The Guest

Decuc500 · 15-09-2014 9:50am

adamski8 wrote: »

Thanks guys, i think we finally got some proper reviews of it there, i think ill skip it afterall

Ah come on! Go see it and make up your own mind!

This film was a lot of fun. It's nice to see a film made by someone who is obviously a fan of genre cinema. It was a homage to the films the writer and director were inspired by when they were younger. Quite a geeky film in that respect.

I tend not to analyse films to death. What works, what doesn't work...The Guest just put a smile on my face and reminded me of countless slasher and action films I saw growing up.

Hugely enjoyable.

Victor · 15-09-2014 9:53am

Bizarre score, especially the dun-dun-dun music.

pixelburp · 15-09-2014 9:58am

The second movie in about two months I've seen that pilfered the styling and tone of early John Carpenter - Cold in July being the previous case - and funnily enough both films contained a third act where the script took a running jump off the cliff. Yet while Cold in July at least plowed a tangent into a less interesting mob story, it kept itself pretty grounded throughout (ish): in the case of The Guest, it figured what it really wanted to be all along was some

mediocre lovechild of the Bourne films crossed with Halloween

. The results were less than impressive, in fact the moment Lance Reddick appeared on screen to perform duties as Captain Infodump (a presence, I might add, who is not around enough, the man has an actors face and can really command a screen) I threw my eyes up, for-f*cks-saked and realised the film I was vaguely interested in just disappeared up its own script.

It's disappointing because I broadly enjoyed the first two thirds of the film, even if as a pastiche it didn't actually achieve anything - except of course make me want to watch the much superior films it was riffing off. It's all well and good nodding towards the days of early 80s horror, back before John Carpenter decided to stop trying, but unless you're bringing a new idea or interesting slant to the table, it all just comes off as a hollow knock-off, an exercise in wallowing. It was clear within the first seconds as the musical sting accompanied the blatantly Carpenter-esque credits, this would be a nostalgia trip and you know that's fine, there's nothing inherently wrong with that, but the end result was more than a little disappointing.

It wasn't even particularly nice to look at: it seemed like a missed opportunity that a filmed clearly aping Carpenter didn't try to copy the contributions Dean Cundey made to Carpenters films, with those striking compositions and haunting vistas he brought to films such as The Fog. Instead it all felt very safe and uninteresting.

Credit where credit's due though: Toby Stevens' performance was beautifully balanced; genuinely menacing when it needed to be, his best moments those little asides when no other character was watching him and his face just darkens. Amazing what a little extra furrowing or a dead expression can achieve. That chilled the blood. But then the third act kicked in and he just decided to turn things up to 11.

The score was also enjoyable (there was at least one track from Hotline Miami which seemed an apt touch)

adamski8 · 15-09-2014 10:27am

Decuc500 wrote: »

Ah come on! Go see it and make up your own mind!.

You could say that about any film. Reviews really help me decide which films to see. I only see about 5 a year so i like to see some of the best ones

ancapailldorcha · 15-09-2014 5:21pm

My local cinemas have dropped this which is irritating.

cloud493 · 15-09-2014 5:32pm

Doesn't seem to be getting very many showings. I've seen it twice which is fine till the blu ray comes out so.

TerrorFirmer · 19-09-2014 12:05am

Just back from it now, and it seriously took me by surprise. I knew very little about it going in, and I was almost tempted to give it a miss because I thought the movie would likely be as generic as its title.

Totally wrong. Absolutely amazing movie, loved it from start to finish. Great performances, killer soundtrack, fantastic nods and full of tongue in cheek moments.

Drive meets Universal Soldier meets The Terminator meets.....?

Who knows. Solid entertainment though from start to finish.

Arghus · 20-09-2014 2:20am

After a long fallow period in which a dearth of worthwhile movies to see at my local cinema nearly forced me in desperation to hand over money for Sin City 2, The Guest arrived like a bolt from the blue. Ready to remind me that good things do sometimes come to those who wait.

It steals liberally and unashamedly from a wide variety of previous sources- John Carpenter, The Terminator, Drive. It doesn't seem to want to make a serious point or have anything major to say artistically but it's a smart mix of pastiche and subverting the standard formula. I have to admit that this was the best fun I've had at the movies in a long, long time.

We have here a glorious mix of tension, violence and utter ludicrousness. And not to forget the laughs. This film is hilarious. I think it was a damn satisfying meal of thrash. I enjoyed every bite.

To be fair, I can see how the story's turn into the realm of the fantastic could lose people, coming as it does at the end of a sustained build up of tension in the first third of the movie, but for me it felt almost reassuring, an acknowledgement that all bets were off from there on in and that we could and probably would see anything and everything before the film played out. A shootout in a Halloween maze, complete with dry ice and pulsating synths? I feel sorry for those that can't take enjoyment in such things. Sign me up now.

It won't appeal to everyone. It is damn weird after all. But if you like your violence black and your laughs blacker you won't do far wrong here.

Dublin3344 · 22-09-2014 1:08pm

...what a total mess!...a reasonable opening that descends into farce...the initial plot opens up well enough with tension building slowly...and then...a call to the military sparks off a sequence of poorly thought out, badly scripted and badly delivered scenes..a call to arms produces two lease hire jeeps, several pointless merc types, a dreadful shoot out as the entire movie heads south for the toilet..the attempt to reconnect with 80's style flciks falls flat on its face along with an ending that is so dull, laboured and predictable...you get the picture..yawn...

Crucifix · 23-09-2014 3:49pm

Loved it. The tone definitely shifts around, I can definitely see how that could put people off, but I was along for the ride. It struck me that the main guy is like

Captain America gone wrong. Blonde haired, blue eyed, super solider. Very all-american accent, polite and wholesome (on the surface). Except he's a ruthless psycho. Stick an eyepatch on Lance Reddick with his black trenchcoat and he'd be Nick Fury.

Great soundtrack, lots of laughs. Excellent performance from Dan Stevens, which the whole movie hangs on really.

Sad Professor · 30-09-2014 5:40pm

I’d put this on equal par with You’re Next. Both had interesting premises that the director failed to explore or execute to their fullest, making them enjoyable single-sitting experiences but utterly forgettable in the long run. I was expecting a bigger twist than what we got, which seemed fairly predictable. I enjoyed the genre-mashing of the last act, especially the black comedy of the final scene, but wish the whole film had kept a similar tone.

spiritcrusher · 01-10-2014 12:31am

Went to see this with a friend knowing almost nothing about it and absolutely loved it. At the beginning I was watching it thinking the characters are complete stereotypes, the plot seems like a cast-off from Hitchcock and the acting is grand but nothing particularly astounding... Yet, I was really enjoying it. Once it became clear the film isn't exactly completely serious I felt that's when it really started to take off and I found some of it exceptionally funny. Extremely confidently directed too, which it had to be when dealing with such well worn characters and plot devices.
I get the comparison with Killer Joe but I never got the feeling the writers wanted to go that far in the end but rather keep it fairly playful throughout.
Had a slightly awkward exchange with my friend at the end, who didn't really pick up on the tone of the film. Just as I was about to praise it she let's rip: "Well, that was just awful." "Awful??" "It was like it meant to be a joke or something." "Eh, yeah. It was." "Oh..."

Deisler · 16-11-2014 12:51am

Just watched this tonight. Enjoyed it. Got a real 80's John Carpenter vibe. Excellent soundtrack too.

Duggy747 · 16-11-2014 3:12am

Was disappointed with it, it was far too hyped in my head for what was a solid and enjoyable but ultimately forgettable genre mash-up film.

Dan Stevens did a fine job on carrying the film though, you spend most of the film analyzing his facial expressions knowing there's something more beneath that smile.

MagicMarker · 18-11-2014 2:58pm

Got around to watching this at the weekend, was expecting good things after reading this thread.

If I was younger (<23) and had gone to cinema to see it with friends, then it would likely be my new favourite movie. As it's so ridiculously hilariously OTT.

However, I'm >30, and watched it on my own. So... what a fúcking mess of a movie.

s8n · 18-11-2014 4:01pm

MagicMarker wrote: »

Got around to watching this at the weekend, was expecting good things after reading this thread.

If I was younger (<23) and had gone to cinema to see it with friends, then it would likely be my new favourite movie. As it's so ridiculously hilariously OTT.

However, I'm >30, and watched it on my own. So... what a fúcking mess of a movie.

I have to agree. Lots of promise (loved the bar room scene) but ultimately a mess

brianregan09 · 29-11-2014 2:28pm

I'm also 30 and loved it , Its real fun , and the lead was superb in it i agree what someone else said on here he's like an evil captain america for lack of a better word , and like others i was on his side up to about 3/4s of the way through the movie

Sam Mac · 02-12-2014 5:14am

Liked it but didn't love it. Dan Stevens did a good job and he has a certain wicked charm about him that draws you into his character.

I preferred You're Next though.

DoYouEvenLift · 02-12-2014 4:15pm

Only above average part of this movie was the soundtrack.

cloud493 · 26-12-2014 8:28pm

Did anyone see the blu ray for this on sale today? It was supposed to come out today, and HMV/Xtravision have it for sale on their site, but nothing in tesco/hmv henry street.

OldeCinemaSoz · 27-12-2014 12:23am

Sounds like DEAD OF NIGHT. The one that played second fiddle with Cronenberg's RABID
in the late '70s.

Sounds INTERESTING.

06-01-2015 12:20am

Just after watching this and I adored it but then as the credits rolled I checked my phone and saw a text which completely took the wind out of my sails and just put me down in a hole. Really tainted my enjoyment of the film and the person who sent the text is the same person who screwed me over quite badly the week that The Guest was in cinemas here and as such I missed it on the big screen.

I had planned to write a nice long piece about the film, disucuss it in detail but that enthusiasm I had to do so is suddenly gone, I wanted to go into detail on why it's an exceptional piece of cinema, to talk about the score which is fantastic, the superb performance, the wonderful aesthetics, the well staged action and the ever increasing sense of dread that Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett create but alas right now I'm not in the mood to do so. Think I'll simply throw the film back on and just enjoy Dan Stevens kicking ass.

nix · 06-01-2015 12:33am

Deleted User wrote: »

Just after watching this and I adored it but then as the credits rolled I checked my phone and saw a text which completely took the wind out of my sails and just put me down in a hole. Really tainted my enjoyment of the film and the person who sent the text is the same person who screwed me over quite badly the week that The Guest was in cinemas here and as such I missed it on the big screen.

I had planned to write a nice long piece about the film, disucuss it in detail but that enthusiasm I had to do so is suddenly gone, I wanted to go into detail on why it's an exceptional piece of cinema, to talk about the score which is fantastic, the superb performance, the wonderful aesthetics, the well staged action and the ever increasing sense of dread that Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett create but alas right now I'm not in the mood to do so. Think I'll simply throw the film back on and just enjoy Dan Stevens kicking ass.

Shoulda just went around to their place and burned the house down..

06-01-2015 12:36am

nix wrote: »

Shoulda just went around to their place and burned the house down..

Only worth doing that if you know they are at home with their family.

Goldstein · 06-01-2015 1:06am

Those 5 minutes and 15 seconds in the bar were the most enjoyable 315 seconds of distilled brilliance and satisfaction that I watched all year. I'll admit to rewatching that scene many times and it always puts me in a good mood. Same with his party entrance and epic spliff drag to this music (that frustratingly wasn't on the soundtrack or Shazam's database). Mike Simonetti's The Magician was dropped from Spotify too in the last few weeks for some reason.

And then there was this genuine laugh out loud gem:

David: "What happened?"
Luke: "This kid called me a fagg0t. So I eh, broke a yardstick on his face"
David: "ok ehh................" *smiles* "...........Awesome!"

It's a contender for soundtrack of the decade, yet alone of 2014. Gets better with every viewing/listen. They were worried about the cost of having so much music on there but they managed it somehow with some inspired little known choices.

Good interview with Adam Wingard here: http://www.vice.com/read/interview-with-adam-wingard-806

He mentions he's a big fan of the Mortal Kombat and The Matrix soundtracks. No surprise it resonated with me!

DoYouEvenLift · 06-01-2015 2:39am

Started listening to the kind of music from this movie a lot lately as well and thought people ITT who liked the soundtrack would like this track

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z56ZramAaQI

PhiloCypher · 06-01-2015 12:00pm

Enjoyed this up to the half way point when I thought it was it was about a damaged soldier taking his promise to take care of his dead buddies family a little too far.

But it lost me once they introduced plastic surgery and a super soldier program.

The Guest

Comments