On the fourth of December, the horror film Pyramid (2014) was released on Russian screens. Reviews of movie lovers about this picture have already filled the forums.
Directing and cast
The film is worth talking about. And even controversy erupts over whether the “Pyramid” is really a horror? Reviews from the audience are very different. But the scales are inclined to the fact that at least once a movie is worth watching.
The director of the film is Gregory Levasser, and the screenwriter is Alexander Aza. This tandem was successful long before the horror film Pyramid was shot. Reviews about their creations are the most admired. A lot of films produced by Azh according to the scenario of Levasser still excite the blood of an experienced spectator. In this picture, Levasser acted as a director for the first time. Already became a co-producer. Nevertheless, this did not save the picture from a devastating critique.
Among the actors there are no stars of the first magnitude. The only one who really plays is Ashley Hinshaw. At some points, her behavior becomes more pretended, and fear and horror seem artificial. Despite the studies of archeology and the father-professor, the heroine Ashley is a typical blonde. But even stupid actions in no way detract from her beauty. For fans of Ashley, the film is a chance to see her in a new quality.
The young actor Amir Kamiab, who starred in the role of the protagonist's lover, was not particularly distinguished on the set. In the big movie, his debut was the film "Pyramid". Reviews about the actor’s game are almost never found, since he died at the very beginning of the film. Amir painstakingly portrayed pain and suffering, but even this did not touch the audience.
The role of the journalist went to Crista Nicola, who until recently appeared on the covers of glossy magazines in a swimsuit, seducing with her blonde curls. You can’t recognize her in the Pyramid. A new hairstyle to match the serious image, there are no bikinis. The audience will not be disappointed, the actress's game is one of the most successful. Particularly impressive is the moment when it is removed from the stakes while still alive.
Perhaps the most memorable was the role of actor James Buckley, who played the cameraman. At first he pretends to be frivolous, but not everything is as simple as it seems. In addition, Buckley appears in a more brutal than usual way. Perhaps the best of his work can be considered the "Pyramid" (film 2014). Reviews of the fair sex about this actor are contradictory, but if someone speaks negatively of him, then most likely he simply did not finish the picture to the end.
Summary
The plot of the thriller takes place in Egypt. A group of archaeologists discover a previously unknown pyramid. The ancient tomb is buried under a layer of sand. The secret of the oldest of the pyramids is to be revealed to its heroes.
The beginning of the picture describes the riots in Cairo during the recent change of power. At first, everything looks very natural. As if the participants are filming a running crowd from the inside. Then, excavations and a journalist appear in the frame, trying to interview archaeologists. A piece of a trihedral pyramid covered with sand falls there. Scientists are trying to find the entrance to the tomb, but they are disturbed by stray dogs, who have rushed to the excavations in large numbers.
Finally, the entrance to the pyramid is dug up. When trying to open the tomb, a cloud of blue smoke breaks out of it, which strikes one of the participants - Holden. But he does not lose heart. He easily explains this phenomenon of mold accumulated in the pyramid. The archaeologist in every possible way denies the existence of the curse of the pyramids and does not believe in mysticism.
Soon, Holden and his daughter, Nora, are notified that they must urgently leave the excavation site for security reasons. Nora's father and she herself are not able to abandon antiquity shrouded in secrets. In the hope of at least learning something about the pyramid, they launch inside the lunar rover. Only in this way will they be able to get information about the underground passage in a few hours. At his first steps, it turns out that one of the stray dogs climbed into the underground passage . Ultimately, the lunar rover comes across an obstacle, the signal disappears. An expensive device rented from NASA must be returned at all costs.
A group of scientists goes down to find its traces. However, they only find debris. Suddenly, the entire group falls into the underground labyrinth. Soon everyone understands that someone is hunting them. A huge rock block falls on Nora’s satellite, Zakira. The immobilized young man is trapped, and the rest are forced to continue on. One by one, scientists begin to die. Corporal Shadid, who hastened to the rescue, also fell into the trap. Everyone understands that it is impossible to get out of the maze.
Heroes manage to decipher hieroglyphs. The pyramid is the dungeon of Anubis - the god of the underworld. His awakening has already taken place and a painful death awaits the heroes. Everywhere flashed by the Masons, robbing tombs.
About the Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead and the prediction, which will result in the resurrection of Anubis, tells the "Pyramid" (film 2014). Reviews of real Egyptologists about the picture are not found. It has not yet been possible to find out their opinion on such an interpretation of Egyptian history.
Ending
The only way out of the maze is the hall, in which stands the tomb of the ancient god. Heroes have only one chance - to go through it. According to Egyptian mythology, Anubis must weigh the heart of the deceased on the scales in order to let him pass to the stars, or gobble it up. The ending has become the most vulnerable spot of many films made by novice directors. The originality of the plan did not save the Pyramid. Critics and spectators chorus about this unsuccessful part of the film. The main monster - Anubis deserved special censure. He is not something that does not cause fear, but is not even able to really destroy the heroes. The dog-headed monster does not pull at all to the title of the god of the afterlife.
The deadly virus does not give the main character the right to life at the very end. But worst of all, the prediction, deciphered in hieroglyphs, comes true. It seems that we are waiting for the continuation of the story.
Shooting method
The budget of the picture is kept in the strictest confidence. It was shot using the “found films” technique. But subsequently, the creators of the picture depart from this feature. It remains not entirely clear why archaeologists are hung with cameras from head to toe and who is shooting the group from the side?
Another movie title is "And the Hills Have Eyes." The slogan of the picture is "Do not leave alive." Many critics consider the film unsuccessful. The main mistake of the creators, they call the choir an abundance of external plans in the complete absence of special effects. The sense of presence is lost. It turns out that the heroes took cameras with them only to photograph each other, and continue to do this even in case of a life threat. At the same time, someone else removes them from the side, which completely contradicts the logic. The only plus noted by fans of the film - all the heroes can be clearly seen. Even despite the darkness.
Scenery and visual effects
A few words are worth saying about the scenery. They are extremely few. The labyrinth does not contain any interesting clues. Even monsters do not evoke fear. They look like bald cats and are only nasty. Modest visual effects are hardly compensated by the play of actors who diligently portray fear and panic.
In fact, the extremely violent reaction of the heroes completely lubricates a huge number of dangers and obstacles posed by the director. An endless series of monsters and traps does not allow you to focus on a specific storyline. It remains unclear where this horror army came from and why. Bloodthirsty bald cats, a deadly virus, blue gas, wild dogs - do not cause mortal horror. Finally, Anubis himself, looking like a toy from Happy Mila, does not scare the viewer.
Music
The film is a parody of documentary making the music in it inappropriate. The maximum is a random soundtrack from a player or an old hoarse radio. At the same time, the theme of the love relationship between Nora and her friend Zakir slips in the picture. Feelings, as you know, require appropriate support. The presence of music in the picture should not be confusing. The director nevertheless made the transition to a standard horror film, where each movement of the characters is accompanied by disturbing notes.
Similar movies
The adventures in the maze resemble the sensational film of Neil Marshall's "Descent". Unlike the thriller filled with horror, after 20 minutes of viewing, the new film "Pyramid" ceases to be taken seriously. The audience’s reviews are filled with irony in relation to the young director. In a similar style, the film “Paris: City of the Dead” was shot. Its plot is also identical with the "Pyramid": archaeologists, love affairs, underground catacombs and the search for ancient evil. Despite this, the film Gregory Levasser has something to surprise - in the film there are still unknown images and phenomena. The tightness of the labyrinth, ancient hieroglyphs, mythological puzzles add charm to the picture. Of course, it will be interesting in the framework of the popularization of ancient history.
The film "Pyramid": negative reviews
Such a complex topic as Ancient Egypt has been repeatedly disclosed by other filmmakers. A series of various mummies and tombs was generated by the indefatigable imagination of the directors. One of the most remarkable films of this subject is Sommers' Mummy. In the Pyramid, the theme of archeology slides furtively. Heroes are extremely careless about artifacts and hieroglyphs. The plot is not even closely related to mythology. The only thing that matches the horror movie is the pyramid itself. A tight and dark labyrinth immediately causes an attack of claustrophobia. For each, there are unpleasant moments, but, not having watched until the end, it is difficult to judge whether the Pyramid movie is of high quality. Criticism is sometimes overly irreconcilable.
The film "Pyramid": positive reviews
For the debut, the film is not bad at all. Compared with the film “Paris: City of the Dead”, the picture has much fewer corpses, and this somehow keeps the viewer to the very end. It is impossible not to note the external beauty and naturalness of the heroines, which makes the film enjoyable even with poor acting.
Heroes sacrifice their lives for each other, they finally manage to find a way out, using ingenuity. Admiration is also caused by the fearless Egyptian corporal, who rushed to the embrasure to protect negligent scientists. If you have not seen the film "Pyramid", the reviews on Imkhonet will not give a complete picture, the perception will be complete only after watching.