Watcher

watch

Watcher

Watcher

source: Watcher

Wow, just wow. I had no expectations about Watcher, but it turned out to be really good. Like seriously, everything worked so well up until the ending, which felt somewhat disappointing and didn't make much sense. It wasn't the worst thing they could've done though, so thanks for that. Actual care was put into the film and it shows. All the elements they have are nothing new, really, but these blend quite well. The unfamiliar environment, the language barrier, the fear, and the feeling of being misunderstood and left alone by the careless close ones. Great acting, great atmosphere, great music. Just overall a solid thriller that tried to step away from cliches as much as possible. I can agree that the pacing was relatively slow, but it only helped absorb the atmosphere of what was happening. A split 7.5/10 could've been an 8.5/10 if not for the ending that felt a little too much, although I get the message. I am looking forward to new movies from the director.

This movie doesn't want you to get your hopes too high - it is what it is, a nice thriller/horror that is a bit slow, but not boring. Has that style of old Dario Argento movies, which I love. It is better than most of new films, and has that old school suspense style, which is refreshing in the sea of new movies that are trying too hard to let you know they are "smart". If you want to see something new, and there are not a lot of good options, Watcher is a good choice to... watch, for a quiet summer night.

"Watcher" follows Julia, an American who moves to Bucharest with her husband, Francis. While Francis is fluent in the language--his mother is Romanian--Julia is not, and struggles with the language barrier. Even worse, she also finds herself being watched by a man in the adjacent apartment building, and comes to believe that not only is he stalking her, but that he is a serial killer. It goes without saying that "Watcher" is playing with a familiar concept--this is a premise we have seen in a large number of films, most famously in Hitchcock's "Rear Window," but "Watcher" also pays respects to Roman Polanski's "apartment" films, most notably (and effectively) "The Tenant" (the other two being "Rosemary' Baby" and "Repulsion"). What makes it stand out, however, is that it is well-acted, visually elegant, and at times throttling in its suspense. There are a number of scenes in this film that (no pun intended) grab you by the throat. "Watcher" is the breed of film that toes the line regarding whether or not the fears and paranoias of the protagonist are legitimate, or the product of something else, but director Chloe Okuno telegraphs it intelligently by positioning the audience in tandem with Julia--as we watch her sink into her isolation, we are isolated alongside her--and it is because of this that her fears play out as believable, despite her husband's skepticism. The writing here is both subtle and smart, and there are a few key moments that are as dislocating to the viewer as they are to the protagonist; the screenplay is multi-pronged in a way that makes the audience question not what they are seeing, but rather, what it is indicative of. Julia's disconnect from the language only helps to reinforce a sense of suffocation, and the gloomy, rain-soaked Art Deco architecture of the city only amplifies the sense of unease. Of course, none of this would work without a believable lead, and Maika Monroe plays this character very effectively. Burn Gorman is also extremely effective as the mysterious creep across the way. The film's finale, though tense, is still fairly downbeat (which is the status quo in this film), but it offers enough grand guignol to be memorable and shocking. In the end, while "Watcher" is not necessarily revelatory, it is a well-crafted, nervy take on a well-worn concept. There are some standout moments in this film that make it worth watching for any genre fan. 7/10.

Starts well, then descends into a slow moving exercise in generic thriller tropes. A Lifetime movie in all but name, there is absolutely nothing here you haven't seen many times before. As predictable as the contents of a fast food bag with none of the flavor.

This film is so slow that you could start it, go shopping at Walmart, come back 45 mins later and still not miss anything from the story, I kid you not. It finally becomes literally watchable in the last 15 mins....smdh. A story that could've been told in 30 mins was boringly stretched out to pay homage (in my opinion) to Romania. An hour and a half of absolute nothingness.....unreal.

I'm amazed that newb filmmaker Chloe Okuno - making her first full length feature film debut (with a few prior short films) as writer and director, created this near perfect little gem. Aside from needing to better direct some of her cast, her camera work and non-stop tension filled story could put some seasoned filmmakers to shame from what they've put out lately. This wasn't Hollywood-ish, and that's fine by me, but still managed to hold your attention, create enough suspense, and throw in some clever red herrings and twists, that only big Hollywood productions can create. Sure it could've had some more action and energy, but it was just right at 91 mins with the spot-on pacing. The cinematography was perfection as was the score. This genre has been filled up for some time, and although somewhat predicable and typical, it was just done right, as best as any pro could create with what they have. Okuno is certainly a filmmaker to keep an eye out for. I applaud her for this amazing little gem we all thoroughly enjoyed. A well deserved 8/10 from me.