The Smudging (2016) User Reviews (16)

Neither as good or bad as other reviewers suggest.

[eirwen-42548 · 6/10 · 2 January 2021]

Honestly I'd score this film right down the middle, with one extra star because I'd be willing to watch it again.

I thought the film was alright for what it was, documentation footage of a paranormal investigation and research interviews shot by armature paranormal investigators. If the script and acting wasn't always polished and professional, I could let that slide since it fit well with the vibe that they were amateur paranormal investigators. Yes, there were a few places where the actors got over the scares a little too quickly, but I found that forgivable in the interest of keeping the film moving and not extending the run time.

Not for everyone but if you enjoy paranormal investigation shows and movies, this isn't bad and the cultural elements are definitely a plus.

Stars are given based on my personal enjoyment of the film and plot.

6 - Interesting concept, but low budget, mediocre acting and/or poor production brought down the over all score. I might might watch it again at some point.

no go

[killercharm · 4/10 · 31 October 2021]

I did not like this earnest but unprofessional movie. A native american culture center needs to be smudged. It's got para-problems. Perhaps I should pay attention to the review that says to watch this as a comedy. Inadvertent comedy is just as funny.

OK

[leidilat · 4/10 · 26 September 2020]

THIS MOVIE HAD GREAT POTENTIAL, GOOD STORYLINE AND A CREEPY LOOKING DEMON, BUT... THE ACTORS WERE NOT GOOD AND WERE UNCONVINCING. SOME EXAMPLES, THEY THOUGHT ONE OF THEIR CREW MEMBERS HAD JUMPED OFF THE ROOF AND THE GUYS WATCHING THE MONITORS ONLY SEEMED CONCERNED FOR A BRIEF MOMENT. THEN I THINK HIS NAME WAS GOMEZ, THE GUY ATTACKED BY THE DEMON, WAS TERRIFIED FOR ONE MINUTE, BUT IN THE NEXT SCENE ACTED LIKE NOTHING HAD HAPPENED. HE SEEMED TO FORGET THAT HE ALMOST DIED JUST MINUTES BEFORE. THE ONLY GOOD ACTOR WAS MIKE MARIN. I DON'T LIKE CRITICIZING ACTORS, BUT I FELT LIKE I WAS WATCHING PEOPLE NOT ACT, BUT JUST READING LINES. ONCE AGAIN, FOR AN INDEPENDENT FILM I LIKED THE STORYLINE AND SAW THE POTENTIAL, BUT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO SEE PAST THE UNCONVINCING ACTING. I DID LIKE THE SCENE WHERE THE CREEPY GHOST GIRL CRAWLED ACROSS THE HALLWAY.

LIES! And drugs... lots of drugs.

[jleesutton · 1/10 · 25 May 2019]

This guy got friends to positively review this... Whatever the hell we just watched...

😂😂😂😂

It was absolutely horrible. To the point of being hilarious.

Stinkburger

[soulful01 · 2/10 · 24 June 2019]

Wow, I wanted this movie to be at least watchable being a Chicagoan and familiar with the AIC and Uptown, but this didn't make it. Even with allowances being made for a low budget indie production, this movie stank. It's not the absolute worst film I've ever seen, but by every benchmark for filmmaking it didn't make the grade. If you want a list, watch the film and make your own. There are creative, well done, low-budget indie films out there. This just isn't one of them.

Not that great

[ezimmerman-36838 · 2/10 · 28 February 2021]

There were some jump scares but the acting or should I say lack there of brought the whole movie down ive seen better acting in a elementary school play dont waste your time

Made an acct. just to say this

[lowsmokebro · 1/10 · 2 June 2019]

Definitely one of the worse movies ever made and arguably one of the worse pieces of entertainment ever made.

Can't stop laughing

[haskel-72951 · 1/10 · 21 April 2019]

Horror spoofs are tricky. Most fail miserably. The absolute best horror spoofs are just really bad horror movies that don't realize what they really are. This may be the most unintentionally hilarious no budget horror movie of all time. Do not be fooled by the "awards" this thing won. Those were either awarded out of sympathy or were the props used by savage trolls. Either way, this is no winner. It is a 10 as unintentional humor, but a -7 of a movie. Good for a laugh, miserable as a serious film.

NOT BAD!

[collinsrsun · 6/10 · 29 September 2021]

Legitimately decent, knows how to write a movie. Pacing felt good, story was shallow enough to follow but deep enough to want more of the lore. I say give this same script a 50 million dollar budget to fix the sound and add a score and it's in the same category as the conjuring films.

Dull as dishwater

[kjjames81 · 2/10 · 30 October 2020]

Very rare do I turn off a film without finishing it, but on this occasion I did. I went into this after reading a few five star reviews on this site and boy were they wrong. I just want to warn potential viewers that this film is really slow and I have seen some bad films in ny time and this was one of them.

Great storytelling

[georgejayson · 10/10 · 21 April 2019]

Awesome movie, great storytelling! A really fun horror movie told from a Native American perspective, and with some original ideas.

Been Done.

[carlospresents · 2/10 · 21 September 2020]

Nothing new here. Certainly nothing exciting. Pacing is slow and dull. Acting is below par. Script is poor. BANG! A thing might happen, or did it! LOOK! Was that a thing in the background or was it? Just watch Nukes Top 5 instead.

Really bad

[edparker-13975 · 1/10 · 13 September 2020]

Really, really bad. Don't trust his mates 10/10 reviews....

Not your average horror film..

[couragetheactor · 9/10 · 27 December 2019]

As a lover of the genre, there was truly something unique and meaningful about what this film left with me as a viewer from this up-and-coming director.

"The Smudging" presents its story from the familiar perspective of a paranormal investigator in a well-executed "found-footage" style. However, the themes this film touched on offered an insight into human nature and an exploration of the cultural sensitivities rooted in it's indigenous cultural backdrop that made it a fresh "horror-adventure with heart" with an effective finger on the scare-trigger.

The American market has been saturated with horror experiences that are irrelevant as soon as the credits roll not meant to be more than toe-dips into taboo subjects or shock-and-awe crowd-pleasers harping on the same gimmicks again and again.

What The Smudging managed to show me was how there was a whole new untapped cultural dimension in how we've been experiencing "classic American ghost stories." What I saw was enormous potential to return our "dark" stories to metaphors on age-old traditions that is are very much alive and well in American Indian folklore and legend. This is a culture neglected in film that is rich with dark stories that have all but lost their meaning prior to being put in hands of Native filmmakers.

Amazing movie!

[pirandello-88497 · 10/10 · 23 April 2019]

Excellent movie; you can definitely tell how hard the crew worked in all the different areas of the movie. I was kept on the edge of my seat not knowing what was going to happen next. I felt that the plot was very solid, concrete, and creative. I also loved how the actors really captivated each scene with their professionalism; they were really able to transmit the fear that they felt in the plot to the audience. Overall, it was an amazing movie and would definitely recommend it to everybody. A must see !

Spooky and fun

[joanwithers · 10/10 · 25 April 2019]

This was a spooky movie! I enjoy the fact that it is not on a Hollywood budget, but does a lot! In my opinion, movies like this are more real. I am glad I watched it and recommend it. It's also cool that it was filmed in an urban setting, and we get to follow the characters through a haunted location. If you are into local haunts, ghosts, and good stories, I recommend it for you!