The Similars

This movie will mess with your mind. What you see isn't what you get. Outstanding cinematography, compelling plot and convincing characters - you can tell that this movie is off to a great start. But this was ruined by a silly twist and a comedic third act. Man, I was so underwhelmed.

I really liked this movie! There will be zero spoilers here; I'll be getting straight to the point.

Where horror films are concerned, I'm beyond weary of the seemingly endless stream of remakes and reboots coming out of Hollywood. For years I've been waiting for someone — ANYONE — to start thinking out of the box and create something original. Finally, the writer/director/producer of "The Similars" did just that. His name is Isaac Ezban. Remember it... because I have a strong feeling that Guillermo Del Toro will be getting a bit of home-grown competition on 'the horror front' before too long.

'The Similars' is sort of a 'period piece' that's set in 1968, with the Tlatelolco Massacre hovering over it like a dark, ominous cloud from start to finish. (If you're unfamiliar with the incident, Google it.) This movie is also a tribute to the horror classics of the 1960s. Interesting and attention-grabbing from the start, it straddles the fence between 'bizarre' and 'comically absurd' before then veering straight into 'old-school horror' territory with a rather unexpected sci-fi twist. If you want or need to know more? Track it down and watch it. Seriously. The less you look into this movie ahead of time, the better. Allow yourself to be pleasantly surprised.

An interesting photography. Irregular performances (the kid was not my favorite). Good atmosphere generating suspense. Music that more than to homage Bernard Herrman's scores, sounds like plagiarism (also final credits look like quite similar to North by Northwest and Psycho titles, beyond a homage). The script is interesting but I do not feel an strong closure and even could be considered for some a 68's mexican student massacre trivialization.

just to watch one occasion without demanding too much. And if you are a Hitchcock's fan, like I am, you probably could feel uncomfortable for excessive similarities in technical aspects.

Anyway, enough to feel curious and seeing another Ezban's work.

6/10

While I liked the style of this movie, the concept wasn't executed well enough for me. I found it more comical than creepy, more wacky than weird. Some of the acting and editing was awful, and I definitely felt like some moments were cringe-worthy. I am a fan of the Twilight Zone, which other people have compared this to, but The Similars was too ridiculous and unsubtle to be in the same league as the classic series. I feel like I'm in the minority here, but I say skip this one.

Eight people trapped in a railway station by a strange rainstorm find themselves undergoing terrifying transformations. There's no doubt Isaac Ezban came up with an original idea and made good use of his limited resources, but the fate of these perpetually bickering, mistrustful travellers always borders on the unintentionally comical. And I'd be highly offended if I was Zach Galifianakis...