There's a solid giallo-esque thriller inside this lumbering mess of a film. Director Edgar Wright has style yo spare, bathing this nightmarish London in neon lights that exude both danger and glamor. The re-creations of Swinging London in the flashbacks are also impressive, clearly crafted down to the last detail. Too bad the story sucks.
This is one of those films where the main character is hysterical and naive, and while this is meant to be endearing and sympathetic, I was done with her within the first half hour. The other characters are all flat, from the too good to be true love interest to the twist villain.
Worst of all is how repetitive the middle of the movie is. Ellie is constantly bombarded by visions of vile men, their hands groping at her (is this an homage to Polanski's REPULSION or plagiarism?). It's initially creepy-- then it just becomes rote and boring and overblown.
Maybe if this were an 80 minute movie with 95% less CG ghosts, we'd actually have something manageable. Not good necessarily, but certainly more enjoyable.
This is one of those films where the main character is hysterical and naive, and while this is meant to be endearing and sympathetic, I was done with her within the first half hour. The other characters are all flat, from the too good to be true love interest to the twist villain.
Worst of all is how repetitive the middle of the movie is. Ellie is constantly bombarded by visions of vile men, their hands groping at her (is this an homage to Polanski's REPULSION or plagiarism?). It's initially creepy-- then it just becomes rote and boring and overblown.
Maybe if this were an 80 minute movie with 95% less CG ghosts, we'd actually have something manageable. Not good necessarily, but certainly more enjoyable.