Hostile Dimensions

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.

This film has a very good premise, but it miss it landing. The bones are good. I love other dimensions type stories, but this film lacks substance.

My criticism have nothing to do with the low-budget aspect of the film. I don't need flashing CGI, or special effects; I use my imagination on novels all the time, so I can be drawn to a good story. However, there is basically no story here. You can watch the preview is that basically the whole movie. See this door, see it goes to different dimensions, see me run through it, see we find so random dude who happen to be expert at interdimensional doorway travel, see I am an expert at it now...

My first issue is the acting is terrible. I seen better acting in high school plays. The actors to not delivery on emotion. So their reactions seem like people trying to act a part, rather than people just living their lives (especially, since this is a lost tape style movie, so they should come off as regular people).

Next is the film is just weird. There are so many potholes that it just confusing. It hard to find people's motivation for their actions, so everything seems dumb and unbelievable.

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).

Maybe not since Cecil B. De Mille have I heard the word smite in a movie, but it's here towards the end of this "Blair Witch" meets "Solo Levelling" low budget bobbins. I know I ought to be more supportive of my native independent sector, but this is just a mess of a film that Graham Jones must have thought looked good on the storyboard but that is where it ought to have stayed. It's all about a video that teases documentary film makers "Sam" (Annabelle Logan) and "Ash" (Joma West) with a conundrum. It shows us a couple of budding Banksy's exploring what looks like some derelict tunnels when they discover a stand-alone door frame with the door firmly shut. They can clearly observe both sides of this solitary object but still they open it and.... What happens next? Well our intrepid duo soon find themselves playing inter-dimensional "It's a knockout" as they unite with "Brian" (Hughes) to get to the bottom of the mystery. I did actually quite like the mischief in the premise and at times there are glimmers from the writing that bely the fact that this can't have much cash or time to accomplish it's goal, but seriously - it comes across as a student project. Constant swearing doesn't constitute comedy writing, slapstick is actually a precision art (probably why I don't much care for it at the best of times) not something that becomes funny because Harold Lloyd used to do it. Acting isn't just about being yourself amongst friends having a lark, you have to attempt to create characters that we can engage with. We don't have to like them, but we have to have some sort of hook else why would we care where this door does, or doesn't, lead. There's nowhere near enough focus on what we are supposed to be looking at or for and even the presence of a talking "Toto" couldn't make the story anywhere near cohesive enough to get into. Logan is certainly the most natural of the talent on display here but otherwise, this is a later night television project after a few pints that you might get a giggle from, but that's only a "might"!

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)