The combination of physical effects, creepy costumes and innovative set design ensure that Meander remains captivating throughout, and while the curious ending will be too ambiguous for some, I left Turi’s second feature film wanting more. She pretty much carries this movie all by herself, although her surroundings are just as much of a character in this thing as she is.
The fact that it does so only semi-successfully is beside the point.įrench writer/director Mathieu Turi does a great job in keeping his claustrophobic setting alive and diverse with various shocking moments adding to the overall sense of unease created by a committed and engaging performance from Weiss in the lead role. The difference between that admittedly great movie and this one is that Meander combines high-octane entertainment with a meditation on grief and loss. Now that’s out of the way, let’s explore how this film is actually nothing like any of those movies…įollowing a chance encounter with a mysterious stranger, Lisa (Gaia Weiss) finds herself imprisoned inside some kind of futuristic hell scape that emits deadly fireballs every ten minutes. I am now legally obliged to mention Cube, Saw and the Escape Room franchise.
Meander movie review series#
This is a film in which a protagonist is trapped in a series of pipes and tubes and has to solve puzzles in order to escape. Any review for a horror film with a social conscience ( Get Out) or symbolism ( The Babadook), any found footage film ( The Blair Witch Project, Paranormal Activity), or any slasher movie ( Halloween) will no doubt feature lazy comparisons to movies that came before. Meander is now available to rent on YouTube and Google Play.Too often (and I’m as guilty of this as most), horror movie reviews just read as a list of influences. In English and French with English subtitles. Throughout her ordeal, she is utterly convincing and inspiring – only the hardest of hearts won’t be willing her to safety.ĭon’t be fooled by the title, Meander is a razor-sharp, jagged-edged horror that will fray your nerves and keep you on the edge of your seat. Of course, Weiss (in an outfit seemingly borrowed from Jean-Paul Gaultier’s The Fifth Element wardrobe) is key to this wild and wacky premise’s success. There are moments that will remind you of The Descent, Alien: Resurrection, Arrival and even Vincent Ward’s What Dreams May Come, as Lisa navigates this ultimate Ninja Warrior course, filled with acid, barbs and fans. It’s the sustained tension that really impresses, even as events take a surreal, more sci-fi turn. Previously best known as a unit director on Scarlett Johansson-action movie Lucy and for helming the Pitch Black-eseque 2017 tale Hostiles, French writer-director Mathieu Turi does a stunning job of combining clever camera-angles, neon-infused illumination and sound to ensure things never become dull or derivative. Bracing herself for the worst – especially as the countdown has now reached just 30 seconds – Lisa is amazed when a side-panel opens, revealing a small starkly sterile white space just big enough for her.įrench writer-director Mathieu Turi does a stunning job of combining clever camera-angles, neon-infused illumination and sound to ensure things never become dull or derivative in Meander.
Eventually finding the stomach to push it aside, Lisa’s next hurdle is a seemingly immovable grate.Īny contemplation of her next move though is interrupted by a change in lighting and the appearance of ominous protrusions. MEANDER had its North American premiere at NFF: Masquerade. You’ll honestly not want to miss this film. But to what?Īs she progresses, spaces seemingly get tighter, before she’s stopped in her tracks by a badly decomposed body. This film will have you on the edge of your seat by the time Lisa wakes up to the time we reach the film’s conclusion. Squeezing herself into the tunnel, Lisa is further alarmed when a digital display on her “cuff” illuminates and clearly appears to be in the middle of a countdown. After screaming and squirming don’t appear to reveal any means of assistance, a circular “door” suddenly opens. However, when Lisa wakes up, she’s alone, wearing different clothes, has gained a weighty wristband and is seemingly trapped in a tiny metal-walled space.
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