First, yes...this is reminiscent of the Saw movies. But how many original concept horror movies are made any more? Almost everything is borrowed from somewhere.
Second, yes...the first and second parts of the movie are dramatically different, with the initial part being the setup and the following part being the hook. There is nothing wrong with this device, it only makes for a "slow burn," as they say.
Third, for those that call this the worst movie ever made, with terrible acting and no excitement, I can only assume that they did not finish the movie.
I rather enjoyed the entire film. The cinematography is dazzling, as more than half the movie is filmed on location in Havana, and the colors just jump off the screen. I'm certain that since Ivan is Cuban, he wanted to illustrate the beauty and charm of the country. And since he wrote the setup for the purpose of character development and storyline, I took no issue with the slow burn. I actually thought it added to the overall totality of the film.
From a production standpoint, it was a decently done film. What some interpret as bad acting seemed to me like the language barrier of a Latino lead. Several people I've met from other countries speak indentically so it's not a stretch to see this as a common trait among ESL actors either. The cinematography was definitely the high point, as mentioned, but the production, editing, and script were also ok. Nothing prophetic or Oscar worthy, but certainly professional enough to enjoy.
Honestly, it is beyond me why people review films so poorly just because they share similarities with other films. It might take away from "originality points," but at the end of the day, if the production is well done then I don't see an issue with a recycled theme or storyline.
So yes...some of the review comments are indeed true, but don't let that stop you from watching. The production is well done enough that the end result is a very average horror film, shot on professional equipment. Considering the schlock out there, watching an average film is welcomed. Just know that this is not the pinnacle of originality, and you should enjoy it enough to make the one-time watch worth your while. Would I recommend buying it? Not likely, as I don't think it's good enough to watch more than once, but it's certwinly worth renting or watching once through.
Parental content notes:
- a bit of profanity throughout but nothing gratuitous.
- no nudity or sexual situations.
- due to the familiar content, I wouldn't call this a scary movie but there a handful of scenes that might frighten some.
- violence and gore is fairly prominent through the second half of the movie. Nothing overly gory but there are a few gnarly scenes. Quite a bit of blood and a couple quite graphic examples; I wish it had been even more so.
That said, give it a try. Just know what you're expecting when you hit play.