This is an extremely heavy movie and is extremely difficult to watch. It is not a fun watch but that isn't a bad thing. I think it is actually a positive because if there is something to be said about this film I think that it really tries it's hardest to capture the emotional gravity of events like this.
It doesn't sugar coat things for the most part so scenes are graphic and uncomfortable to watch.
I think Naomi Watts was fantastic. Everyone else was okay.
Before watching I thought to my self that this whole premise was a weird "in" to this story. Why are we telling a story about a white family not native to Thailand when there are thousands and thousands of Thai stories that are also important to hear. Then I was even more confused when I found out the family was Spanish? Why cast English people. Apparently the real Maria wanted Naomi Watts but I think everyone involved probably thought it wouldn't be as marketable as a "foreign language film". So that was all confusing to me.
The script or more so the dialogue was something. I don't know who is the blame. It could be the actors delivering the lines flat or it could be that the dialogue is bad. It is definitely over written. People don't talk like that. Lines feel like the come from a piece of paper.
I also think this could have been trimmed. The pacing was strange to me. I was expecting to get to know the family more so I was shocked when things played out like they did. Some scenes could have definitely been shaved a little bit. And unfortunately the way this movie is there is a part in it which feel like Groundhog Day. The movie almost resets. Which slaughters the already unsteady pacing.
You could watch it if it interests you. It is absolutely devastating and I do think that the film makers made a real effort to show the heartbreak and horror that this event caused. I just think it lets it's self down in some areas.
It doesn't sugar coat things for the most part so scenes are graphic and uncomfortable to watch.
I think Naomi Watts was fantastic. Everyone else was okay.
Before watching I thought to my self that this whole premise was a weird "in" to this story. Why are we telling a story about a white family not native to Thailand when there are thousands and thousands of Thai stories that are also important to hear. Then I was even more confused when I found out the family was Spanish? Why cast English people. Apparently the real Maria wanted Naomi Watts but I think everyone involved probably thought it wouldn't be as marketable as a "foreign language film". So that was all confusing to me.
The script or more so the dialogue was something. I don't know who is the blame. It could be the actors delivering the lines flat or it could be that the dialogue is bad. It is definitely over written. People don't talk like that. Lines feel like the come from a piece of paper.
I also think this could have been trimmed. The pacing was strange to me. I was expecting to get to know the family more so I was shocked when things played out like they did. Some scenes could have definitely been shaved a little bit. And unfortunately the way this movie is there is a part in it which feel like Groundhog Day. The movie almost resets. Which slaughters the already unsteady pacing.
You could watch it if it interests you. It is absolutely devastating and I do think that the film makers made a real effort to show the heartbreak and horror that this event caused. I just think it lets it's self down in some areas.