Examiner par davejensen-97995

I enjoyed the movie but felt a bit hollow after I left the theater. Yes, it was scary and there were a few moments where we got a good laugh as well. But in general, it was a letdown, and a victim to hype. As another reviewer said, let's save the 9's and 10's for really fine films, and a fun but wacky film like this one should top out at a 6 or 7. The story line is thin . . . There could have been far more twists and depth provided to make it more interesting.

There were some great, very shocking scenes involving gore or sudden violence that made the theater react. There's a dining room scene that is super unique and which scared the daylights out of me. Throughout the film there's an incredible soundtrack -- not so much a lyrical or melodic music, but just damn loud and scary. The sound editing is superb, as is the cinematography. Production Design, not so unique, just stock sets. The acting is good, particularly Josh Brolin who I think makes the film better by his inclusion.

I absolutely hated the narration at the beginning and end of the film, done by a young child providing some exposition. The voice is almost buried behind other sounds and music, and you have to strain to hear what she is saying. Totally unnecessary to have that voice in there. It also took quite some time for the film to "heat up" and I kinda wish the director had put something unique into the first 10 minutes which would set the stage for the story line that follows.

As many others have noted, the ending is a bit of a let down. It's a bit comedic throughout, but the comedy plays hard on you in the last few minutes of the film. Not a place to insert laughs, in my opinion. Regardless, I'll want to watch this one again when it streams as it was a popcorn-muncher. It's certainly not a 9 or 10 as others have said, but it's one to be watched over multiple viewings for sure.