The problem with this film is that it's not really a true horror flick, nor is it a very convincing drama. And the script beats you over the head with metaphors and symbols to make its too-many points.
If the goal was to bring to light the damage "fear" can do to us, it didn't work for me. All it managed to do was to make a mockery of the film's valid points (and make me hope never to land in a hospital.) A great film about fear of the unfamiliar and distrust of people of other backgrounds/color/race, was 'Crash'. It dealt with fear, racism, sexism, violence, misogyny, love, sex and human alienation, and managed to do so brilliantly and touchingly while maintaining a consistent level of suspense.
By taking the "horror" slant, 'Sublime' caricaturized the message and the characters. The unrealistic "sexy nurse", the sloppy and again unrealistic banter with the Persian doctor about his nationality/credentials, Mandingo's deranged & angry black-vs.-white racial rants and sadistic acts, were all so over-the-top that all they managed to do was annoy me.
But I still gave the film a few stars because I actually liked Tom Cavanaugh in this role, and the rest of the actors were okay though not great, with the exception again of Zoe & Mandingo, who were both just ridiculous stereotypes instead of well-portrayed manifestations of our deepest desires and fears. I blame neither the actors or the director, but the writer.
I did like the soundtrack quite a bit; too bad it had to accompany such a silly script.
~NN
If the goal was to bring to light the damage "fear" can do to us, it didn't work for me. All it managed to do was to make a mockery of the film's valid points (and make me hope never to land in a hospital.) A great film about fear of the unfamiliar and distrust of people of other backgrounds/color/race, was 'Crash'. It dealt with fear, racism, sexism, violence, misogyny, love, sex and human alienation, and managed to do so brilliantly and touchingly while maintaining a consistent level of suspense.
By taking the "horror" slant, 'Sublime' caricaturized the message and the characters. The unrealistic "sexy nurse", the sloppy and again unrealistic banter with the Persian doctor about his nationality/credentials, Mandingo's deranged & angry black-vs.-white racial rants and sadistic acts, were all so over-the-top that all they managed to do was annoy me.
But I still gave the film a few stars because I actually liked Tom Cavanaugh in this role, and the rest of the actors were okay though not great, with the exception again of Zoe & Mandingo, who were both just ridiculous stereotypes instead of well-portrayed manifestations of our deepest desires and fears. I blame neither the actors or the director, but the writer.
I did like the soundtrack quite a bit; too bad it had to accompany such a silly script.
~NN