Meander

As a sworn atheist (or rather a pagan), I’m not crazy about the fact that one of the possible interpretations of the story clashes head-on with my lack of faith. But when I let go of my preconceptions and accept as possible that HE/THEY managed to fill the tunnels with fresh oxygen right after the fire (impossible if the laws of nature apply), I have to say I did have fun the entire time. I feel sorry for all the claustrophobics who accidentally watch the film – it could result in lifetime trauma as well as a (lifetime) stay in a psychiatric institution. I applaud the performance of Gaia Weiss, who was totally convincing as the unyielding and resilient Lisa. (23.10.2021)

The French serve up a stylish, evil, intense, unpleasant and claustrophobic survival flick evoking Cube, and it's a contender for horror film of the year! I was ground to a pulp by this film and cried with excitement that after the long, tortured and boring horror drought I finally got to see a proper spectacle that really meets the most stringent criteria. From the fifth minute onwards the main character is thrown into a tunnel labyrinth of traps and death and it is such an awesome ride. I was holding my breath with suspense for the whole 90 minutes. The claustrophobic atmosphere works very reliably, the main character is a gorgeous, brave and intelligent French blonde for whom I kept all my fingers and toes crossed. There are perhaps more traps than in three episodes of Saw combined, and yes there was even a bit of gore! The traps are inventive, well thought out in a really cramped environment, the visuals and colours are great (blue, red, green). It’s an unenviable situation, and to make matters worse, protagonist is being chased by a mutilated zombie who is really disgusting and unpleasant. The music is great, it underscores the whole ride and I must pay in gold because if not here I don't know where or when. Some may be annoyed that the twist doesn't have more depth, but what the hell, I wasn't expecting such a stylish and beautifully shot ride in the slightest. Story 3/5, Action 4/5, Humor>No, Violence 4/5, Fun 5/5 Music 5/5, Visuals 5/5, Atmosphere 4/5, Suspense 5/5 8.5/10. (29.06.2021)

(this review contains mild spoilers) A remarkable, suspenseful and intense genre film, but I had to convince myself to give it a fourth star because, in terms of plot, I thought it was a bit too much. There are a lot of things that are impressive and nice to look at, but don't really make much sense; something that can be said about the film as a whole, in fact. It clearly points to the tired and hackneyed twist that the action takes place in the mind of the main character, who’s wounded and "fighting for her life", but Meander eventually dodges away and ends in a kind of "viewer's choice" style. So in this respect, the film left me with mixed feelings, but it delivered enough genre pleasure, so I think I can defend my fourth star among the competition of this year's other (bland) genre films. (30.06.2021)