The Empty Man

Un intento muy ambicioso de elevar el tema del terror adolescente a un thriller policíaco para adultos con un revestimiento filosófico misterioso, casi existencial. Pero no muy logrado. La larga exposición no importaría si no trabajara con los motivos banales de esa película de terror para adolescentes. Revelar el trasfondo de una secta sería atractivo si las frases clave de la «oración» no fueran ya un sinsentido significativamente transparente. Y la revelación final de todas las verdades podría haberle dado todo el sentido y el peso si, por un lado, todo hubiera funcionado antes, y si la clave para entender el lado humano del protagonista no hubiera sido un hecho tan primario. Una contradicción, que confirma la absoluta desorientación creativa, con endebles matices de It Follows y Midsommar. P.S.: ¿Por qué el edificio de la secta tenía la forma de la base de la Cienciología de Los Ángeles? (13.08.2021)

The Empty Man es un asunto admirablemente extenso con una gran ambición creativa, que desbarata las expectativas más comunes del espectador. Pero, ¿va todo esto a alguna parte? A David Prior probablemente le gustaría mucho ser el próximo Ari Aster, pero todavía no tiene mucho que ofrecer y puede que haya mordido un bocado demasiado grande aquí. Es una película interesante de diseccionar, muy bien hecha técnicamente, que engancha hasta el último cuarto, y completamente libre de atrezzo de terror moderno barato como la brutalidad interesada y los sustos ruidosos (bien por eso), pero en el último cuarto o bien no ha contado con mi aprobación o simplemente ha intentado dar la ilusión de una reflexión profunda que no está ahí. (17.05.2021)

The trailer touted a straightforward, many-times-seen teenage horror flick about a group kids who summon a supernatural being that will go on to cut them down one by one, and the generic name made me expect the same. Really, a monster called “Empty Man” that is summoned if you blow into an empty bottle? That’s almost funny. But this film is something completely different than it would have seemed from the marketing. My initial expectations were raised a little by the name of the director, who’s already made a very good and atmospheric short. But then it was the insane 137 minute runtime. We hardly ever see anything that long in horror, it would have to be something truly monumental and epic for the producers to greenlight it. David Prior really tries to make something ambitious (how many horror films have a 20 minute intro?), but for his feature debut he bit more than he could chew. An idea, a climax and a good atmosphere here and there – there is that, but it’s not enough. Reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb (and soon here, too) say that it’s an empty film, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. This film has actually way too much and it doesn’t hold together – it’s like three films in one! In the end I kind of liked it and it’s a pity that it wasn’t better. And yesterday I was still thinking that I would bash it with gusto. (23.12.2020)

I'm not sure if I got the point of this right, but what the hell, since it's exactly for that oppressive feeling of evil that accompanied me throughout the movie that I like to go to the movie theater a couple of times a year to get good and scared by a good horror movie. Despite the long running time I was not bored at all, so I don't have much to criticize, although the denouement itself didn't quite satisfy me. The road to it, however, was nutritious and appropriately psychotic. Especially considering the unbelievable coincidence of the main character James Lasombra waking up from his nightmares at four minutes past three due to eerie sounds, while I, wrapped in a blanket, was just glancing at the digital alarm clock in my room, which was showing the exact same time! I was paralyzed with fear at that moment. (80%) (09.02.2023)

The Empty Man made it to American theaters, so fortunately it's not a cheap film, but I'm rather hesitant about it. It has an excellent prologue that nicely builds up anticipation, but after that, not much interesting happens. The problem is its running time. 137 minutes for a horror film is unbearable, someone went a bit overboard with the minutes, and it greatly affects the pace of the film, which is very, very slow. It's interesting that the film takes a different direction than it initially seems, but I would rather see a supernatural entity killing teenagers in an interesting way, than watching the protagonist wandering back and forth. It does improve a bit in the finale, where there is an interesting climax, but that the film is actually more of a mysterious crime thriller, as it has very few horror elements. I wouldn't recommend it, but if you enjoy mysterious films, you can give it a chance. Story***, Action>No, Humor>No, Violence*, Entertainment**, Music***, Visuals***, Atmosphere***, Tension**. 5/10. (29.12.2020)