The Grove

First off, the 10/10 ratings are plants. Every one of them has rated ONLY this movie. Go ahead, check for yourself. Every. Single. One. There's not a single legitimate positive review of this movie.

There's a cool story here, but it's buried under endless inane conversation and people yelling for no reason. There's also a lot of RnB and hip-hop, which is absolute garbage music and painful to listen to. There's just so much time spent on stuff that doesn't matter that I was bored and frustrated in half an hour. The interesting parts (involving the actual plot) feel disjointed and chaotic. This gets VERY bad by the end. The acting is pretty good (except the lead) but the writing is rough, and a lot of the characters come across as REALLY douchy. There's also the guy that gets crazy aggressive for no particular reason, which countless movies have done to contrive tension.

Acoryé White was a poor choice for the lead. His performance for most of the movie is absolutely flat. And the parts where he does actually show emotion still aren't done very well. They could have used any of the other actors in the movie and it would have been a better choice.

There are also a bunch of awkward and obvious cuts during the more action-y scenes, when they apparently couldn't get everything in one take so they just assembled partial takes. There are also audio issues. Sometimes it sounds like they're too close to their mics, and one time that the mic sounded like it was rubbing on fabric. Also fairly common to hear the thump of something bumping the mics.

The failings fall beyond b-movie issues. This turns into such a mess by the end, but it doesn't even matter because it's so poor in nearly every other aspect. Just when you think it's as bad as it can be, Daft Vader shows up and it turns into a comic book movie. The Grove could have been a lot better with more focus on the actual plot, better editing, and MUCH better audio. It's pretty far from the worst thing I've ever seen, but it does hold the distinction for being one of very few movies that I outright hated by the end.

I went into The Grove expecting a standard horror and left surprised by the originality of the setup. Co-writers and co-directors Acorye White and Patrycja Kepa take risks with relationship dynamics and build to horror rather than launching straight into monster mode.

White is compelling as Terrance, torn between duty, love, and losing himself, while Carl Anthony Payne II brings a grounded presence as Chris, the friend trying to hold things together.

The film's unique style lies in its contrast between the weekend-getaway vibe and the creeping dread of military experimentation. It's visually appealing as well. Brock is a cool character, and his relationship with the other guys gave me a laugh at times.

A creative, solid film with heart.

The Grove is a beautiful written film with great inspiring actors and actresses! My rating is based on the quality of the first viewing and not the overall performance and storyline! I actually think this film has potential to be something greater due to the conceptually compelling story of a soldier and the experimentalist logic. I actually saw two storylines in one film! The performances were amazing! Part II I'm sure will cover the entire films notability! I will possibly suggest midway through the film that the experimental part of what takes place be moved to the beginning of the film. Other than that I really did enjoy the concept. Thank you.

I try to actually rate movies what I think they deserve. I'm not really part of the 1 or 10 crowd. This movie is a 3, generously.

Why did I even keep watching? If I'm being honest, just to see if one of the girls got naked. They didn't.

You know how sometimes you turn on a movie and you can tell right away it's a low budget, weird camera work kinda thing? Well, actually in this department, this film is a small step above that. But that's where it stops. The characters are so shallow, so completely one note, it's intolerable. The writing is also an eye-roll extravaganza. The acting is one step above laughable. The worst part? NOTHING INTERESTING HAPPENS.

This movie has an actual plot that just doesn't materialize... At all. That alone is so absurd, it's actually remarkable. There are weird cuts where the movie just jumps forward in time with no lead in. The mild amount of gore and action is so quick cut, that you're not even sure what happened.

I don't know. I just had to see this one through to the end. But I will likely never speak of or think of it again.

The writing and co-direction by Acorye White and Patrycja Kepa show intriguing ambition. Merging sci-fi, psychological horror, and trauma in a secluded cabin setting is not easy. The top actors deliver: White brings a layered vulnerability to Terrance's struggle, and Carl Anthony Payne II (as Chris) lightens the mood with unexpected humor that offsets the darker turns.

The Grove is a bold little film that takes the original concept of a Black Ops soldier undergoing an experimental super-soldier treatment and transforms it into something both terrifying and emotionally grounded. Terrance (played by Acorye White) returns home, only to descend into chaos when the medication regimen collapses. It's not flawless, but it's a fresh take, and I'll be thinking about it more.