60-second cinema

2 out of 10 Pants. But then I’m not one for vampire flicks anyway, so it didn’t stand much of a chance. My instinct to give it 2 rather than 1 must mean it has at least one redeeming feature, though. Question is, what is it? Oh yes: Kate Beckinsale in rubber. :)

5 out of 10 Strangely uninvolving. It passed the time well enough while I was watching it, but looking back, I can’t say I was ever drawn in by it. Some of the scenes were suitably horrific, but it never really engaged me. It was more like reading a newspaper report than watching a film.

7 out of 10 A film that felt half an hour too short. I blame Peter Jackson. Regardless, it certainly lives up to the title. While, out of necessity, it’s relatively slow-paced, there are two moments of sheer brilliance that made me wish the whole film were like that. Had it been, this would be a 10, without doubt. Both Mortensen and Cronenberg deserve great praise. As it is, these gems merely sparkle magnificently in the midst of a good-but-not-great film. I’ll not spoil it by describing the scenes, but it’s a long time since I’ve sat in a silent auditorium so absolutely thrilled. Maybe I should give this an 8 after all? P.S. when considering my score for this movie, I realised it was less than I gave King Kong. And that was wrong. Kong has been suitably downgraded to a 6.