The Atoning (2017) Directed by Michael Williams
Being formulaic is OK, as long as a movie still gets told in an original and engaging enough way. I definitely feel that this is being the case for this movie, which never turns into a truly great one, but is a very decent one to watch, nevertheless.
Good thing about this movie is that it doesn't limit itself to being one thing. It is horror, but it uses a lot of different sub-genres to enhance its horror and originality. It is not quite a haunted house flick, not quite a possession movie and not quite a monster flick either. It uses lots of different genre elements and combines it pretty successfully. The movie at least never is a bore to watch and despite following a formulaic plot, it never becomes too predictable, due to its original enough approach.
In some regards this even feels more like a drama with its dialog, characters and some of its developments. This is not a complaint though. It further more ensures that the movie comes across as quite original, as well as engaging. It en-chances the mystery of the movie, which is the one thing that keeps this movie mostly going. It does a good job handling its mystery and suspense. It is never revealing too much, while still staying an interesting enough movie, without ever turning into a too vague or messy one.
I also really liked the look of the movie. It is not necessarily looking like a typical horror flick. Again, in a lot of ways it is more like being a drama, so it certainly also isn't always being a dark and moody movie to look at. There are more daytime sequences actually and it never truly uses its atmosphere to help build its suspense and mystery. It allows its story to do this, which luckily in this case works out well. The story even manages to bring one or two good surprises.
Not saying that this is a great movie, or an absolute must-see, but its originality still ensures that this is a fresh and original enough little movie to watch, if you are in the mood for something different. Certainly don't watch this movie expecting to get an average and typical horror flick.
6/10
Watch trailer
Good thing about this movie is that it doesn't limit itself to being one thing. It is horror, but it uses a lot of different sub-genres to enhance its horror and originality. It is not quite a haunted house flick, not quite a possession movie and not quite a monster flick either. It uses lots of different genre elements and combines it pretty successfully. The movie at least never is a bore to watch and despite following a formulaic plot, it never becomes too predictable, due to its original enough approach.
In some regards this even feels more like a drama with its dialog, characters and some of its developments. This is not a complaint though. It further more ensures that the movie comes across as quite original, as well as engaging. It en-chances the mystery of the movie, which is the one thing that keeps this movie mostly going. It does a good job handling its mystery and suspense. It is never revealing too much, while still staying an interesting enough movie, without ever turning into a too vague or messy one.
I also really liked the look of the movie. It is not necessarily looking like a typical horror flick. Again, in a lot of ways it is more like being a drama, so it certainly also isn't always being a dark and moody movie to look at. There are more daytime sequences actually and it never truly uses its atmosphere to help build its suspense and mystery. It allows its story to do this, which luckily in this case works out well. The story even manages to bring one or two good surprises.
Not saying that this is a great movie, or an absolute must-see, but its originality still ensures that this is a fresh and original enough little movie to watch, if you are in the mood for something different. Certainly don't watch this movie expecting to get an average and typical horror flick.
6/10
Watch trailer
