Convergence (2017) Reviews

• My first movie review

  punkrocker-740972016-03-11

  Out of the thousand of movies I have seen, very few are able to confuse me as much as this movie. So much so, I had to share my experience. First of all, there were a few positives about this movie. It was visually pleasing with enough decent actors to enjoy and, as far as thrillers are concerned, I love movies that keep me guessing. Now for the negatives. I want a movie that keeps me guessing, sure, but only up until the end. Not after the movie is over. I have gone over and over in my mind what exactly the blazes is that I just watched. Originally, I thought that this was going to be one of those second chance movies, where the hero has to redeem himself and he can come back to life from a coma or something along those lines. Wrong. After realizing this, I could not grasp what the story was actually trying to say. All of the random additions to the movie like the many guns, the nurse who sounded like she came from the 50s, the weird shrine, why Daniel was so obsessed with the hero, the files on the table, why the hero's boss didn't tell him where he was, why the hero didn't try very hard to leave the hospital (before he realized he was dead), the whole "killing someone while in purgatory" concept, the transferring of items (the glasses) using a girl who can magically enter purgatory, etc., are virtually endless. Oddly enough, I couldn't find a twist in this mystery/thriller. Unless the twist is that you expect some sort of glorious redemption for the hero and in the end he just tortures a guy for a name of another guy who was right next to the bomb when it went off and should be dead anyway, and then after getting the name continues to beat him (apparently). It feels like there are some missing scenes that are key to putting the whole story together that would make me say "oh so THAT'S why". In conclusion, without a full explanation of the strange going-ons in this movie either before or after watching it, it is just not worth watching. Take it from me, someone who has seen almost every semi-decent+ mystery/thriller movie ever made. There are much better movies/ways to spend your time watching.

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• Convergence is exactly the kind of movie we need more of.

  kiamag2016-03-01

  Convergence is one of those movies that I had to watch more than once. What I loved most about it, was that it challenges both the horror and psychological thriller genres in a whole new way. This film does what Hollywood is scared to do. They attempted something different. The religious themes that run through out add a unique view point that I feel gives more depth both to our hero and to the lunatic he is out to get. Truth be told I did feel there were a few pacing issues just around the middle of the film, but the pay off was worth it. The effects were amazing and done without being so over the top that you are taken back out of the film. They kept it classy. I enjoyed that there is certainly some gore but it's not mindless blood lust. Ethan Embry plays a stellar antagonist and Clayne Crawford shows us the emotional side of being pitted in a situation no man wants to face. Convergence brings it home on numerous levels. Eery ghost like beings, a complete nut job that you cant reason with, and feelings of loss when you attempted to do your best for the hero. The supporting characters are huge in this. The nurse alone gave me goosebumps and one unfortunate soul who had a really bad day as far as his face is concerned really got me. I look up to movies like this because they challenge convention and the day to day, re-purposed crap that Hollywood calls original entertainment. Do yourself a favor and watch Convergence at your nearest opportunity. Drew Hall and his crew really know how to entertain.

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• might be worth sitting through

  flowirin2016-02-18

  I'm not sure about this one. Without giving any spoilers, its odd. The beginning is interesting, then it goes really really really bad for a while. Better adjectives? Hackneyed. Dull. Gratuitously violent. Confused. About an hour in, things take a turn for the more interesting, although the overplayed grunt of violence and US style gun fetish get tiring. There's a theme of fundamentalism, but i'm not sure that there really are any fundamental christians who act like the moron in this movie. Maybe i'm wrong and the world is a far more horrid place than i believe. At any rate, if those people do exist, i don't expect they have any supernatural abilities such as exhibited here. The suspense of disbelief required is a wee bit too far. As is the torture and violence. pointless. endless. Still, there are scenes in the film that are clever, hinting at places that a less pain and violence obsessed director could take a better movie. If you like torture movies and the supernatural and old fashioned detective movies, then perhaps this might be your thing.

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• The best horror- thriller -cult classic type film i have seen all year!

  scottamac2016-02-16

  This movie is Fantastic! I really wasn't expecting much when I viewed this film. These days it seems like, " you've seen one you've seen them all" and I'm really getting sick of all the Copy Cat " SAW/ Poltergeist/Satan's busting a move to take over the world "Franchise Crap, but that's Holly wood for you, rehashing a theme until it's a dead horse mangled on the ground. This movie is done like a cult classic and I think they did it that way on purpose. It has a couple of good spins in it, some scares, some corn ball Lurch types, even a 50's Betty-Boop nurse. It really had a great mixture all around. I'm not really a horror/beyond the grave/Limbo movie fan, but this kept me in my seat and motivated to keep watching. The twist towards the end and how it just slid right into your lap was really well done, My prediction of how it was going to end was way off and that was refreshing for once. If you get the chance to take this Movie in, Do so. Enjoy!

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• A Horror-Action-Mystery Like No Other

  gavin69422016-01-29

  A detective (Clayne Crawford) must fight for the redemption of his soul when he finds himself trapped in a mysterious hospital that serves as a gateway between heaven and hell. Writer-director Drew Hall grew up watching the cult classics, including "Maniac Cop" and "Gymkata", and took that frame of mind and mixed it with the literary classic, Dante's "Inferno". For a touch of real life, he relied on something he recalled growing up. As he says, "In Mobile / Pensacola during the 90's there were some really tragic murders committed in the name of God by anti-abortion extremists called the Army of God." These influences, as disparate as they may be, blend very well, and go perfect in the setting of a hospital (filmed at an actual abandoned hospital, no less). Regarding mysterious hospitals, we can trace the motif going back at least to Lars von Trier's "The Kingdom" and probably much earlier... but never before used as it is here. To flesh out the unique story we have a notable cast. The biggest name is probably Ethan Embry, who really broke out in "Dutch" (1991) and then exploded in "Can't Hardly Wait" (1998). Since 2005, he has been in a steady stream of horror features, and we now know oh so well he can provide a dark side as well as the sweet and innocent. This works great for "Convergence", as he plays both sides in many ways. Clayne Crawford takes the lead. I was not familiar with his past work, but from certain angles he could pass as Ray Liotta, which is probably a good thing. The actress playing Casey could pass for a younger, more attractive Sandra Bullock... which is definitely a good thing. The nurse's southern accent was a bit over the top (especially compared to her co-stars), but I loved the characters of Grayson and Miles and would like to see more of those actors' faces. The camera and direction are for the most part great. I could have used less fuzzy, blurry, shaky camera in some places, but this happens more in the first half and is easily forgotten. Some of the great effects later on more than make up for that. The plot is almost what could be called Lynchian. That may be going too far, but I kept getting hints of "Mulholland Drive" for reasons that are not explainable. This is not something I thought I would ever say, but I love the inclusion of GAPS (the paranormal research team). I strongly dislike "ghost hunting" shows and have no interest in the "Paranormal Activity" franchise. But Drew Hall found a way to use such characters in an interesting, innovative way... they are ideal supporting characters and give the film a sense of balance that might otherwise be lacking. Lastly, thank you for Everclear's "Santa Monica". Some songs just bring us back to a better time in life, and this is one of them.

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