Bad Twin (2016) Directed by John Murlowski
It often is essential for thrillers to feature a decent enough concept that the movie can draw plenty of tension from. In this case the movie succeeds at this, though it is not quite enough to make it a totally effective genre movie as well.
The movie really has a 'fun' and decent enough sounding concept. I mean, creepy kids always work out well for these sort of movies. The movie also does a decent job handling most of its suspense. It however too often lacks a good enough buildup as well. As far as its storytelling is concerned, this is a very lacking movie. It never handles its mystery very well, making this an often too simplistic and shallow movie to watch. It never explains anything properly, which in my opinion is its biggest downfall. It just conveniently lets things happen, without setting up any proper character motivations and convincing- and engaging enough story-lines first.
As a whole the movie remains a decent enough little thriller to watch because of its concept, but it fails to turn into anything more than that due to the handling of it. Typical for a TV movie, that often are to the point- and very simplistic and straightforward movies to watch. There is never enough room for anything to truly develop, which is a shame, since its concept definitely showed more potential.
I just hate how characters are evil within this movie, without any explanation whatsoever. It can work in certain cases, however for this movie it really doesn't, since the lack of any sort of explanation and backstory is too apparent, all throughout. It doesn't make the movie necessarily bad, boring or predictable but it is something that makes the movie simplistic and forgettable.
The acting isn't anything too impressive either. The psycho kids are psycho kids and basically everybody else plays a happy, 'average' person. There very rarely is any subtlety or realism to these type of TV movies, as far as its characters are concerned. Granted, it is not all the actors their fault but it is not like the actors ever make a scene any more interesting or good to watch with their acting.
Well, it is still good enough to watch maybe once, if you are really into these Lifetime channel movies, but otherwise this remains nothing more but a very forgettable and far too straightforward and simplistic little thriller.
5/10
The movie really has a 'fun' and decent enough sounding concept. I mean, creepy kids always work out well for these sort of movies. The movie also does a decent job handling most of its suspense. It however too often lacks a good enough buildup as well. As far as its storytelling is concerned, this is a very lacking movie. It never handles its mystery very well, making this an often too simplistic and shallow movie to watch. It never explains anything properly, which in my opinion is its biggest downfall. It just conveniently lets things happen, without setting up any proper character motivations and convincing- and engaging enough story-lines first.
As a whole the movie remains a decent enough little thriller to watch because of its concept, but it fails to turn into anything more than that due to the handling of it. Typical for a TV movie, that often are to the point- and very simplistic and straightforward movies to watch. There is never enough room for anything to truly develop, which is a shame, since its concept definitely showed more potential.
I just hate how characters are evil within this movie, without any explanation whatsoever. It can work in certain cases, however for this movie it really doesn't, since the lack of any sort of explanation and backstory is too apparent, all throughout. It doesn't make the movie necessarily bad, boring or predictable but it is something that makes the movie simplistic and forgettable.
The acting isn't anything too impressive either. The psycho kids are psycho kids and basically everybody else plays a happy, 'average' person. There very rarely is any subtlety or realism to these type of TV movies, as far as its characters are concerned. Granted, it is not all the actors their fault but it is not like the actors ever make a scene any more interesting or good to watch with their acting.
Well, it is still good enough to watch maybe once, if you are really into these Lifetime channel movies, but otherwise this remains nothing more but a very forgettable and far too straightforward and simplistic little thriller.
5/10
