The Aviary

source: The Aviary

There is a lot to like about this movie. For those looking for a typical Hollywood horror film, this isn't it. I think this movie has more in common with Jean-Paul Sartre's "No Exit" than Scream or Jason vs. Freddy. In fact, I think this movie would go over well as a theatre piece. The acting was top-notch, delivering a sense of dread and paranoia throughout. I do think the ending under-delivered a bit, but on the other hand I can't imagine a better resolution to the situation these women found themselves in. Kudos to the directors for not resorting to cheap Hollywood jump-scares to deliver the dread. 9/10.

A good psychological thriller about brainwashing by cult leaders and the traumatic consequences. Yes, the film has problems: it lacks tension, a slow pace and a slightly long running time. The plot is somewhat vague, but there is an unreliable narrator and it is intriguing. The two actresses played their roles well. A good movie that is not as simple as it seems at the beginning.

I think IMDB has been lobotomized by the Marvel Universe generation. Any movie that is challenging and requires any thought gets ridiculously bad scores. This is a good slow burn thriller. It has a non-relenting creepy feeling to it. Malin Akerman and Lorenza Izzo put in good performances as two women who have just escaped a cult. It kept me guessing right up to end and the ending, though satisfying, was not what I expected. It's the type of movie that makes you wonder what just happened. It's definitely worth a watch if you want an escape from mindless CGI action spectacles and want a real movie about real people where something real is at stake.

I think the bad reviews which say the movie had no plot are from folks who do not understand mind control and the programming that sabotages deprogramming. As the two women flee the cult, they bolster each other which triggers programming that leads to hallucinations that are frightening, and make them suspicious of each other. As the film reaches its climax, another hallucination leads to its horrifying outcome. We know from survivors of MK Ultra programming, that when they are old enough to start remembering their torture as children, a suicide program is activated. Many do not survive this. Such deviousness is portrayed in this film. But film is also art and this is not going to be spelled out for you. You experience it. You react to it on a feeling level. Then you have to mull it over and figure it out. Many expect to be passively entertained with no effort on their part. This film is not for them. I have criticisms of the film, but not for lack of a plot. The plot is brilliant. Imagine walking in circles convinced you are walking west because of the sun. There is only one way that could happen. No matter how long they traveled, they never got very far from the Aviary. What is an Aviary but a really large bird cage? "You never really left."

I never give twos but, this is deserved. The one reason? This movie goes nowhere very, very, very slowly. My wife got up and left with 15 minutes left and she likes everything. I left too, with 15 minutes left you know there's no way they can pull a satisfying ending. The actresses going crazy is so annoying and so badly acted. Really call a friend, take your pet for a walk, write that email you've been meaning to write. Take the time you didn't spend on this movie and make the world a better place.

Sauce