They Remain

Seems like more and more movies are based on some kind of occult, witchcraft, sorcery, illuminate, new age lifestyle now a days. It's quite disgusting.

They Remain is a triumphant, beautiful, meticulous, difficult, challenging, intentionally abstract and recursive film. As such, it's likely to also be a divisive one. For those who didn't have the patience for, say, The Witch, They Remain will probably drive you nuts. But for those who are willing to meet the film where it is, rather than expecting it to come to you, I think that you will be amply rewarded. I hesitate to even call They Remain a slow burn. The words "slow burn" give the implication that it takes a while for things to get started, that they smolder for a long time before finally bursting into flame. When the first frame of They Remain flashes up on screen, things have already gotten strange, and that strangeness just continues to accrete on every surface, on every character, on everyone and everything for the remainder of the film's running time. It's a recursive movie, as I said, which means that it doesn't have a typical movie's build to some sort of satisfying (or unsatisfying, for that matter) climax. It turns back in on itself time and again. Do things get stranger? Sure. But do they really, or have they been that strange the whole time? They Remain isn't a movie that offers easy answers. In fact, it isn't even a movie that offers difficult ones. It's a film that opens itself up to myriad interpretations, all of them potentially valid, without ever offering even the most astute observer one particular "solution" to seize upon. For some viewers that may prove infuriating, but when a movie tells you repeatedly that you won't understand it, even as early as in the quote that shows up before the first shot of the film actually appears, you may only have yourself to blame if you walk out of it unsatisfied.

They Remain, based on the short story "--30--" by master horror writer Laird Barron, is a quiet and atmospheric work of creeping psychological horror. This may depend too much on mood and subtlety for viewers who want a slam-bang horror movie, but if you enjoy the slow, menacing creep of dread, and especially characters stuck in a remote natural environment to heighten the sense of paranoia and exposure, you'll love this like I did.

I really liked this film. I watched as a fan of independent films so maybe came with less of a horror nut's expectations for blood and guts but I found it scary. The actors are both terrific and the film looks stunning (I loved "Zoo", shot by the same DP!). Totally enjoyable way to spend a night in, be a little spooked and wonder what lurks in your own head!

There are so many things to like about this movie. Amazing cinematography and great visuals. The actors are very charismatic and give great performances. I loved the style and the suspense that the director basicallly built out of nothing. This would be a great movie for film students to study as everything about it is great except... the plot was terrible. I have not idea what happened, why it happened or where its going. I understand that so much has been done that movie writers are looking for something new. But going nowhere is not the way to go. Movies are supposed to be entertaining and ones that leave all questions and no answers are not that, at least for me.

Right off the start I have to acknowledge how good William Jackson Harper can act. I hope the best for him, but this film isn't going to make him a household name. But don't waste your time on this movie. 'They Remain' begins with 2 people in the woods studying "unnatural animal behavior" and yet, you're left wondering where that is; There's a german shephard that shows up every now and again. There are insects that interest Rebecca Henderson's character Jessica. There's certainly a lot of "what's that mean" thrown in to make some mystery, but the only real weird behavior is between Keith & Jessica. Jessica starts hearing things early in and then both of them act like they're on drugs near the middle of the film. To describe this film, I would have to say it's about the lost cult members of the Charles Manson family. Jessica and others in the movie belong to the famous cult and they're trying to induct Keith into the group. As I watched the story unfold I was thinking how Keith should be yelling, "Why are you messing with me?" It's obvious - Why wouldn't anyone ask this question? 'They Remain' attempts to be psychologically unnerving with dream sequences & a 60's vibe effects, but all it really does is bore. Whatever emotion the direction was trying to invoke in the audience is a complete dislike of the story. It laid out visual mysteries and fails to connect any of it to the plot. We're presented with cameras malfunctioning, a cave, a pair of giant ram horns, and ooo scary "THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE WOODS!" You waste your time waiting for the "slow burn" because it just ends without a climax and you never want to watch it again. Really nice set up for good story telling and it fails to deliver a coherent one.

I don't know why I didn't give it 10 stars but this film is brilliant. Like someone else said, it's very weird. It took ten to fifteen minutes to sink its hooks into me but when it did it was a beautiful ride. You sort of know where you're going, and you sort of don't. A lot of the elements feel familiar and don't at the same time. There are hints at a lot of things without the answers ever coming in to focus. The pod the scientists live in feels futuristic but then they cook their food in a very old fashioned way; they wear modernist clothes but carry old-fashioned guns; for me, it all gave me a sensation that as far as we move away from the natural, there are dark, basic elements that will always catch up with us. And catch up with these two they do!

I can see why some people don't like this movie. It takes work, it demands your attention and makes nothing easy. You can't check your phone while watching this, you've got to let yourself just be with it. It's quiet and not "scary" but it is unsettling. What the hell is going on here? Is this science fiction, is it contemporary? The film is self-consciously oblique which I enjoyed; I enjoyed trying to fill in the blanks and I've enjoyed the moments when it has popped back in my head that maybe this is what something or other meant. This is one that you will have to decide for yourself; don't let anyone tell you you will or won't enjoy it, but if you like the Speculative and Weird, you should see this and make up your own mind!

How this has scored so high and many of the reviews I do not know. Slow is not a good enough word for it, it makes me go and find a cult to join and they can put me out of my misery. But seriously I think many of the reviews are influenced by the partaking of huge amounts of spirited fruit juices, then only you are able to make it work. 2 is for the pretty scenery

"They Remain" is that type of movie without any character or situation development. The viewer sees two researchers seeking out something, somewhere in an undefined period of time and that is the mystery of the story: lack of information. Along the boring screenplay, nothing happens along 1:42 h in extremely slow pace. The Afro-American and the Caucasian have no chemistry, but they will certainly shag with each other in the last half part. And there is no explanation for the awful conclusion. Advice when most needed is least heeded but do not believe in the fake reviews and do not spend your time watching this crap. My vote is one (awful). Title (Brazil): Not Available