BloedEnMelk

As soon as the movie started, I hoped it would not be as predictable as I feared it was going to be. Unfortunately, it was. It was like an old mold was used, as the whole storyline never surprised or added something new. Well, it saves me from writing a long review I guess.

Though somehow still slightly entertaining (hence my 4 points instead of lower), the movie didn't only lack of originality, but also of any sort of depth. Never do we get to know Jerry better, nor do we get to know the family better. There's no real character development, no real deep emotions, just nothing that makes it stand out.

Some people describe it as a satire, which it could have been, if only there would have been more sharpness to it. Instead, I think I only smiled once, but it was more like a slight curl of my lips than a real smile.

So to keep it short as promised, I did sit through the 90 minutes and was entertained enough not to search for an other unseen movie in my collection, but that's about it. If you do not mind a predictable thriller, and you like the lack of any real tension, well it might just be something for you. If you are used to movies that keep you on the edge of your seat, skip this one.

I do not really understand why the average rate of Absentia is so low. Well, maybe I do understand, if you watch this horror with the expectations that you get a fast paced gore filled typical horror movie, you will be disappointed. Absentia is a slow one, and it basically has no real gore. So just skip it if that's what you are going for, and save this little gem the downrates which it really doesn't deserve.

Now, that having sad, Absentia has something different to offer. It's not per say in the storyline itself, which, when you read it, doesn't seem too original. What it's got to offer is mainly in the mood. The soundtrack, which is relatively minimum, really adds to the claustrophobic and depressing atmosphere. The acting is well done, realistic and believable, and the characters are well worked out and take the plot to a higher level. There are some weird things in the plot that make you wonder what is really going on. It gives the perfect sense of mystery, never fully explaining it, but definitely enough to leave you satisfied.

I found Absentia more of an experience, though it doesn't come short to the story at all. Things may or may not make sense, and you might wonder a couple of times how much comes to perception and how much of it is really happening, it doesn't take anything away from the story or from the mood. It only adds to it.

I was a bit reluctant when I put the DVD into my player but all my doubts faded away within the first minutes. The movie is perfectly shot, everything just works really really well. I am very pleasantly surprised and think it certainly belongs to one of the best horror movies of 2011.

The only bad thing I have to say about it is that a few times I found it hard to follow the dialogue (mumbling) and had to rewind to listen to it again.

Watch it if you get the chance, and if you like horror which crawls deeply under your skin. Do not watch it if you want action and gore.

I didn't quite know what to expect when I put this DVD into my player, but it certainly wasn't this. Snowtown was so much better than what I hoped for, and it left me with a satisfaction which only some movies manage to do for me. Of course I knew on forehand that it was a movie about serial killings, but it got well above all those cliché SK movies that have begotten so common.

For starters, Snowtown feels very realistic. We don't get to see the story from the perspective or main focus of the main serial killer, but we see the world through the eyes of the son of the family - soon to be dominated by John. John initially comes over as a charming guy who likes to be the Knight in Shining Armour against pedophiles, but it doesn't take long before we know that his ideas are obsessions which go from 'let's teach the guy a lesson' to an excuse for executing his sick fantasies. Jamie, our protagonist, initially likes John's charms but soon finds himself in a very vulnerable, confusing and dangerous position. One can not help but feel sorry for the lad.

The movie takes place in a realistic setting in a poor part of town, which is made even more depressed by the bleak colors of the movie. There is no Yellow Brick Road in this Land of Oz. Though the story may initially be confusing, and some reviewers advice to read up on the case (Snowtown Murders, Bodies in the Barrels), it's certainly watchable without that information. However; I do agree that it's the best if you dó read up about it, no matter if it is before or after you have seen this movie. Bits of the puzzle will fall into place and it makes the movie even better, because of the authenticity of what happened.

There are a few very violent scenes in Snowtown, so it's not for those with a weak stomach, but most is kept to your imagination. It's a psychological thriller that focuses on what happens with Jamie. So do not expect to get a full story about John Bunting's life. Snowtown is a story without a real beginning and without a real end. Still; it doesn't need any, it is just perfect the way it is.

The acting is convincing and natural, Daniel Henshall gives a chilling performance of Bunting going from reasonably charming to a total sick creep. Lucas Pittaway is well cast for the role of Jamie, and he does remarkably well in making the audience believe how the lights fade out in Jamie's eyes throughout his nightmarish experiences, going from adolescently bored to traumatized numb.

I gave Snowtown a 9 instead of a 10 (though I would rather have given it a 98 out of 100) for the parts which are a bit confusing, especially the beginning is a part you really sort of have to sit through. But be patient; once it's at speed, and you let go your expectations but simply experience it, Snowtown drags you in and will not easily let you go. I watched it about one and a half week ago and it's still fresh in my head. It's a movie that grows on you, even after you have finished watching it.

Well done, very well done indeed, Mr Justin Kurzel! This is exactly how I like my movies. I do hope to see some more of you.