I tried to like this movie, I really did. And just when I started to, the character writing got in the way, time and time again. I love me a slow burner. And this was definitely a nice atmospheric piece. However, with nothing BUT time on the characters' hands, you would think the writers would have given them more credit for their situation. But no. Did they move even TRY to protect their food when they discovered they had a rat eating it? Nope. Just let it sit there and get eaten. Even a token attempt to move it into the bedroom or something would have been more flattering/less annoying for the characters. Same goes with the bunker door. All this time and they never thought to double or even triple secure until they were being attacked? And then, they leave ONE pipe in place of the chains? How about wrapping the chains back around the ladder as a backup? I mean, they knew the 'breathers' were going to come...or at least should have acted like they were instead of being the annoyingly blindly optimistic dolts that they were. Oh, and of course, when the bogeyman finally does open the hatch, sure, just stand there underneath it. You weren't expecting them to come down too right? I mean, grrr.
All this may sound trite. But when you get into a film and find yourself being thrown out of it with careless character writing, it gets to me. These characters could have elicited much more empathy if they hadn't been written so blunderingly.
I wonder if the brother writer and director team created a dynamic where criticism was not welcomed. Wouldn't be the first time...
