Joel

Movies about serial killers, it's a good subject and when it's well done they can have a big success, but in this case it's a failure, not worth watching. A story about New York's famous serial killer Joel Rifkin sounded interesting but it turned out to be a borefest. The murders are all badly acted, looked completely fake. None of the actors will ever win an Oscar, I can assure you that. The directing wasn't great and the cinematography wasn't of good quality. As for the plot they could have made it so much more interesting, instead you get a lame story about every murder, all basically the same boring images, shot way too long so they become automaticly boring. And when even the murders look fake there is really nothing good left in this disappointing movie. I would skip it.

This is a motion picture,containing lots of genres,from sexual thriller and dominant violence style,documentary style,real life drama style,and gives such a profound insight of a serial killers life.it is at time rather extreme, its like you'll not believe it. it called horror movie in the ads,but this is horror far beond what i call horror. its all too cold and premeditated....and would not have been shown on norwegian broadcasters at 6 p.m in the afternoon.

the producers and director have made a bold decision making this movie.

the story about joel rifkin a serial killer with suspected 17 killings on the record, are a narrative styled story, and ''seems ''like its told by himself . and the story is chronologically well told and extremely graphically acted,with semengly real life rapes and strangulation scenes, and lots of sex S/M ,domina and nudity.

i hope no copycats will show themselves after watching this movie, because some of the murder scenes seems very easy to do,and may give someone ''the kick''.also the thorough absence of conciousness and guilt are very scary.

Arnold Odo ,the main actor does a brilliant job,if you like it or not,i felt sick in periods of the film but the acting kept me watching it all. it is definately not a film for minors or the fainthearted, and should not be seen without company of a good friend or parents......its strong stuff!!!!

Ive watched alot of serial killer/true crimes movie and this was absolutely one of the best ive seen. The whole vibe of the movie is dark and reflects the mood of Rifkin perfectly. Ive seen a couple of interviews with him and the calm,rational way he talks about what he's done makes the crimes he commited even worse. The movies director and writer have done a tremendous job. I hope there will be more from this guy in the future!

'Joel' (2018), directed and written by John R. Hand, is a film that manifests itself as the ultimate incompetence and lack of creative vision. It is a complete and utter aberration of cinema that not only fails in every technical and artistic aspect, but also demonstrates a total disregard for narrative and authentic representation.

From the first frame, the film sinks into a sea of endless errors. Hand's direction is a brutal exercise in mediocrity. Every shot seems to have been designed to torture the viewer, with framing that not only fails to create tension, but exacerbates the sense of hopelessness as he watches the film twist in its own incompetence. The director's ability to ruin atmosphere is so absolute that you wonder if he ever had a shred of understanding of how to make films.

The cinematography is a monumental catastrophe. The lack of color treatment makes every scene look flat and lifeless, while the handling of white balance is a true horror that will dazzle viewers with painful intensity. The close-ups, instead of generating claustrophobia, only reveal an endless series of technical and aesthetic errors that turn every shot into a visual horror show. The incompetence is so manifest that the film becomes a test of how to destroy the cinematic experience through careless production.

The production design is another example of absolute nonsense. Joel's house, with its absurdly modern designer furniture, is not only inappropriate but is an insult to logic. These furnishings not only break immersion, but underline the ridiculousness of the film, which seems to have been made with a total disregard for reality and historical context.

The sound is a disaster of epic proportions. The audio quality is so low that it makes the experience of watching the film even more torturous. Instead of using decent equipment, it seems that cheap tape recorders were used, producing a horrible sound that adds an extra layer of irritation to the viewer. The lack of professionalism in this aspect is so evident that it makes the rest of the production seem even worse.

One of the worst sins of 'Joel' is its total ignorance of the media impact of the Rifkin case. The film completely misses the opportunity to explore the media furor and the role that Joel Rifkin played in public culture as the prototype of the serial killer. Instead of delving into this rich narrative, the film drags itself through an hour and a half of bad acting, abysmal direction, and a pitiful presentation, only to end abruptly and pointlessly.

Arnold Odo, despite his physical resemblance, does not do justice to the role. His non-New York accent is a constant distraction that ruins the minimal immersion possible. The acting feels like a caricature and a mockery of the real character.

In short, 'Joel' is not simply a bad film; it is a total aberration. Every element of the production, from direction and photography to sound and design, is so poorly executed that the film becomes a brutal demonstration of what cinema should not be. It is a film that is not only useless and boring, but is an affront to any standard of quality. The only recommendation is to avoid it altogether and remember that 'Joel' is a painful reminder of how low cinema can fall when incompetence takes over the creative process.

I have no doubt it was a limited budget. Some scenes seemed a bit drawn out to waste time but if you like true crime or serial killers you'll love this movie. Excellent way to kill an hour and a half.