Master

Master (2022) is a movie I recently watched on Amazon Prime. The storyline follows a woman who joins a college and serves as both a teacher and overseas one of the dorm halls. She quickly realizes something is off with the staff and their outlook. Meanwhile, a young black woman is given a specific room in her dorm with its own checkered past.

This movie is directed by Mariama Diallo in her directorial debut and stars Regina Hall (Scary Movie), Zoe Renee (Jinn), Julia Nightingale (Evil), Talia Ryder (West Side Story) and Ella Hunt (The More You Ignore).

The storyline for this movie had so much potential but didn't attack the depths of the topics the way I was hoping for. The acting is solid and the topics referenced are real, but how the characters handled them came up short. The horror elements had potential and some eerie elements; but again, didn't push the elements deep enough to excite me.

Overall this is one of those almost good movies that falls short. I would score this a 3.5-4/10 and recommend skipping it.

It was good until the end. Why? Oh, why..... I never got bored so it could have been a decent or good movie.

But the ending messed it up. If I would be generous, I could say that the ending still has food for thought. But because there could have been more, I'm disappointed and unsatisfied. I'm not sure if I would recommend it. Everything about the movie was okay. Like average okay. If a film doesn't bore you, that means something. But again, the ending is just not enough. Unfortunately, it's one of the most important parts if not the most important I have to fill 42 more characters for this review, so I just keep on rambling.

It is an allegory. It is about racism that is still smouldering.

It is not a bad movie but 'selling' a 'drama' movie as a horror, science fiction or whatever type movie is generally not a good idea.

I still liked it, it is smartly written with good performances, but i can imagine others feel 'betrayed'.

5.6* I like the whole perspective it took on racism but there was something lacking. It's like it kept getting to this point where there the suspense is high and then nothing happens. It continuously gave this uneasy feeling that you get when watching a horror film but never delves deep enough into the story to have a true feeling of horror. A lot of the story could've been elaborated on. The writers definitely had a message they wanted to express but most of the meaning is buried somewhere outside of this film. Regina Hall and Zoe Renee were excellent though.

PS.... As with all film about racism, yt people will try to drive the score down way more than it should be (just as they did with candyman) so watch and form your own opinions.

This will mean a lot more to certain people than it will to others. If you have lived through an experience like the main characters are going through - you will understand. There is a heavy message, not even hidden in the movie. And the actors are doing their best to put it on screen.

It is three stories of sorts that are being told. And all have their shades of grey in them ... there are scenes that are quite crystal clear too of course. Like a party scene, where you can literally feel the anxiety and the stress our younger heroine has to go through ... some of it may be in her head ... doesn't make it easier to endure. For her or for us - even if we are just watching the scene unfold.

There are things that are thrown into your face and there are other things that are way more subtle than that. And then there are scenes that will shock and maybe haunt you. This is not just a drama ... it is horror too. Everyday horror but also ... something different. If you can't put your finger on it ... you try to explain it ... that can work or not ... the movie does try to put a lot in it ... and tries to convey a message ... one that needs to be said and told ... unfortunately it loses focus on more than one occasion ... and while the ending could and almost is a punch in the gut (in a "good" sense) ... some of the impact has been soften by all the extra noise woven into it ... still a decent effort to say the least ... and again, will work for some more than for others.