Absentia

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W C S I preface this by saying a enjoyed the general storyline and themes of this early-Flanagan piece. I watched it because I've become an avid fan of Flanagan et al's movies/shows. I can't recommend this because of the low-pitched drone that completely drowns the movie periodically, once in 10 minutes or so. That coupled with some periods of seemingly-pointless dialogue and the visibly micro-scale budget, I just couldn't get behind this one. Rated 1.5/5 Stars •  Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 03/29/25 Full Review David R I really enjoyed this tale. I'm a Flanagan-fan, so was very happy to see one of his earlier works. A simple tale. Some nice scares. Good acting all around. And that feeling of unease that you're left with (in a good way, cause it's a psychological horror movie, right?). Recommended. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 11/30/24 Full Review Steven W Good first effort from Flanagan, especially with a limited budget. The movie would have benefited from being about 20 minutes longer and having an actual conclusion, though. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 10/31/24 Full Review John C ‘Absentia’ is low budget. That's the first thing you should know about this little horror yarn. It has no big name actors in it and was financed by an online campaign. This could have been a recipe for disaster, but, I'm glad to say the writer/director pulled it off. The film is about two sisters who investigate the disappearance of one of their husbands and find it may be connected to a mysterious (and sinister) tunnel nearby. In some ways the film plays out pretty conventionally, ala ‘The Ring, The Grudge’ and all those other horror films where a woman investigates something creepy, only to discover some dark supernatural force at work. However, what makes ‘Absentia’ different is just how creepy the whole atmosphere is. I couldn't really put my finger on it, but it's something to do with the direction which is - deliberately - slow and focuses on strange, seemingly mundane items which helps to crank up the tension. One thing I really liked was the actors chosen for the main characters. Not only did they perform well and I couldn’t fault any of their performances, but – and this could just be me – but they all looked ‘normal.’ They just looked like everyday folk (not a male or female supermodel in sight!) and somehow this went a long way to show how these were just your average people getting caught up in something that turns out to be anything but average. I focused on how ‘Absentia’ is slow. I've read other reviews where people claim this as a flaw. I can see how some may view it that way. It's definitely not a gore fest, filled with wall to wall monsters and chainsaw wielding psychopaths. It's more psychological with a healthy dose of supernatural. Its pace (or lack of, as some might say) may be its drawback. I don't know if this film will ever achieve much mainstream success. I'm a big fan of David Lynch's work and this film seemed to totally remind me of his work (although it is more liniar and doesn't jump around so much). If you're not looking for a rollercoaster ride of a movie and are prepared to sit back and watch much more of a `slow burner' then this one could be for you. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/06/24 Full Review John A Interesting conceptual flourishes, good performances and a horror aesthetic make Flanagan's early film watchable and unfortunately nothing more than that. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 03/23/24 Full Review Spitfyre 8 This was well done overall, for it being Flanagan's first feature with mostly a no-name cast, and it leaves us with lots to think about as an audience, so, not much more I can ask for. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/10/24 Full Review Read all reviews

Absentia

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