The Awakened

First off, this was made on quite a low budget, and obviously such a budget brings limitations. Being overambitious with effects and sets would have been a mistake, and the setting of most of the film inside a house is pragmatic.

The real disappointments for me were the aspects that don't require a large budget. The sound was very flat, the script lifeless, and the ideas in the film underdeveloped. The score is like a relaxation tape playing constantly in the background, and a few people employed to bang on the shutters to least give the impression that the protagonists were stuck in a storm that made it too dangerous to leave the house would have helped. So many scenes were just one static camera on a wide shot, with little attempt to use the camera to add tension.

The acting, bar Pitts who tried to bring some life to her role, was flat, but in truth they didn't have a lot to work with. A little humour, more interesting dialogue, and variation in pace would have helped. The whole thing gave the impression of a stage play rehearsal with an absent director.

While it would be harsh to judge a film made on this sort of budget against most others, I can't really recommend that anybody watch this.