Hostile Dimensions

This is a found footage film, I don't particulary like the genre. However I had fun with it. As other reviewers have put it perfectly: they seemed to have fun with it. The fun shines through, however it is useless to look for a deeper narrative or a "science" part in the science fiction. Also the characters are not real, they do not react normal (you find a portal to another dimension and do not try to a) go to some authority b) make money of it. Ok, but after you use the portal and get to a hostile place you also do not equip yourself with some kind of real weapon / armor etc.).

The upside is that it is quite entertaining you want to know how it ends. But its a one time watch, perfect for an otherwise lazy afternoon or night.

I'm sorry, just being honest, it was terrible.

The who faux documentary thing is far beyond played out, but I thought maybe, just maybe this one might be interesting. Nope.

It just didn't make any sense, nothing was believable. (Yes I know sci-fi and fantasy don't have to be realistic, but they need to create a believable fantasy world). The acting was all over the place. Some good, some bad, mostly mediocre. No one reacts to anything the way you'd expect normal humans to react. It was just so bad. It really felt like I was watching the final group project for an undergrad cinema class. But, I paid for it. Ugh.

It's hard to say if it's the script or the actors or both... budget isn't an issue to making a good horror film, let alone good enough to show at Frightfest. I think it's both, seem better shorts made by students than this. It's played almost with a nod to the camera that really doesn't work when you are shooting a supposed documentary. Can't believe anyone involved has attended a film class or learned about the need to not provide exposition through every scene.

Want a found footage film go watch the Blair Witch. Want a scary alternate dimension, go watch The Void (low budget genre flick which shows how it's done)

What if there was a door which could take you literally to other worlds, guided by your imagination?

This is the very fun concept explored by HOSTILE DIMENSIONS, a found footage movie in which all the action is seen either via cameras held by the characters or placed elsewhere.

Found footage is a niche genre, and unfortunately there are many such movies which are just not good, probably because they look like anybody and their brother could make one. Consequently, many untalented people attempt to, filling this subgenre with a lot of drivel, Also, there are certain story lines which are used over and over (example: film crew explores abandoned house/hotel/asylum/prison or what have you, and then experiences misfortune), making a lot of these movies quite predictable.

I have seen many found footage films and find it really refreshing to see one that explores a story this potentially mind-bending. It is also quite clear that this is one of those movies where the vision far exceeded the budget. Though the special effects are not top notch, they are adequate to convey that vision, and other nice cinematographic touches, like the colored doors on the beach, effectively contribute to a strange but fun feel for this movie.

The biggest drawback I find is the screenplay, which draws characters who seem unconvincing in their motivations (might be partially also be due to wooden acting in some cases), has some plot holes, could be better on the dialogue and does not quite explain certain things, including the ending. On the plus side, there is a plot twist I did not see coming somewhat around midway. I feel a couple rewrites would have helped a lot here.

So, while this is a flawed film, it is still better (and especially more fun) than the majority of found footage movies and that is how I rated it. Now this concept I would love to see milked more often.

I'll give the crew a 3 because they seemed to have fun with it and I didn't just walk away but watched the whole thing.

I have to say that I can't understand anyone who would give this a 5 or higher, let alone the critical acclaim it has received over on Rotten Tomatoes, but here we are, and such is life. In this respect it's not dissimilar (actually better because not as long and nowhere near as repetitive) to the also critically acclaimed "Hard to be a god", which I would have walked out off if my company - both of them! - hadn't fallen asleep.

Portals, chalk circles, .... not even the the shaky cam work can be considered original, so I can't see how anyone would deem this innovative. Looks like something my kid and his mates could have done and had fun with (and I might even have praised them).