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Movie Review: Ink
Nov. 27th, 2009 01:16 amJust watched Ink
Now, the story of the making of the movie is interesting; Indie group couldn't get financing through usual means (butt-kissing and bowing to investors whims) make movie digitally for $250K then try for professional distribution. Can't get it (major distributors claim movie is too "niche") so it only opens in 6 theatres across the nation. However, gets pirated and within a week or so becomes second most popular download. Amazon can't keep it in stock. Makers decide to go with the piracy, put donate button on movie site. Welcome the exposure.
So, we got a copy and watched it (in stages... *sigh*)
Okay review starts here:
The movie is amazing in some ways, a drag in some ways but fascinating in any case.
I don't want to give spoilers, and I think this kind of story is best approached with little fore-knowledge. The only thing you need to know is the setting is that there is the "good" dream people and the "bad" dream people. Ink has a little girl as his sacrifice. The "good" dream people are fighting the "bad" dream people.
Anyway... the effects were fun, cool and not overdone for the most part. The film rendering was in high contrast, high color saturation with glow effect on top, making it surreal without being annoying. Going into dreamtime is obvious by the lowering of the color saturation which oddly sharpens things while leeching the life out of it.
The story was odd in that the first half of it is almost entirely background stage setting which seems a bit disjointed and drags in places. The second half is where everything really moves along and the movie shines.
I found the first few fight scenes rather annoying as the camera shakes in order to hide lack of effects and bad choreography and they are entirely too long.
The script is fairly good although some of the lines were choppy and needed smoothing out; the actors were sometimes clearly struggling against unnaturalness. But overall the story is good; tightly paced, conversant and believable. THe acting was quite fine, except, obviously the parts where the script needed smoothing out but that was just a line or two here and there.
THe music was not very good for the first half of the movie, I was surprised when it very much improved during the second half.
The editing was PHENOMENAL. The movement was tight, the cuts were sharp and the action often seemed more lively than blocking would have made it. Lots of creativity in the editing; I was much impressed. When you see the movie, you'll understand why I stress how good the editing was. I always notice sub-par editing but good editing usually means I don't even think about it. This movie, however, relies heavily on a combination of good editing and lighting. It works beautifully.
The sound - thankfully - was fine. I hate watching cheap movies only because sound is nearly always sacrificed for money. This one wasn't. I didn't have to notice it at all. Thank gawd.
The world and theme of the movie was pretty nifty, it wasn't too complicated and it wasn't too silly. I think some people might find the titular character's costume/makeup to be overdone or something but I think it's workable in the confines of the story.
Mostly, the acting was just right, and it was awfully nice to see a movie with "real" looking people. Make no mistake, I don't think anyone was ugly or even plain. Just nice to see one person with a hawk nose, one person with pear-shaped body, one person with dreadlocks, a short person, a pudgy person etc. Only one person in the whole movie was "movie star" looks and it rather fit the character.
I think I'd be hesitant to urge just anyone to see it; the unevenness of the entire movie means some people will have too much difficulty suspending disbelief and other people will be annoyed with the minute problems. Both J and I were easily able to overlook what we thought were minor problems, especially in light of the more shining moments of the film; the last fight scene, the creepy-as-shit "bad" guys, the "rhythm of life" scene, the cut-aways to dreamtime. I think the fantasy element of the movie (the dreamtime world) was clearcut and easy to believe. They didn't get too fancy with it, although I do think they played with the effects more than was necessary in the first half to set the tone. The "light/dark" aspect was hammered home a little too much for my taste but that's just me.
Overall, its' an excellent movie for some people. If you like "Dark City" you'll probably like this a lot. Assuming you can be okay with minor obstacles. Hell if you like "Hellraiser" 1 or 2 you'll probably like this movie too.
Be warned, the bad guys are actually pretty damned creepy. I know some people might have nightmares about them. Because that's what they were.
Now, the story of the making of the movie is interesting; Indie group couldn't get financing through usual means (butt-kissing and bowing to investors whims) make movie digitally for $250K then try for professional distribution. Can't get it (major distributors claim movie is too "niche") so it only opens in 6 theatres across the nation. However, gets pirated and within a week or so becomes second most popular download. Amazon can't keep it in stock. Makers decide to go with the piracy, put donate button on movie site. Welcome the exposure.
So, we got a copy and watched it (in stages... *sigh*)
Okay review starts here:
The movie is amazing in some ways, a drag in some ways but fascinating in any case.
I don't want to give spoilers, and I think this kind of story is best approached with little fore-knowledge. The only thing you need to know is the setting is that there is the "good" dream people and the "bad" dream people. Ink has a little girl as his sacrifice. The "good" dream people are fighting the "bad" dream people.
Anyway... the effects were fun, cool and not overdone for the most part. The film rendering was in high contrast, high color saturation with glow effect on top, making it surreal without being annoying. Going into dreamtime is obvious by the lowering of the color saturation which oddly sharpens things while leeching the life out of it.
The story was odd in that the first half of it is almost entirely background stage setting which seems a bit disjointed and drags in places. The second half is where everything really moves along and the movie shines.
I found the first few fight scenes rather annoying as the camera shakes in order to hide lack of effects and bad choreography and they are entirely too long.
The script is fairly good although some of the lines were choppy and needed smoothing out; the actors were sometimes clearly struggling against unnaturalness. But overall the story is good; tightly paced, conversant and believable. THe acting was quite fine, except, obviously the parts where the script needed smoothing out but that was just a line or two here and there.
THe music was not very good for the first half of the movie, I was surprised when it very much improved during the second half.
The editing was PHENOMENAL. The movement was tight, the cuts were sharp and the action often seemed more lively than blocking would have made it. Lots of creativity in the editing; I was much impressed. When you see the movie, you'll understand why I stress how good the editing was. I always notice sub-par editing but good editing usually means I don't even think about it. This movie, however, relies heavily on a combination of good editing and lighting. It works beautifully.
The sound - thankfully - was fine. I hate watching cheap movies only because sound is nearly always sacrificed for money. This one wasn't. I didn't have to notice it at all. Thank gawd.
The world and theme of the movie was pretty nifty, it wasn't too complicated and it wasn't too silly. I think some people might find the titular character's costume/makeup to be overdone or something but I think it's workable in the confines of the story.
Mostly, the acting was just right, and it was awfully nice to see a movie with "real" looking people. Make no mistake, I don't think anyone was ugly or even plain. Just nice to see one person with a hawk nose, one person with pear-shaped body, one person with dreadlocks, a short person, a pudgy person etc. Only one person in the whole movie was "movie star" looks and it rather fit the character.
I think I'd be hesitant to urge just anyone to see it; the unevenness of the entire movie means some people will have too much difficulty suspending disbelief and other people will be annoyed with the minute problems. Both J and I were easily able to overlook what we thought were minor problems, especially in light of the more shining moments of the film; the last fight scene, the creepy-as-shit "bad" guys, the "rhythm of life" scene, the cut-aways to dreamtime. I think the fantasy element of the movie (the dreamtime world) was clearcut and easy to believe. They didn't get too fancy with it, although I do think they played with the effects more than was necessary in the first half to set the tone. The "light/dark" aspect was hammered home a little too much for my taste but that's just me.
Overall, its' an excellent movie for some people. If you like "Dark City" you'll probably like this a lot. Assuming you can be okay with minor obstacles. Hell if you like "Hellraiser" 1 or 2 you'll probably like this movie too.
Be warned, the bad guys are actually pretty damned creepy. I know some people might have nightmares about them. Because that's what they were.
