitch Black a decent score for similar reasoning. That was an original sci-fi story and deserved props (despite it's Mr. Potato Head leading man/meatsicle). Same w/Open Grave. I didn't know what was going to happen. I didn't feel screwed when I found out. It wasn't perfect, but also in a good way (as in too perfect becomes fake/meaningless whereas a blemish or two makes it all the better for being identifiable). And, though it's not an ending that makes you want to jump around riding ponies over rainbows, I felt good at the end. Remembered thinking, "thanks, I needed that" (God knows why I think these things).

Most of the actors are unknown to me, w/the exception of Copley, but all did a great job. I'm digging that he's primarily becoming a sci-fi(ish) actor. Hasn't been many of those in a long time. When I finished Europa Report I had an unsatisfied, I-only-got-to-eat-half-a-sandwich-and-I'm- still-hungry kind of feeling. It was okay (I guess; opinions and all) but this is better. I'm thinking the acting was good because the parts were good. Big famous celebrities can carry movies and parts that are really empty and uninspiring just cuz we want to see them. I think Open Grave could be recast (not that it needs it) and be just as good. It's a good story, they filmed it good, etc.

Watch it. Do it, now. Just put the kids out back to graze and feed em later. Watch it. Aaarrrggghhhh....!!!!

A man without memory wakes up in a ditch filled with dead bodies. He climbs out and finds a house in the woods full of people without their memories. There is only one that seems to know what's going on, but she's a mute who only knows Chinese.

I like the concept a lot. Certainly I like it enough to not spoil any of it. What I didn't like was all the yelling, and all the paranoia. I understand that is what people think a tense filled thriller looks like. They really need to differentiate between the men in the movie. They all got that white man gruff face look. They all act that same paranoid angry man.

The other thing that struck me was the Chinese woman. I think it would be more logical if she was more assertive in showing the people around. She should be able to communicate better. I would have made the Chinese woman a very young girl. That way, there wouldn't be any question that she could tell them what's going on. And having a little girl always amps up the danger level. I think it's in the Horrors Handbook.

I hope for your sake, you do not read spoiler reviews or descriptions about this movie, because one of this movie's greatest punches involves a plot a twist I did not see described before I saw the movie.

For the sake of anyone seeing this movie, go into it expecting your standard indie thriller.

Eventually the plot will intrigue you, the actors are fantastic. The lead actress reminds me of young Michelle Pfieffer.

The entire story line I don't know what to expect next, what the deal is with why these people woke up in an Open Grave.

Eventually the story leads to something on what I can only describe as epic proportions.

I love gore, sex, violence, in a horror movie. While this movie may not have fulfilled all those usual qualities, it does go far beyond what I would have expected from this very under promoted Indie Film.

If you are a serious horror film lover, give this one a chance, I hope it surprises you, as it did me.

If it looks like a pig, smells like a pig and sounds like a pig its usually a pig.

Remember how The Mist had an ending which was far greater than the preceding hour and a half? So it goes with Open Grave. With what seems like five series of Lost crammed into a single sitting you will find yourself wondering what the hell is going on and who on earth cast these actors....stick with it to be rewarded with an extremely interesting concept and storyline that only creeps up on you in the final scenes.

I'm not going to say its great, and Sharlto Copley does still get a bit apartheid Basil Fawlty now and again but it really is worth it if not only for what they could have done with such a great idea.

I want to start off by saying that this film really has a lot going for it visually, which lifts the film a great deal. Sharlito Copley in the lead was a great choice, but I don't feel any of the actors did anything beyond staying afloat in terms of how believable they were. Kind of superficial, and very hard to get into when the film got emotional.

Like many have written before me, the film got predictable very soon, and I was left waiting for it to end. It has a ton of boring clichés and some elements that I think were too inspired from other films (28 days/weeks later, Memento, I Am Legend, any zombie/plague film). I want to point that the story had some potential, but it just got cluttered and messy for me both in acting and story. 5/10.

On a dark and stormy night, a man wakes up in a mass grave with no knowledge of how he got there. This is John, played by South African actor Sharlto Copley. Copley is a versatile actor with a mannerism that makes me enjoy him in every movie he does. He has a way of owning a scene he is in. And in 'Open Grave', he steals the show. With the exception of Thomas Kretschmann, I wasnt' familiar with the rest of the cast, but they all did a great job.

After being rescued from the pit, John stumbles upon a house with five occupants - each of them in possession of an ID card and a key, and no knowledge of how they got there or why they are there. And this is just the start of the mystery that kept intensifying as the film progressed. I mean, the plot thickened every step of the way!

I enjoyed the cautious nature of every character, allowing for some nice tension between them. The viewer also has no idea who to believe or trust, making for an interesting mystery horror thriller. 'Open Grave' is a wonderful movie I enjoy with every viewing. Even if you know how it unfolds, it will still be just as exciting with repeat viewings. This is a great choice for a movie night; to see your audience guess what is going on and who to root for. Love it!

Well. Read a few reviews and ignored the metacritics. I assume they are the same people that raved about Cabin in the Woods, a teen bag of genre farts. This is a surprisingly solid genre typical example of the Indie horror scene. Nothing to write home about, but enough to leave something lingering in the sub-conscious for a while afterwards. As has been noted, it's a slow burner. Characterisation is not a strong point, but that is largely irrelevant, as the storyline keeps you watching. Stay to the end, and all will make sense. An intelligent attempt to tell a vaguely familiar story, with several twists galore. Grown-up suspense horror for the market that's bored of juvenile re-imaginings of what horror is actually about. Work that out for yourselves!