The first one is the usage of a soundtrack, including during scenes where diegetic sounds are important. I’ve already complained about that for Arrival. This movie shouldn’t have a soundtrack at all; everytime the music started I thought it perturbed the otherwise tense and interesting silence.
The second problem is a list of unclear things about the danger at hand and the lifestyle of the characters which range from questionable to inconsistent. The movie can’t explain everything without being too didactic so the benefit of the doubt and suspension of disbelief are working at full thrust, to a level that isn’t really satisfactory[1].
Fortunately the movie offers a great, long, tense, final act where it marks a few points and becomes at least an enjoyable suspenseful flick.
[1] My principal concerns are:
<spoiler>
- If the creatures can’t distinguish little sounds if there is a greater source of sound (explained with the waterfall) then there is no reason the characters couldn’t at least whisper when inside the house. From outside the house such whisper is of extremely small intensity in comparison to nature’s sounds, just like is a clear voice in comparison to a waterfall.
- The characters seem to live quite a reckless lifestyle. They hang out outside, leave their house’s door open, etc. My understanding is that the creatures may be roaming a few hundreds meters from there, searching for sound. Really all the characters should be dead by then; it’s unrealistic to survive that long without making any mistake.
- There are two times where the movie shows that the creatures are absolutely strong and indestructible: it can rip a grain silo open, and a newspaper headline mentions their indestructibility. Then there are two times the movie shows effective defense and attack against them: when a car proves to be an effective shelter for at least a few seconds to the kids, and finally the shotgun. Fair enough, the shotgun may work only because the creature is already weakened by its deadly sound frequency (and unfortunately this choice reminds me of Mars Attacks!, and triggers a more parodic reading than a dramatic one).
</spoiler>
I have two main problems with the movie.
The first one is the usage of a soundtrack, including during scenes where diegetic sounds are important. I’ve already complained about that for Arrival. This movie shouldn’t have a soundtrack at all; everytime the music started I thought it perturbed the otherwise tense and interesting silence.
The second problem is a list of unclear things about the danger at hand and the lifestyle of the characters which range from questionable to inconsistent. The movie can’t explain everything without being too didactic so the benefit of the doubt and suspension of disbelief are working at full thrust, to a level that isn’t really satisfactory[1].
Fortunately the movie offers a great, long, tense, final act where it marks a few points and becomes at least an enjoyable suspenseful flick.
[1] My principal concerns are: <spoiler> - If the creatures can’t distinguish little sounds if there is a greater source of sound (explained with the waterfall) then there is no reason the characters couldn’t at least whisper when inside the house. From outside the house such whisper is of extremely small intensity in comparison to nature’s sounds, just like is a clear voice in comparison to a waterfall. - The characters seem to live quite a reckless lifestyle. They hang out outside, leave their house’s door open, etc. My understanding is that the creatures may be roaming a few hundreds meters from there, searching for sound. Really all the characters should be dead by then; it’s unrealistic to survive that long without making any mistake. - There are two times where the movie shows that the creatures are absolutely strong and indestructible: it can rip a grain silo open, and a newspaper headline mentions their indestructibility. Then there are two times the movie shows effective defense and attack against them: when a car proves to be an effective shelter for at least a few seconds to the kids, and finally the shotgun. Fair enough, the shotgun may work only because the creature is already weakened by its deadly sound frequency (and unfortunately this choice reminds me of Mars Attacks!, and triggers a more parodic reading than a dramatic one). </spoiler>