58 reviews
This movie had all the parts it needed to be a great horror movie. A creepy situation, creepy location, good acting (Jason Patric), and part of a story.
They didn't do a good job though. It's like they were baking a cake, got all the ingredients out, and then just left it all on the counter in separate piles, tadah!!!
The story makes no sense at all. I think Louisa Krause is probably a decent actress, but was over acting all the time. All though I'm pretty sure that was due to the writing.
This would be a good movie to remake with all the same actors and the same place, but with someone that knows how to tell a story that makes sense.
They didn't do a good job though. It's like they were baking a cake, got all the ingredients out, and then just left it all on the counter in separate piles, tadah!!!
The story makes no sense at all. I think Louisa Krause is probably a decent actress, but was over acting all the time. All though I'm pretty sure that was due to the writing.
This would be a good movie to remake with all the same actors and the same place, but with someone that knows how to tell a story that makes sense.
"The Abandoned" has a young troubled woman (Louisa Krause) working as a night patrol at a massive abandoned luxury apartment building in New York City. Training her on the job is a cynical longtime employee (Jason Patric), but what should be fresh on-the-job jitters becomes a living nightmare when she discovers something sinister lurking in the building.
Perhaps it's because I went into this film with relatively low expectations, but I found "The Abandoned" to really only be half-bad. Previous reviewers are astute in their observance of the film's atmosphere, which is laid on thick and is really the central reason that I stuck with the film from beginning to end. It's well-photographed and the sprawling Renaissance-meets-art deco interiors are profoundly creepy. The film is worth viewing for this reason alone, as it is truly engrossing on just a visual level.
The script is where this film is truly weakest, although this mostly lay in the hodgepodge resolution, which is where the film really begins to come apart at the seams. It is not necessarily as cliché-ridden as many have seemed to paint it to be, though it is most definitely clichéd. At times the film reminded me of 2011's "The Innkeepers" due to the sparse cast and nightshift setting, though a far less subtle version; at other times, it seems inspired by 1999's "House on Haunted Hill" remake. Louisa Krause and Jason Patric have great chemistry on screen here, and play off of one another quite well. Both provide solid performances that are better than the material demands.
Overall, "The Abandoned" is a middling supernatural horror film; it is far from revolutionary, and is at times frustrating in its employment of routine plot devices, but the synergy between Krause and Patric is great, and the film is at times legitimately creepy, even in its conventionality. On a visual and atmospheric level, it's fantastic, but, as I said, the script doesn't match up with the film's aesthetic strides. 5/10.
Perhaps it's because I went into this film with relatively low expectations, but I found "The Abandoned" to really only be half-bad. Previous reviewers are astute in their observance of the film's atmosphere, which is laid on thick and is really the central reason that I stuck with the film from beginning to end. It's well-photographed and the sprawling Renaissance-meets-art deco interiors are profoundly creepy. The film is worth viewing for this reason alone, as it is truly engrossing on just a visual level.
The script is where this film is truly weakest, although this mostly lay in the hodgepodge resolution, which is where the film really begins to come apart at the seams. It is not necessarily as cliché-ridden as many have seemed to paint it to be, though it is most definitely clichéd. At times the film reminded me of 2011's "The Innkeepers" due to the sparse cast and nightshift setting, though a far less subtle version; at other times, it seems inspired by 1999's "House on Haunted Hill" remake. Louisa Krause and Jason Patric have great chemistry on screen here, and play off of one another quite well. Both provide solid performances that are better than the material demands.
Overall, "The Abandoned" is a middling supernatural horror film; it is far from revolutionary, and is at times frustrating in its employment of routine plot devices, but the synergy between Krause and Patric is great, and the film is at times legitimately creepy, even in its conventionality. On a visual and atmospheric level, it's fantastic, but, as I said, the script doesn't match up with the film's aesthetic strides. 5/10.
- drownsoda90
- Jun 16, 2016
- Permalink
The scares are there, so are the intense moments, good chilling atmosphere, good execution and pretty much OK acting.
A normal horror, they didn't over stretch it, didn't over play it, they kept it simple and effective. Just don't expect to be blown away or even slightly impressed, the ending itself is very predictable. The Abandoned is a horror movie that some will see and they will most likely either quickly forget about it, or keep comparing it with so many other such productions before it.
All in all, an OK movie for a lonely late night.
Cheers!
A normal horror, they didn't over stretch it, didn't over play it, they kept it simple and effective. Just don't expect to be blown away or even slightly impressed, the ending itself is very predictable. The Abandoned is a horror movie that some will see and they will most likely either quickly forget about it, or keep comparing it with so many other such productions before it.
All in all, an OK movie for a lonely late night.
Cheers!
- Patient444
- Jan 16, 2016
- Permalink
The main problem is that it meanders a little too much in the third act.
Acting was extremely good and the story intrigued me. I like a slow burn horror/mystery but this had some pacing issues
The lead actress did make me feel for her, her pain was palpable and her journey was heartfelt. Jason Patric remains underrated as ever, turning in a wonderfully dry and real performance.
I'm still not 100% on what was happening and I like that, I feel that the lack of understanding is my fault and not the movies and I'm sure if I rewatched it I would understand better
It's a very atmospheric movie so keep that in mind when you watch it and also remember some horror is a marathon not a sprint
Acting was extremely good and the story intrigued me. I like a slow burn horror/mystery but this had some pacing issues
The lead actress did make me feel for her, her pain was palpable and her journey was heartfelt. Jason Patric remains underrated as ever, turning in a wonderfully dry and real performance.
I'm still not 100% on what was happening and I like that, I feel that the lack of understanding is my fault and not the movies and I'm sure if I rewatched it I would understand better
It's a very atmospheric movie so keep that in mind when you watch it and also remember some horror is a marathon not a sprint
- NotAFakeReviewer
- May 31, 2019
- Permalink
I don't know why I let myself get suckered into the $7.99 rental fee for this film. Generally I'll do enough homework on a horror movie that I won't be cheated, but they got me here. The film was terrible from the start, girl with psychological problems takes a job at the creepy, deserted, dark, Gothic building. Lord.... need I say more. And how bout the obligatory wet t shirt? Spare me. I can't believe I fell for it. Every five minutes somebody says " we gotta get out of here", and I would say, why? But that's exactly what I should have done halfway through this dog......got out of here. But I will not go down easy after putting up 8 bucks. So I stuck it out until the end. And believe me when I say that 3 stars is being overly generous.
This was excessively stupid, with lazy, loud jump-scares, no character building or development, and absolutely no thrills or suspense whatsoever.
The story is completely pointless. It relies on weak and offensive stereotypes of what disabled children look and act like, and what year was this supposed to be?! North America hasn't housed groups of disabled children in "asylums" since the 1920s.
What was the point of the facial deformity? Do children with intellectual disabilities have huge facial deformities now?? And what was the point of the coma? What was the point of the screaming and crying all the time? How is screaming into the sky compelling in any way?
This whole movie was one dumb turd of an idea after the other. I'd rather spend the night in the sewage below an actual hospital, in any time period, than ever see this dumb, stupid, predictable, stupid, stupid movie ever again.
The story is completely pointless. It relies on weak and offensive stereotypes of what disabled children look and act like, and what year was this supposed to be?! North America hasn't housed groups of disabled children in "asylums" since the 1920s.
What was the point of the facial deformity? Do children with intellectual disabilities have huge facial deformities now?? And what was the point of the coma? What was the point of the screaming and crying all the time? How is screaming into the sky compelling in any way?
This whole movie was one dumb turd of an idea after the other. I'd rather spend the night in the sewage below an actual hospital, in any time period, than ever see this dumb, stupid, predictable, stupid, stupid movie ever again.
- leesimon-26357
- Oct 17, 2021
- Permalink
This murky little horror film involves a woman who may or may not be going out of her mind who gets a job as a security guard at a run down old apartment complex which has been long since abandoned. Her only company on the job is a fellow guard, cynical and disabled. The woman becomes convinced that a sinister presence lurks within the confines of the building and takes it upon herself to investigate...
As you'd guess from the premise, CONFINED is very much par for the course for this type of film-making. It feels a lot like GRAVE ENCOUNTERS and the like, albeit without the 'found footage' hook and shooting more traditionally instead. There's a lot of stuff with CCTV footage, which is quite neat, but more often than not the film descends into the usual wandering around in dimly lit corridor type scenarios.
The film lacks decent cast members; those present are okay, but hardly electrifying. Jason Patric (THE LOST BOYS) looks so unrecognisable that it took me half the film to realise who I was watching. And despite repeated efforts on the part of the director, CONFINED doesn't manage to be scary for a moment.
As you'd guess from the premise, CONFINED is very much par for the course for this type of film-making. It feels a lot like GRAVE ENCOUNTERS and the like, albeit without the 'found footage' hook and shooting more traditionally instead. There's a lot of stuff with CCTV footage, which is quite neat, but more often than not the film descends into the usual wandering around in dimly lit corridor type scenarios.
The film lacks decent cast members; those present are okay, but hardly electrifying. Jason Patric (THE LOST BOYS) looks so unrecognisable that it took me half the film to realise who I was watching. And despite repeated efforts on the part of the director, CONFINED doesn't manage to be scary for a moment.
- Leofwine_draca
- Jun 26, 2016
- Permalink
- quincytheodore
- Jan 17, 2016
- Permalink
- TheWinterShoulder
- Jun 28, 2016
- Permalink
I been on a movie set like this in which a director was able to get access to a place were he can film his entire movie all at once in a few days or weeks. Sometimes the problem with that is that they try to stretch out something that cannot be stretched.
The first act is slow, and you can tell its slow because nothing happens that really drives the movie to go anywhere or get me interested at all (except for me thinking to myself "is that Jason Patrick?"). They could have used a better lead actress as well.
As the movie progressed, it keep looking like it was going to be promising, but they kept holding on to moment in the film for far too ling and you loose interest.
Overall this horror film was trying to be cleaver and imaginative, but mostly just lost me in boredom. Overall it was a good story that was just not implemented well enough.
The first act is slow, and you can tell its slow because nothing happens that really drives the movie to go anywhere or get me interested at all (except for me thinking to myself "is that Jason Patrick?"). They could have used a better lead actress as well.
As the movie progressed, it keep looking like it was going to be promising, but they kept holding on to moment in the film for far too ling and you loose interest.
Overall this horror film was trying to be cleaver and imaginative, but mostly just lost me in boredom. Overall it was a good story that was just not implemented well enough.
- subxerogravity
- Jan 18, 2016
- Permalink
Some people can't be trusted to carry out the simplest of tasks. Julia is a single mother who has obviously had a troubled life, possibly due to substance abuse. Her mother is threatening to apply for full custody of her daughter, so this is the last chance saloon. She gets a well-paid job on the graveyard shift guarding a massive deserted palatial complex that has never been occupied owing to the slump. There is only her and the time-serving Cooper, who is confined to a wheelchair. All she has to do is watch screens all night, walk about every two hours, and don't let anybody in. What could be simpler? And of course, on her very first night she breaks every rule in the book, but if she didn't there would be no film, would there? Cooper is of the opinion she will last a week at most, par for the course due to a combination of the boredom and his sparkling wit.
As it turns out, girlie guard does have a pill problem, but not the recreational kind; she "sees things" others can't see, and the good doktor has prescribed these to ensure she doesn't continue to see them. Cooper is not impressed with her explanation that the things she sees are indeed real, especially in this vast empty building in spite of its past; apparently part of it has not always been unoccupied.
There is a massive twist in the end which is open to interpretation or misinterpretation, but this isn't a bad effort considering most of the film consists of people walking around in the dark.
As it turns out, girlie guard does have a pill problem, but not the recreational kind; she "sees things" others can't see, and the good doktor has prescribed these to ensure she doesn't continue to see them. Cooper is not impressed with her explanation that the things she sees are indeed real, especially in this vast empty building in spite of its past; apparently part of it has not always been unoccupied.
There is a massive twist in the end which is open to interpretation or misinterpretation, but this isn't a bad effort considering most of the film consists of people walking around in the dark.
Well , I like it , the first half of this movie was so good. the atmosphere and the acting was too , but i didn't like the end ( my opinion) , and before I watch this , by chance I watched NIGHTWORLD movie 2 weeks ago , then I asked myself who stole the script from the other ? , because both of them have the same story . so my advice is : watch this movie , after that go see the NIGHTWORLD and make a comparison by yourself because both of them were good.
6/10
6/10
- iamtherobotman
- Jan 13, 2017
- Permalink
It reminded me of some good old-fashioned horror movies. This film relies more on suspense as opposed to cheap scares that I see in every horror film these days. Jason Patric gives an outstanding performance, and so does Louisa Krause although I was not familiar with her acting before this film. Mark Margolis is always a pleasure to watch even in his smaller roles. The location and setting are amazing, and the pacing and cinematography kept me at the edge of my seat. Personally I loved the ending but I always preferred films with good twists that keep me guessing.
9/10
Definitely recommend.
9/10
Definitely recommend.
- mwidunn-95-631875
- Aug 5, 2016
- Permalink
The horror premise is simple and straightforward, although i can only give an average rating for this movie. The script lacks any kind of depth and the usual clique used for the genre
Started off great with that James Cameron's Aliens type of feel but fell short in the 2nd half. When one expects a CCTV based survival horror in a cathedral kinda thing , the script rather turned out to be a simple run of the mill story in the second.
The visuals and atmosphere were pretty decent and apt but the script was a letdown. Recommend watching if u have nothing else on a Saturday night if else passable.
Started off great with that James Cameron's Aliens type of feel but fell short in the 2nd half. When one expects a CCTV based survival horror in a cathedral kinda thing , the script rather turned out to be a simple run of the mill story in the second.
The visuals and atmosphere were pretty decent and apt but the script was a letdown. Recommend watching if u have nothing else on a Saturday night if else passable.
- stylegamer
- Jun 21, 2016
- Permalink
This movie was so cheesy and pointless, that my husband took away my movie picking privileges. So bad. I don't blame him. It's my fault I keep giving these crapfests, a try and watch until the end because damn it, I'm going to finish it. I do this to myself. Self inflicted torture.
- Movieshepherd
- Aug 8, 2021
- Permalink
I love supernatural movies, suspense and thrillers movies. I think people forget that there are many more sections or categories to scary movies They're not all combined into one. I don't like the slasher movies for example.
My point is this movie is more of a suspense movie than anything else. So if you like suspense movies then this is the movie for you. When I looked through the reviews everybody's comments are about jumpscares and things of that nature but they're looking at it from a different perspective than what the movie is intended to be viewed as witch is as a suspense movie.
My point is this movie is more of a suspense movie than anything else. So if you like suspense movies then this is the movie for you. When I looked through the reviews everybody's comments are about jumpscares and things of that nature but they're looking at it from a different perspective than what the movie is intended to be viewed as witch is as a suspense movie.
- brittanywill21
- Feb 19, 2016
- Permalink
The Abandoned (2015) is cliché, jump-scare ridden, piece of garbage horror film. Before I start my rant, I'll start off with what I liked. The atmosphere was creepy and the acting wasn't half bad. But Dear God, this film is awful. A dead rat acts as a jump-scare. A hobo knocking on the door acts as a jump-scare. A computer glitch acts as a jump-scare. WHAT THE HELL IS SCARY ABOUT THAT! Once we get introduced to the "monster" everything goes down-hill. I'll have to admit, once I saw the "monster" I started laughing hysterically. He looks like 'Sloth" from the Goonies. I had to pause the movie because I couldn't stop laughing. It was that bad. Then the film starts making no sense. I don't know how it could happen, but it rolls even further down hill. At this point, the film has gotten into a horrific accident. Then comes the plot twist. I saw it coming a mile away, and it is mind-blowingly stupid. This film was, at times, a "so bad its good" movie. But a majority of the film was so damn boring and predictable I can't even give it that. To be blunt: this film sucks.
- PeterLormeReviews
- Jan 22, 2016
- Permalink
It takes a lot for a horror film to win me over unless it's infused with a satirical streak of comedy. Great stories are hard to find, and a rich creepy atmosphere isn't enough, they have to have depth but it can't be too contrived to fit their symbolism. The last horror film I loved is quite recent, but I wouldn't call it scary, It Follows connects to me because of its representation of the anxieties of adulthood.
Before that, we have Let The Right One In and Michael Haneke's remake of his own Funny Games, a film that reiterates what the genre had become since his first 1997 version. To say director Eytan Rockaway's The Confines had me engaged at first is a big compliment. But when suspense builds too much to the unpredictable, there's three possible outcomes; either it's a fakeout and we cut away, or it's a predictable and poor payoff, or it's a payoff so out of the box that it abandons all reason. It's very good at everything but the horror. We got all three here.
Louisa Krause plays Streak, a young pill-popping woman desperate for work to keep custody of her offscreen child. She's generally strong-willed and well-intentioned, she's just on the wrong side of a few mistakes. Streak takes a job in the city to be one of two security guards, the other is Cooper, a disgruntled Jason Patric, for a huge extravagant apartment complex. It was built before the recession but has gone unused since as nobody could afford to move in.
Her good nature leads her to let in a homeless man who would otherwise die on the streets, played by familiar face in independent cinema Mark Margolis, despite protest from Cooper. It's a decision that she soon regrets as her first night appears to be her last. On frequent patrols through dark dusty rooms she discovers dark secrets about what happened beneath the apartment a long time ago.
The Confines is at the very least technically proficient. The sleek cinematography, editing and sound design are all sharp, boosting the modest production value of such a small scale film. However, the deeper you get into it the harder it is to justify certain leaps in logic in the plot. It's never explained why they have to guard an abandoned building so vehemently. I assumed it's because they want to reopen it again after the market revives, which would make sense but who's paying for 24 hour security on a place that makes no money?
And while it makes for a compelling character to play off Streak, why would they hire a disabled guard? Those contrivances are hard to see through. The Confines had the atmosphere to get under your skin, much like The Descent's organic claustrophobia, and then the potential grows as it heads into Titicut Follies-inspired territory. But no, it wants to only slowly follow the flashlight and use jump scares and loud music for cheaper thrills. The last half hour is such a shame after decent potential. That's not to say it's bad, it's just nothing special.
Fortunately, the performances are very solid, they have a strong conviction that you don't usually find in horror. Jason Patric is the highlight. His most memorable role remains The Lost Boys and the most significant films he's done since include In The Valley of Elah, Narc and Sleepers, despite the fact he's in four films this year. This is an example of his talent as a character actor, providing a key cynical humour that elevates the whole film. Mark Margolis has been sorely missed since his memorable exit in Breaking Bad but he struggles in a difficult role to pull off convincingly. You can rely on his natural gruff looks to feel the part though.
Louisa Krause has done lots of bit parts in notable films but she's great in a subversive leading role though she's not quite as well-measured as Patric. However, the film ends with literally the oldest trick in the book. I'm going to just pretend it finished two minutes earlier and say The Confines was solid for what it was but underwhelming when it comes to conclusion. I was ready to dig into it for a deeper interpretation of what it could represent as it doesn't really take on a conventional fear besides the dark, but its final moments aren't keen for this to be a film to remember. My commendations remain with the acting and production, which easily rise above the standards horror is held to these days.
6/10
Read more @ The Awards Circuit (http://www.awardscircuit.com/)
Before that, we have Let The Right One In and Michael Haneke's remake of his own Funny Games, a film that reiterates what the genre had become since his first 1997 version. To say director Eytan Rockaway's The Confines had me engaged at first is a big compliment. But when suspense builds too much to the unpredictable, there's three possible outcomes; either it's a fakeout and we cut away, or it's a predictable and poor payoff, or it's a payoff so out of the box that it abandons all reason. It's very good at everything but the horror. We got all three here.
Louisa Krause plays Streak, a young pill-popping woman desperate for work to keep custody of her offscreen child. She's generally strong-willed and well-intentioned, she's just on the wrong side of a few mistakes. Streak takes a job in the city to be one of two security guards, the other is Cooper, a disgruntled Jason Patric, for a huge extravagant apartment complex. It was built before the recession but has gone unused since as nobody could afford to move in.
Her good nature leads her to let in a homeless man who would otherwise die on the streets, played by familiar face in independent cinema Mark Margolis, despite protest from Cooper. It's a decision that she soon regrets as her first night appears to be her last. On frequent patrols through dark dusty rooms she discovers dark secrets about what happened beneath the apartment a long time ago.
The Confines is at the very least technically proficient. The sleek cinematography, editing and sound design are all sharp, boosting the modest production value of such a small scale film. However, the deeper you get into it the harder it is to justify certain leaps in logic in the plot. It's never explained why they have to guard an abandoned building so vehemently. I assumed it's because they want to reopen it again after the market revives, which would make sense but who's paying for 24 hour security on a place that makes no money?
And while it makes for a compelling character to play off Streak, why would they hire a disabled guard? Those contrivances are hard to see through. The Confines had the atmosphere to get under your skin, much like The Descent's organic claustrophobia, and then the potential grows as it heads into Titicut Follies-inspired territory. But no, it wants to only slowly follow the flashlight and use jump scares and loud music for cheaper thrills. The last half hour is such a shame after decent potential. That's not to say it's bad, it's just nothing special.
Fortunately, the performances are very solid, they have a strong conviction that you don't usually find in horror. Jason Patric is the highlight. His most memorable role remains The Lost Boys and the most significant films he's done since include In The Valley of Elah, Narc and Sleepers, despite the fact he's in four films this year. This is an example of his talent as a character actor, providing a key cynical humour that elevates the whole film. Mark Margolis has been sorely missed since his memorable exit in Breaking Bad but he struggles in a difficult role to pull off convincingly. You can rely on his natural gruff looks to feel the part though.
Louisa Krause has done lots of bit parts in notable films but she's great in a subversive leading role though she's not quite as well-measured as Patric. However, the film ends with literally the oldest trick in the book. I'm going to just pretend it finished two minutes earlier and say The Confines was solid for what it was but underwhelming when it comes to conclusion. I was ready to dig into it for a deeper interpretation of what it could represent as it doesn't really take on a conventional fear besides the dark, but its final moments aren't keen for this to be a film to remember. My commendations remain with the acting and production, which easily rise above the standards horror is held to these days.
6/10
Read more @ The Awards Circuit (http://www.awardscircuit.com/)
- Sergeant_Tibbs
- Jun 30, 2015
- Permalink
I'm not even sure where to begin. This film dragged on and on and I just kept thinking "I should at least see it all." So I watched it until the end and *surprise*...the ending was likely worse than the entire film. The writer(s) tried to make this film scary but in my opinion they failed miserably. I have a high standard for Horror films and while the trailer seemed interesting enough...the trailer was the only interesting part of the film. Without giving away spoilers...if you want to watch a newly- hired confused (and boring) female character wander around an old building while her grumpy and odd co-worker tells her where to go while watching from the security camera footage...then by all means this movie is for you. And then comes the weird ending. Which couldn't have come soon enough!
- MissOceanB
- Aug 25, 2016
- Permalink
The premise here is somewhat original, because I didn't see a similar horror movie (or at least I can't remember) recently, and it reminds me on some of the David-Lynch-style thrillers. Streak (acted by Louisa Krause) takes a job as a night security guard at an abandoned apartment complex and discovers that she is not alone. Now the plot is much more complex than that, but I don't want to put spoilers in my review, so if you are a mystery/horror fan I warmly recommend this movie. The atmosphere is extremely effective, aided by a solid direction and a creepy music. The ending was unpredictable to me, with a very nice twist.
- PimpinAinttEasy
- Mar 27, 2016
- Permalink
I'll make it quick... The Abandoned has a rather boring story that has been told in many a suspense movies before. Although the end may explain the many questions and plot holes - it remains a highly unsatisfying movie.
The acting is over the top. Instead of subtlety, the actors pretty much switch from one extreme to another.
Also - even a Ninja Turtle animated episode is probably scarier than this movie.
It is a very disappointing 2/10. It is not a 1 because it is not dreadful - just boring.
The acting is over the top. Instead of subtlety, the actors pretty much switch from one extreme to another.
Also - even a Ninja Turtle animated episode is probably scarier than this movie.
It is a very disappointing 2/10. It is not a 1 because it is not dreadful - just boring.