Hostile Dimensions

Firstly, Hostile Dimensions is much more a sci-fi thriller than it is a horror. The film cares a lot about it's story and has a driving momentum towards solving it's central mystery, much more so than typical found footage horror. This certainly works to the film's credit and it left me impressed with the scope and inventiveness of its ideas.

A couple of documentry makers obtain a mysterious door which appears to be a gateway to other dimensions. Malevolent forces reveal themselves and what started as professional interest turns into a personal quest for the film makers.

The idea is intriguing and the film contains plenty of interesting details to help it feel fresh while keeping the audience interested. On the other hand the writing felt a little patchy and inconsistent. Many ideas that ended up being key to understanding character motivations were under developed leaving me confused by some of the behaviour and choices being made.

The acting was endearing and the cast seemed to be having fun but it was unclear to me whether I was supposed to be taking the film seriously or whether it was striving for a more tongue in cheek tone.

Overall there was much to enjoy about Hostile Dimensions, which was able to accomplish a great deal on screen with a tiny budget.

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.

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"!

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.

The idea of the movie and the concept are not really bad. It has some mystic feel to it and it kind of give a "backrooms" vibe, which is a nice start. The concept of door so another dimensions and backroom with Pandamonium and other things actually sound like a good idea.

However... Acting is terrible. Sorry, I like when actors are normal looking people and it gives "real life" vibe instead of "movie" vibe if you know what I mean. I like the cheap look and normal looking people and kind of realistic surroundings. But, that does not excuse bad acting. The reactions of characters, the lines, are just bad, bad, bad, there is no realism no realistic lines or behavior nowhere to find. They do not have a shred of believability. It just looks like a student or school play.

Cheap effects are also fine, don't mind it, but they didn't even try. It looks like this movie costs circa 500$ or so. There is barely anything that can not be cheaply built or made by some freeware 3D software. It's like they didn't even try.

In conclusion, there is something there, and it's fun, but cheapness kind of killed this movie.