Visitors Review

ldnfilmlover 2013-05-18 01:57:47

good idea ruined by terrible acting

the beginning of the movie is extremely thought-provoking and plays oncontemporary concerns about internet privacy, but then it all turns abit silly and random with all the killing..i could almost tolerate the silly random killing if it wasn't for theTERRIBLE cringe-worthy acting from everyone starting with the planevoice-over/tannoy, and the unrealistic (typical of most Brit horror)script trying to portray shock and fear. i think it would have been waymore sinister if the plane voice-over was robotic instead of thejudging tone similar to the narrator of 'come dine with me'.i was very disappointed that after the tense 'round 1', instead ofgetting more cruel and intrusive, the writers ran out of ideas andbrought out the killing.

adam_dalton84 2013-05-17 06:04:07

Silly but solid entertainment

I'm a bit surprised by some of the reviews for this one - seems likepeople either love it or loathe it! I got it on DVD and wasn'texpecting much but I found it really enjoyable. It's just a goodentertaining film. It looks a bit low budget in places and thesituation is pretty ridiculous but the characters are convincing andthe film rolls along at a good pace. No lulls in the story and somenice twists. It's not really a horror though tbh, definitely more of athriller with some disturbing bits. It did make me think twice aboutsome of the things I've watched online.If you want a good fun, slightly silly but makes-you-think kind of filmthen this is a good one to watch.

Frank Kneepkens 2013-05-16 23:10:41

Sick movie made by probably a sick mind

This movie is in the tradition of the SAW sequences but a lot lessattractive/interesting, less bloody OK but I rather watch a SAW moviethan this one. Especially the very unsatisfying end. After watching theend you get the bad feeling like "I watched this movie for nothing", aregret to take time to watch it. The movie starts OK, interesting, inthe beginning you think this movie exposes the threats of social mediabut along the way it gets too ugly and unrealistic. Forget about thismovie, it's worthless. The thing I really oppose is the threaten of achild by the "bad guy", should be forbidden in movies like this. Reallyawful.

aram k 2013-05-15 23:59:19

above average and nerve wracking

This movie is not deserving that bad critics like awful. There are alot of movies in this genre and style which are really awful but as aBritish movie in his own style with unknown characters i think itsabove average. And if you like this genre and enjoy movies like thisyou can watch and have fun. At least there are acceptable logics andreasons of the story . Don't expect a first class movie , its lawbudged but still worth to watch as i say if you like this kind. 6 starsmeans for me above average and most of the movies are like that. Youdon't have to have sympathy or dislike for the characters but you canstill empathize to some of events.

biXen 2013-05-15 09:33:10

Too far fetched

A friend recommended this movie to me and since we both like thethriller genre I decided to give it a go.The movie is a bit like a mix of the B-movie Turbulence (which are sobad that they amuse me), Unbreakable and Saw, and the games Manhunt.The plot is about 4 people that win a competition where the prize is atrip to New York. When they get on the plane all hell breaks loose.Without spoiling anything I can say that there's a game they must play,and the game is made up of what they've done on a social network. Thesocial network is facebook but they've obviously renamed it.The whole plot is far fetched but in a setting where it shouldn't be,the characters are unrealistic and the acting isn't that great in myopinion. I found myself not caring much about what the reason is forwhatever happens because the characters weren't believable. Some of itis so stupid that I wish I could tell you without spoiling. I don'trecommend it, watch a better movie.

neil_burney 2013-05-14 23:31:57

surprised me

in account of other horror films ranked higher than this i reallyenjoyed it, not too predictable, good storyline and British! I don't really understand the references to the similarities to saw (which i hate)yes it's repentant ultimately but that's about it. thevast majority of horrors recently have a good build up leading tolukewarm inevitable demons ending which is a dull cliché. this filmleaves you guessing until the end. the budget is cheap clearly but itdoesn't detract from the atmosphere which i found was pretty tensethroughout. in summary social network massive build up- hugelydisappointed/ panic button poor reviews- really enjoyed!

JenEvans1 2013-05-10 05:03:02

What a disaster.

This film is dreadful.It looks like it has been put together by a couple of ten year olds whocannot have spent more than half of their (combined) pocket money.The whole thing - apart from a few minutes at the beginning - takesplace on a plane (and a very small one at that) and to say it is acheap and and nasty effort is if anything generous. None of thecharacters were likable, I didn't care in the slightest what happenedto them and the only reason I watched it all was that I just couldn'tbelieve it wouldn't improve. (But actually I wished I hadn't watched itas the ending was so lame I could have cried).Honestly, the whole thing has been done many times before and much -very much believe me! - better. Why waste your time?

nicholasdoran6612 2013-05-09 16:54:18

An Altogether Slow, and Drawn Out Decent Horror Movie

It was a dark, dark night and I thought of watching a horror movie, andthe British cult hit "Panic Button" crossed paths with me. Althoughslow and drawn out entirely in the beginning, the move progresses as itgets longer, and gets increasingly intense. It centers around be plotof a girl named Jo and four other people she does not know who allentered into a contest on a social site similar to Facebook calledalgettogether.com. The four unknowingly win and are excited for thecontests winning outcome to a paid trip on a private jet to New YorkCity. Once they arrive on the plane and situated it is a classy planeand all seems fine, until the four contestants become subject to acontest aboard the plane and are asked personal questions and soon itescalates to watching innocent people die and more lives are lost. Itis a horror thriller and it is true, read the terms and conditions.

rooee 2013-05-07 13:30:58

Pushes the right buttons

Despite some of the marketing, Chris Crow's zeitgeisty paranoiathriller owes as much if not more to Hitchcock's Lifeboat as it does tomodern "torture porn", such as the Saw sequels. This is a slow-burning,character-based ensemble piece, tightly written and unfussily directed,which takes our web-based fears and makes them monstrously manifest;not only our anxiety about identity theft, but also touching upon ourperceived anonymity, leading as it does to a sense of invulnerability -and from behind that veil, the screenwriters suggest, we are free toact upon our cruellest base desires with virtual immunity.Inevitably, perhaps, the tension gives way to more visceral final act,but Crow's camera never lingers or leers. The 18 certificate (in theUK) seems harsh, given the recent, similarly-budgeted excesses of TomSix and Srðan Spasojeviæ, from which this is a mercifully far cry.One may well be left with the feeling that this is a desperatelytopical film, cashing in on the current trends for horror games andsocial networking - and this is not an unreasonable response. But thereis real quality here, not least in the four central performances,superbly depicting the rapid mental decline as the dire situationdawns: that they've been given the trip of a lifetime, and it lookslike it'll be the last of their lives. This descent could have beenunconvincing, but as the laughter fades and the camera becomes unfixed,the effect is quite involving.It's a pity that this kind of ingenious lo-fi horror is so often lostin the shadow of dismal Hollywood remakes. We can help right this wrongby supporting freshness and ingenuity where we see it.

phillipe-178-3616 2013-05-07 03:38:44

Very much of its time - Cube for the Facebook generation

Some of the best films of the last 20 years have been low budget genius- Blair Witch, Cube, Hardware - and whilst Panic Button doesn't quitehit these heights it's still a very good film. This low budget horror punches well above its weight as 4 competitionwinners find out why they should have adjusted their privacy settings.As well as being very timely given all the discussion around Facebookprivacy, it also taps in to the real time success of 24 and Nick ofTime which allows the viewer to exist just that little bit closer tothe action. It's pacey, tense and has just the right amount of malice - shows thatyou don't need to spend millions on CGI to produce a decent night atthe movies.

bobbybits 2013-05-07 06:29:27

Try pressing the off button

If you press the OFF button does it Stop? Well yes, as there is littlepoint watching this film it delivers no scares at all. It being filmedalmost entirely in one location, both the dialogue and the script aredreadful while the plot has more holes then a tea strainer. A villainwho models himself after Big Brother while trying to be a Jigsaw but isin the form of a cartoon crocodile on a computer screen that attacks agroup people from a social networking website who were selected aswinners. These people shed group tears at some of their friends who arebeing killed from being filmed on Blair witch cameras. You never seethe witch....Cheaper then my penny collection, yes it takes whack jobs to make afilm like this.2 out of 10 on a good day

torost82 2013-05-06 22:50:18

OK ,if you like these types of movies ( low budget,horror)

Typical thriller/horror with a modern twist. Basically low budget "Saw"with some modern plugins. If you like such movies ,maybe you will likethis one.For a low budget movie its a good effort.The plot is in my opinion lacking, it leaves no room suspense to buildup. Or to build any relationships between the characters or the viewer.Feels rushed. The story unfolds by itself, with little active choices.The noname actors give a good performance, trying to make the most ofit.These other reviewers must be friends of the director or somethinggiving it 10/10.

Andy Steel 2013-05-06 01:52:52

Compelling enough?...

With most of the action taking place on the plane I did find this one alittle claustrophobic, but then again I guess that might have beenintentional. A small budget can't have helped too much either. Decentperformances all round, although nobody really stood out, so honourablementions go to; Scarlett Alice Johnson as Jo, Jack Gordon as Max,Michael Jibson as Dave, Elen Rhys as Gwen and Joshua Richards asAlligator.Although I did find it quite compelling I felt quite detached from thecharacters. I guess I didn't care about them enough for the film tohave any great impact. It's quite well made, given the constraints ofthe budget; I just felt it didn't quite have enough to make me raveabout it. It does flag a little about half way through and I found theending slightly predictable. Still, it's worth a look if you have aspare 90 minutes or so.SteelMonster's verdict: RECOMMENDED.My Score 6.3/10IMDb Score: 5.1/10 (based on 2,504 votes at the time of going topress).MetaScore: No Data: (Based on 0 critic reviews provided byMetacritic.com at the time of going to press).Rotten Tomatoes 'Tomatometer' Score: No Score Yet… (based on 1 reviewscounted at the time of going to press).Rotten Tomatoes 'Audience' Score: 28/100 'Liked It' (based on 219 userratings counted at the time of going to press).You can find an expanded version of this review on my blog: Thoughts ofa SteelMonster.

AtlanticSwell 2013-05-05 10:45:51

High concept attempt which just about makes it to the finish line

As other reviewers have said this is low budget British horror with nota big name in sight. It's Social Network meets Saw on a private jet andmost of the action (maybe 85 out of 92 minutes) happens in what is aclaustrophobic and slightly greenish (?) space. But I take my hat offto the film-makers for going for a high concept piece. I enjoyed thefinal twist and found the characters right at the end immensely creepy.It did set my mind racing...I don't think the production values werethat bad. Yes, the camera is clearly Hal 9000, but then I wonder ifthat doesn't say more about who put it there than anything else. I waswaiting for one of the characters to make a reference to the Hal 9000likeness, and to snigger more and make a joke of 'Dave'...but then...I think there's been a lot of over-positive reviews which is perhaps atad suspicious from people who've only ever reviewed one film ie thisone, and then a few really quite nasty ones. I think the truth liessomewhere in between. For something low budget this is fine: I thinkit'll gain traction when it hits the £3 DVD barrier. I like Brit horror and this is OK. 6 or 7 out of 10.

davidcowper65 2013-04-29 14:23:16

4 people win the trip of a lifetime to New York - or is it?

Wasn't quite sure what to expect from this bearing in mind it was shoton a budget in Cardiff with no "big names". Having said that this filmexceeded my expectations. The plot revolves around 4 people winning anall expenses paid trip to New York on board a private jet courtesy of asocial networking site All2gether.com. Once on board and having torelinquish all their mobile phones, it's time to play the in-flightentertainment ... and this is where the fun begins. With the cockpitlocked and the mysterious "Alligator" pulling the strings, things soonstart to heat up & passengers begin to turn on each other. It'smarketed as a horror/thriller and they've managed to keep the rightlevel of suspense & gore, some movies just seem to rely on as muchblood & splintering bones as possible in the hope it makes a movie -Panic Button doesn't do this, there were enough twists & turns to keepyou on the edge of your seat. "Dave" played by Mike Jibson (CemeteryJunction, The Bank Job) has some of the best lines and "Max" played byJack Gordon (Fish Tank) displays his rather impressive acting skills.Panic Button definitely hit my button and I would say this is a mustfor any horror fans.

marlarkey 2013-04-28 20:59:17

Sadly derivative, potential in the concept but poor execution

There was some potential in this, people having different persona onsocial media, getting involved in things they wouldn't in real life buthow social media is real life.But unfortunately it was basically a low-budget "mee too" moviefollowing the same formula as many other films that throw a bunch ofdisconnected people together, not knowing why and then killing them offin various kinds of horrors.There was little merit in the acting, the cinematography, the plot, thescript, the technology, the twists and turns, the music, etc.The only thing it had going for it was vaguely interesting butunfulfilled potential.

trancehunter 2013-04-28 00:23:41

Epic Fail.......

First of all the film is clearly a failed attempt at a Big brother/Sawhybrid, removing all originality from the foundation of the movie, theymight have got away with it if was all executed well but it wasn't.Then obviously you have the bad script coupled with bad acting and poordelivery of the already poor script. The interaction between charactersand the 'main bad guy' is both awkward, frustrating and irritating. Thecore of the film follows the same generic formula of all weakpsychological 'thrillers/horrors': A group of people take it in turnsto reveal their personality traits and flaws in a crisis situation. Thesame generic formula applies to the rules and boundaries of thecircumstances and the main bad guy: A highly unlikely and at timesimpossible scenario combined with over-the top powers afforded to thebad guy in order emphasise the feeling of fear, control andhelplessness. The result merely portrays a story that is toounbelievable to have any real impact on you as a viewer and thereforereveals a lack of effort from the writer to think of a more intricateand realistic plot. An example of this is the fact that it takes placeon a private jet (requiring a huge level of funds or authority/power toutilise - which your typical deluded killer doesn't have). Oh and thisjet happens to get some form of North Sea WIFI where it picks upperfect internet connection ANYWHERE. Another is the ability of the badguy to acquire access to ANY information on ANYBODY at ANY given timein order to gain control over the characters within the crisis. If itwere possible to have this level of intelligence then there would bebasically no cyber crime ANYWHERE in the world as the police would havecaught everybody by now. Bare in mind that it turns out that this guyis an average sociopath - how he acquired super hacker/CIA capabilitiesin his spare time is omitted.After thirty minutes I was just wishing something would happen,anything to make the film have any real point to it. After forty I waswishing it would end. In the end there lacks any real point to havewatching the film, there is a slight twist,but even that doesn't resultin any sense of achievement. The characters were so weak that I reallydidn't care what they did or said or if they all died, in fact I hopedthey would to stop being so irritating. The thing I hoped for the mostwas the irritating, cowardly and Ponce bad guy to reveal himself fromthe safety of his ivory tower and get brutally done over just to teachhim a lesson, however if you are hoping for this slight balance ofjustice then you may as well use the 'OFF BUTTON' since this neverhappens either.

FlashCallahan 2013-04-27 14:26:27

Enjoy the flight.....

Four strangers win an all expenses paid flight to New York, thanks to asocial network site called Altogether. Once aboard the flight, they are invited to play a game which could winthem prizes, and without reading the terms and conditions, they beginto play.After a few personal questions, secrets about the four are revealed,much to everyone's disdain, and when the group or individuals refuse toanswer a question, a friend on their profile is killed.Soon the faceless voice turns the group against each other, and guesswhat? They decide to go for each other.After reading the reviews of this, I wasn't really looking forward towatching it, but it sounded okay, and I think Johnson is a goodactress, so why not.We are introduced to the group and as soon as you see them, you justknow who will die first and why. The cocky tubby one was my firstchoice, because he was annoying and archetypal in the yuppie sense.Second was the supposed glamorous one, who did nothing but giggleand/or moan.The other two I wasn't too sure about. Once the film locates to theplane,it becomes more interesting and it turns out to be a very solidthriller. The DVD cover states its a cross between Saw and Catfish, Iget the Catfish connotation, no matter how loose it is, but the Saw oneis just to get the numbers up.It's not gory, it's intelligent, and actually surprised me in the lastthird. There is a twist of course, but it's really quite clever and foronce in a low budget thriller, different.Well worth seeking out.

xpanther2005 2013-04-26 22:47:10

Awful! Awful! Awful!

I wanted to give it a 1/2 star instead of a full star, but I couldn'tfigure how to do it.The premise seemed promising at the beginning, but everything startedto fall off after about 15 minutes into the movie.The acting is terrible; the characters aren't even remotelyinteresting. You can't sympathize or hate(for that matter) any of thecharacters.The ending is absolutely meaningless! And when the credit rolls youinvoluntarily spit in your soda.British cinema used to be great, but alas; it's gone Hollywood. We'reall awaiting its return.

kosmasp 2013-04-26 02:35:52

Button pusher

"Interesting" as another reviewer put it. But kind of worn out too. Youwish they'd actually care about the characters they write or portray.It feels very unnatural and very cliché (especially towards the ending)and does not really get you involved. And it started out so good. Youhave no idea who those guys and the tension gets almost unbearable atthe beginning.But all that doesn't matter in the end. Because the movie throws anylogic out the window (no pun intended) and tries to stick with a knownformula. It doesn't work out that good for the movie. While not theworst movie, you have to be a fan of the genre to take the time towatch this.