First off, what makes this movie very good is the premise throughout the movie that this woman is *not* a victim: not only does she remind herself of that very thing multiple times, she also leans on an (unexplored) faith in "the Creator" to summon the courage to go on. In other words, her strength comes from BOTH an inner determination AND her leaning on a faith. In short, this movie quite openly steps past the current cultures pre-occupation with victimhood and hyperbolic (ironically faith driven) declaration of "all you need is found within yourself". As well, guns are portrayed not merely as killing machines but a tool for survival. It's quite obvious that whoever has the gun is going to depend on whether it's used for good or evil. For these reason alone, I'm not surprised by the low score. For me though, it's what made it a winner.
That being said, HAB, is an interesting and atmospheric experience. It is true that not much happens during the movie in the way of action, however it's what's taking place in the meantime that really matters: there were many times I found myself watching the actors' faces intently to "read" the dynamic taking place; fascinated with how scary that must have been for the character; surprised by the constant, shallowing and then deepening, of the characters motives. While other reviews lament what they determine to be "bad acting", I found myself engrossed in analyzing their movements and watching the interactions unfold.
The choice of music at the very beginning and then are a bit suspect... not exactly what i would have chosen, however the soundtrack and suspense track throughout the rest of the movie were spot on. There was one moment that I swore I heard a "knocking" (which added to the anxiety of suspense) but which turned out to just be a cleverly edited soundtrack.
In summary, this movie bucks the current cultures obsession with victimhood, creates a protagonist that is absolutely fine with surviving, and creates a message of leaning into one's pain to find the faith to press forward. In other words, a movie to sit and analyze in real time.
That being said, HAB, is an interesting and atmospheric experience. It is true that not much happens during the movie in the way of action, however it's what's taking place in the meantime that really matters: there were many times I found myself watching the actors' faces intently to "read" the dynamic taking place; fascinated with how scary that must have been for the character; surprised by the constant, shallowing and then deepening, of the characters motives. While other reviews lament what they determine to be "bad acting", I found myself engrossed in analyzing their movements and watching the interactions unfold.
The choice of music at the very beginning and then are a bit suspect... not exactly what i would have chosen, however the soundtrack and suspense track throughout the rest of the movie were spot on. There was one moment that I swore I heard a "knocking" (which added to the anxiety of suspense) but which turned out to just be a cleverly edited soundtrack.
In summary, this movie bucks the current cultures obsession with victimhood, creates a protagonist that is absolutely fine with surviving, and creates a message of leaning into one's pain to find the faith to press forward. In other words, a movie to sit and analyze in real time.