I watched this the night after watching the vastly superior original. The 2009 remake is a complete disappointment. Some of the problems are with the script, others are with the actors, and many are due to poor film-making/direction.
One of the things a movie called 'My Bloody Valentine' should feature prominently is the Valentine's Day celebration. There was almost no mention of it being near Valentine's Day, yet everywhere in town valentine hearts are festooned, heart-shaped boxes of candy are passed around, and yet, get this, all the exterior scenes look like late spring. Trees are full of green leaves, blossoms are on others, not a trace of snow on the ground, or ice, or winter in any way. Last I checked, Valentine's Day is in the dead of winter on February 14. This was careless or sloppy or apathetic.
I know that some of you might be OK with a movie that has such blatant disregard for the intelligence of its intended audience, but the seasonal incongruity stuck out like a sore thumb.
The movie could have been about a murderous miner and it would have worked better or made more sense than trying to tie in to the Valentine's Day theme. Really, just make a movie about a psycho miner, leave the Valentine stuff out, and you immediately have a movie that makes more sense than this mess did.
The 'surprise' identity of the killer was telegraphed clumsily about halfway through the movie. The killer is alone in the mines with a guy who is going to be a victim - then we are led to believe that he's in a fight for his life with the boogie man while only about 30 feet from the other guy, who hears nothing, sees nothing, just is oblivious to the shouting, clanging of metal, steel doors rattling, etc. Then the killer comes face-to-face with his opponent in a split screen scene that bluntly and with no ambiguity shows the two as mirror images of each other. Way to go, Director - lack of subtlety reveals the 'twist' far too soon so the rest of the movie is essentially spoiled.
There's a lot more that is ridiculously stupid about this movie. Early on the original killer, Harry Warden, is hospitalized in a coma for more than a year. Suddenly he awakens after being in this coma for a year or so and goes on a rampage. Stunningly he has the strength to not only get out of bed, but to literally hack ALL the people in the hospital to pieces and escape. No muscle atrophy for this guy. No hospital security, nothing but bodies ripped in half all over the place.
I could go on, but there's no point. I've spent more time on this than this awful movie deserves. See the original - it's superior in every way.
One of the things a movie called 'My Bloody Valentine' should feature prominently is the Valentine's Day celebration. There was almost no mention of it being near Valentine's Day, yet everywhere in town valentine hearts are festooned, heart-shaped boxes of candy are passed around, and yet, get this, all the exterior scenes look like late spring. Trees are full of green leaves, blossoms are on others, not a trace of snow on the ground, or ice, or winter in any way. Last I checked, Valentine's Day is in the dead of winter on February 14. This was careless or sloppy or apathetic.
I know that some of you might be OK with a movie that has such blatant disregard for the intelligence of its intended audience, but the seasonal incongruity stuck out like a sore thumb.
The movie could have been about a murderous miner and it would have worked better or made more sense than trying to tie in to the Valentine's Day theme. Really, just make a movie about a psycho miner, leave the Valentine stuff out, and you immediately have a movie that makes more sense than this mess did.
The 'surprise' identity of the killer was telegraphed clumsily about halfway through the movie. The killer is alone in the mines with a guy who is going to be a victim - then we are led to believe that he's in a fight for his life with the boogie man while only about 30 feet from the other guy, who hears nothing, sees nothing, just is oblivious to the shouting, clanging of metal, steel doors rattling, etc. Then the killer comes face-to-face with his opponent in a split screen scene that bluntly and with no ambiguity shows the two as mirror images of each other. Way to go, Director - lack of subtlety reveals the 'twist' far too soon so the rest of the movie is essentially spoiled.
There's a lot more that is ridiculously stupid about this movie. Early on the original killer, Harry Warden, is hospitalized in a coma for more than a year. Suddenly he awakens after being in this coma for a year or so and goes on a rampage. Stunningly he has the strength to not only get out of bed, but to literally hack ALL the people in the hospital to pieces and escape. No muscle atrophy for this guy. No hospital security, nothing but bodies ripped in half all over the place.
I could go on, but there's no point. I've spent more time on this than this awful movie deserves. See the original - it's superior in every way.