Fresh and Exciting

Don't Believe the Hype

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

I don't know which movie other reviewers have seen, but this is far from scary. There are neither jump-in-your-seat scenes nor is there a brooding atmosphere; the main feeling is depression, mixed with a bit of boredom on my part. Apart from the last 20 minutes or so, there isn't anything much happening anyway. It starts veeery slowly, and only picks up the pace a tiny bit later. For about a third of the movie, it isn't even clear what the story is, there is no discernible plot apart from a grieving mother and an ex-cop who has also suffered. Then there is a story, but a very disjointed one with too many characters (what was the point of this guy Tony and his tattoo?), none of which are being developed to any extent. One might think it all builds up to a horrifying climax, but no, at the end there's just a comically smug uberbaddie, and the "purely evil" girl does nothing but shoot him and herself. – On top of that, there's the typical "scary movie" silliness, one guy goes in alone and gets killed, then the cop goes in and gets killed, then the mother goes in alone, all without calling the police. WTF?! – On a positive note, the cinematography is okay (does everything have to be in tones of gray nowadays though?) and the main actors are decent (though far from brilliant). – There are two things which can make a scary movie good: Genuinely frightening moments, or a compelling idea; preferably both. Here there is neither.

"The Nameless" is a Spanish film that blends elements of psychological horror with Italian polizieschi (Italo-crime) while keeping with a traditional, modernistic iconoclasm of sorts. The film focuses on a fringe cult networked throughout the hidden realms of polite society, lurking in the shadows in order to manipulate and nurture the darker elements of fate by heralding in a sort of abysmal chaos that feeds on the sorrows of humanity. This film is directed by Jaume Balagueró and follows Claudia, a mother whom after the death of her daughter, tries desperately to put the pieces of her life back together. On the anniversary of the tragic abduction, and inevitable demise of the daughter, the mother struggles to hold things together as new sinister evidence comes to light that suggest a less fatal fate for the child. Events are brought to light that create an even darker nightmare for Claudia to endure in order gain the answers, and daughter that she desperately seeks. "The Nameless" begins with a very haunting, somber atmospheric surrealism that creates a hollow since of desperation, which carries strongly throughout the whole film. There is coldness and loss emanating in this film that pulls at the viewer emotionally. Unfortunately it is also meet with almost dull, humdrum-ness as the somber becomes numbness, which pulses into an almost boredom for the viewer as we long for some more thrilling material to give rise, and shed a darkened excitement to the movie. So basically for the first third of this film you are required to have patients because this is a story that marinates before it climaxes. And this movie does have some minor climaxes that begin in the middle of the film. It is an intense plot that opens up a whole new realm of social perversion and lack of awareness of the people we share our social spaces with. Much like Italian giallos tend to do, "The Nameless" builds with a mournful nature, almost mesmerizing the as the mother's story unfolds. The twisted enlightenment that she gains, in searching for her daughter, opens up a whole new sense of heartfelt dread when the true circumstances of her daughter's situation come to light. Soon we are given gory, and thrilling elements that make the long wait worthwhile. The suspense is a steady, low pulse almost until the end of the film, with only those minor climaxes that fluctuate within the story. The gruesome actions displayed during this psychological ebb 'n' flow are gory and rewarding. The subtext, and the subject matter both create an unnerving quality, that makes the anticipation of what will come next truly exciting. Plus the blunt, quick finality of it all is super climactic. "The Nameless" is not for all, however. If you are a fan of slow-moving, emotional melodramas that play with elements of horror, giallo, and thriller, with a steady heartbeat, then this film is worth checking out. There is a lot of character driven drama with minimal scenes of actual gory horror in this movie so be warned, if your are seeking the over- the-top giallo, filled with all things gruesome. This film is more of a rated –R story, more typical to TV movies than theatrical release, save the fact that it puts the subject matter, and intent in your face with bluntness. Also the scenes of death and fatal ending that some of the cast meet would never make it on television.-well not American television and never with such point blank actuality. I enjoyed this movie but it took the entire length of the film to appreciate the depth and character that this movie holds.

I found this movie under the unfortunate title "La Secta". Here in México movie distributors don't give a rat's ass for correct translation when it comes to Horror.Anyways, this was an exciting and suspenseful ride courtesy by Spain. I dug the whole undercover situation but in my opinion, the supernatural events are what make this a creepy experience.When it comes to cops involved in horror I'm the most happy man in the world. This wasn't the exception. When the detective gets interested in the case of the lost girl, things make much more sense. The newspaper reporter also adds some interesting facts to the plot.But the mother-daughter relationship is the most heart breaking and scary sub-plot. I dig it completely.But this movie is not only about drama. Oh no, it features ghoulish images you won't forget. Brutal gore and jump out scares.I strongly recommend this movie for those who enjoy intelligent Horror movies with a heart, intriguing plot, and suspense.

I thoroughly enjoyed much of this movie, but it is the careless of the directing that left me feeling short-changed. The characters are good and atmosphere excellent, however the director was very poor when he did his story boards and the reporter should have been introduced earlier in the film instead of appearing out of nowhere as a major player. Even if it had been a couple of very short scenes he participated in, it would have added to the flow and texture of the film.The director fails to paint his picture fully at times and substitutes convolution for story telling. And the denouement while effective is slightly illogical and ill-conceived. The final five minutes are inconsistent and lack cohesion, making the final scene lose any power. The director has created distrust with the viewer, and I for one went away feeling slightly robbed. A great build up let down by a lazy and ill-conceived climax.I give it good marks for the first three quarters of the film and for the great camera-work and moodiness. The film should have been slightly longer and much more better handled. If there is different version or director's cut of this film then I would like to see what it could have been!!!!