Horror stories about the legacy of Ancient Egypt were once popular, but by 2014, few would have taken to film something in such a run-down setting. With such starters, the Moroccan Pyramid holds well. Of course, everything here according to the canon - a group of archaeologists are still idiots and spit on all possible elements of safety. But, in fairness, they are added to the political unrest in modern Egypt and the expulsion from the country scheduled for tomorrow. This allows for a little bit of justification. What is happening in the pyramid, though a special originality and does not differ, but filmed fun and fun, so the film, despite the secondary theme and rating looks cheerful. Only by the end, when the characters are left alone and all the maps of the pyramid are opened, it becomes boring, but you can be patient. And so even there were no aliens, for which a separate plus.
We don’t often hear horror stories about Egypt or anything related to it. It’s not that I like this subject so much, but sometimes you can look, especially if it’s my favorite mocumentary. Well, after watching the two impressions, let’s discuss them.
The plot tells us about a group of researchers who arrive at the site of the discovery of a previously unknown pyramid in Egypt. When you dig it out a little, there is a passage inside. Naturally, the first thing our heroes did was get in there. But getting out was not so easy. And the point is not only that the pyramid is full of intricate corridors and traps, but also that it inhabits something dangerous and creepy. Then begins the struggle for survival, the results of which the viewer will see on behalf of the video cameras that the heroes carry with them.
The story is full of illogical moments. I will not list them so as not to disclose the details, but believe me, there are many of them. Especially given the characters’ dialog. For example, explain the presence of cats in the pyramid. I doubted the adequacy of the writers.
But the development of history is quite dynamic, there was no time to get bored. And traps were in the best traditions of adventure films like Indiana Jones and the like. The ending is not bad, but I always want these pictures to end on a more positive note.
As for the special effects, they are not bad. The main monster looks naturalistic, and its abrupt appearances are not a joke to scare. It is a pity that there are not many such moments. Bloody scenes are also at a high level. The monster, by the way, also liked, quite original. And in general, I really like mocumentaries about various monsters, and not about ghosts or poltergeists.
Of the drawbacks, I note that almost all the action of the film takes place in the dark, and you constantly have to look at the monitor to see something. It can't help but be annoying. I'll add the presence of music. Mocumentary music, where? Although, this is not exactly the film found, because there are moments that are clearly not shot in the first person, especially there are many such moments in the end.
The acting game is not bad, but sometimes the action of the heroes makes you wonder. But again, it is the fault of the writers who did not write the roles well enough. Well, the heroine dies in front of her eyes a loved one, and she, as if nothing had happened, continues to look at the drawings on the walls. This is just one of those moments.
In conclusion, I will say that the film is not the worst, and sometimes addictive. The pressing atmosphere is present, tense and scary moments too. But plot blunders and other illogicalities greatly spoil the impression of viewing. In general, you can watch one time, but this is not something that will be remembered for a long time.
5 out of 10
Americans travel to Egypt to explore a small pyramid. Archaeologists have suggested that the small pyramid is the entrance to a large pyramid, which has not yet been discovered. Unlike most other pyramids, the entrance to this pyramid is located on top, which is somewhat unusual: the pyramid was designed so that the person who fell into it could not get out.
The atmosphere before the excavations in the spirit of any such films (fool, joke, joke), but overall pleasant. Starting to study the pyramid itself, Americans will face the dangers that lie in wait for them inside. Even an expensive robot developed by NASA to study the uneven surfaces of other planets does not save the situation.
There are inaccuracies in the film, if not absurdities. For example, one of the researchers of the pyramid says: “The cable broke, but it is a high-strength cable – it does not break!” And they say, “You’ve probably stepped on it.” And he said, "No, you've stepped on it." So high-strength or tearing at the slightest impact? Who wrote such stupid lines?
I found it strange that there was almost no dust in the air inside the pyramid. Because of this, the realism of what is happening is somewhat reduced.
Of the advantages, we can note the musical accompaniment of the film - just excellent. The music is exactly what it should be in Egyptian tombs.
The inability to go up forced the heroes to descend lower and lower, to levels no longer built by the Egyptians, but by an older civilization. This film has something in common with another film, Paris. The city of the dead, too, descended lower.
To my surprise, what happened next can be called scary. If you compare with the absolute majority of modern horror films, which for some reason turn out completely not terrible. In any case, if you look in the pitch dark, it looks terrible.
Before us is a normal good-quality film for one time - for those who love Egyptian themes and for those who are in the heart of the "tomb plunderer".
6 out of 10
A frankly weak film. Fresh and boring. I couldn’t capture this picture in one look. I had to stretch the Pyramid for two days. And here you do not even need to go into details, because it is enough to tell about the plot and actors.
The story. Boredom. It's so clichéd and clichéd that you can immediately rewind to the last 20 minutes of the film. Nothing new. Dialogues are kind of place-bound, but they're terribly banal. The feeling that all the writers of such films have someone’s script called 'Standard horror' and they simply replace the outer shell, leaving the foundation of the film intact. It is in this manner that students usually write term papers and diploma papers.
The main ingredients: a group of people, some previously unknown place, an urgent reason to go to this place, darkness, an unknown entity in this place, the disconnection of the collective.
Actors. Cannon fodder. Just mannequins. You look at this rabble and immediately realize that the next hour and a half of the film will be forgotten. Not only are their dialogues cardboard and gray, so none of them even stand out. The only interesting character in "Pyramid" is created using graphics and it appears at the very end and for 15 minutes.
Result. I would like to give advice to all those who would like to see The Pyramid! Go to Wikipedia and just read the plot of this ' creations'. Your imagination will paint a more terrible picture in your head than the movie actually has. You will also save your precious time.
What does it take to make a good horror movie? Closed space, the presence of some evil, preferably in an unknown form, the gradual death of the heroes one after another, and in addition, the atmosphere of tension is most easily created by the banal drop of sounds, the sharp appearance of that very evil, and the endless rush of the heroes through the mysterious labyrinth. The theme of ancient Egypt, perhaps, continued to interest mankind for hundreds of years. What people have not heard about the pharaohs, and especially their tombs - the pyramids, the purpose and method of construction of which today causes considerable controversy. Perhaps this quite successful choice of the plot caused great interest among the audience, and even a poster with a screaming mummy, which by the way, in the film itself will never appear. It is hardly worth calling this film a success, and the whole thing is in the clichéd plot, expected from the first minutes of the finale, and the predictable behavior of the characters.
The author of films that have already become classics - "Mirror", "The Hills Have Eyes" or "Bloody Harvest" - having tasted the deserved fame of the screenwriter, decided to try himself in a new role for him as a director. In my opinion, the first suited him better. And the point here is in a completely empty and template scenario. The relationship between the heroes was not revealed. And if in a similar idea of “Sanctum” we can fully feel the character of the characters, then in “Pyramid” they just rush along the same pyramid, then and then, bumping into wild sacred cats, then falling into various traps, then meeting with Anubis himself – the god of the afterlife.
Some interesting facts from the life of the ancient Egyptians, which the heroes share with each other while wandering through the ancient Egyptian tomb. The Book of the Dead, various hieroglyphs on the walls of the pyramid, Anubis himself. However, these encyclopedic data in no way can cover up the screaming troubled archaeologists, the obvious flaws of the plot (so after all, where did the Arab guard appear in the pyramid?), the obvious absence of the very atmosphere of fear. To some extent, the tension rests only on alternating sharp moments. Often there was no logic in the behavior of the characters.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the finale, which is so banal that it is already beginning to cause disgust, besides what exactly the authors wanted to tell them – I still do not understand. Does anyone know what it means?
Since childhood I have been fascinated by the history of ancient Egypt. After all, there is something mystical in their mythology, pyramids and even everyday life. Therefore, I always enjoy watching pictures that tell an alternate story about the terrible mystical forces, spirits and the afterlife that collide with our reality.
This film tells us, in general, a rather banal story, which is often used in films and science fiction books about Ancient Egypt. And, namely, the story of how archaeologists find another pyramid, which is much older than those we know and, of course, go into it, where they are waiting for terrible tests and not all will come back.
In fact, I agree that in some places, in some scenes, the tension is really felt. But frankly, there are very, very few such moments. Otherwise, the riddles, traps and strange creatures that periodically appear here and there look very banal and easy to solve. Therefore, when this very “boom” or “teenage”, you guess about seconds in thirty, which, of course, does not add to the spiciness and dynamism of the film.
What really can be called the main disadvantage of this tape is shooting. I understand, of course, that the idea was to make the film, allegedly from the lens of the camera that the archaeologists took with them, and I understand that the pyramid is very dark and the only light source is a lamp on the same camera, but still the movie turned out very dark. Sometimes I had to look at the screen to see something. I think the filmmakers overreacted with the darkness.
Graphics, which, by the way, is quite small in the film, also seemed to me very, very low level. Although the budget of the film is not so high, but, in my opinion, the image of Osiris should have been approached more professionally.
In general, you can watch it once, but if you expect this movie to tickle your nerves, you will probably be disappointed.
A lot of people think it’s nonsense, comparing it to other movies. Bad. Everyone has their own opinion and they have the right to express it. I think this film has a very interesting and exciting plot. You empathize with heroes. It's not fake, it's natural. Unlike, for example, from ' Descent' (the plot is predictable, the actors play at 0), the film ' Pyramid' intriguing. The actors did their best. You can see it from the first minute of viewing. It’s probably the 500th time I watch this movie, but each time you learn something new. There are very few such films... I would be very grateful if there was a sequel.
If someone's chasing special effects, I'm not one of those people. I look at the actors, I look at the plot. If you are interested in special effects - go and watch 'Star Warriors'.
Also begin to compare 'Pyramid' with the film 'Paris. City of the Dead & #39; Don't confuse candy with patties! These are two completely different films. One describes in detail, for example, the Last Judgment, and the other - the catacombs.
The film causes a lot of positive emotions. And if you compare, only with the film ' Nightmare on Elm Street' (2010). More scary films in the history of cinema, so far, has not been.
It's not a one-time movie. The music is fascinating, sometimes inflating. The plot is thought out to the smallest detail (you begin to understand this after the first time), for example, a dog barks - understands (possibly sees) some otherworldly forces; a fishing line is cut off - a sign that you need to immediately leave the pyramid. Perhaps if it were true, and I was in their place, I would have done the same (I would have gone further, in search of something unknown to me), but I am not them, and this, alas, does not exist, so it remains just to enjoy this wonderful creation of Gregory Levasseur.
This is my opinion and no one has the right to condemn it.
10 out of 10
Quicksands, shredded cats and victims with cameras
Gregory Levasseur wrote more than one script for horror films. But I was in the director's chair for the first time. The theme of his debut was the excavations that disturbed the Egyptian gods or the ugly Muslim cats. The film desperately tries to prove to us its pseudo-documentality, although some time after the beginning sins staged shooting, which is a little confusing. But if it’s all nitpicking, what’s wrong with the Pyramid? What disadvantages make you dislike horror while watching?
Here is the most significant: this scenario leaves “sweet bloody fun” only in the second half of the session, blatantly neglecting the first one, in which the characters appear so faded, and the excavations are so dull that interest in what is happening is deflated with catastrophic speed. There is no intrigue that could hold our attention, except for the indicated in the trailer diving deep into the sand corridors. There's no sense of authenticity, because from the start, it doesn't matter what happens next, who dies, how everyone gets trapped, and so on. There are no registered characters, sympathy for archaeologists here as a rejected guest, belatedly appeared after the evening party. Simply put, not interesting, not catchy.
Does the situation change during the climax of events, when the degree of horror increases to the promised limit? A little. There is one high-quality boo-effect, interrupting a completely poor-quality scene in which nothing happened, and another simply creepy episode, where the creepy in its place only thanks to the shooting with night lighting. Green, like in the finale of "Report" and "Grave Seekers." Okay. Otherwise, the plot and its implementation fail. They try to tell us the cause of the sudden evil, but it is so ingenious, and the process of solving it is so short and inept that the former state of “I don’t care” again rules the ball. Attempts at computer monstrousness remain attempts; the acting game does not go beyond memorized phrases and monotonous screams, sobs, whining. And the finale is predictable to the bottom: it is enough that modern representatives of horror go along the beaten track, passing out the worst for surprise, while the worst left for denouement has long been turned into a stamp.
“You can’t leave alive” – says the slogan of the “Pyramid”, and I would add that “you can’t leave still satisfied”, since the debut of Gregory Levasseur does not justify the already weak expectations, presenting an indecently rotten story about the next losers who, surrendering to the spirit of enthusiasm, climbed into the heaviest, for which they paid a lot.
3 out of 10
I made myself a seagull sandwich, sat on the couch at the TV, including and see the commercial for this film. I think, ‘Oh, that’s not a bad trailer. I think it's gonna be an interesting horror movie. You need to look at it sometime. After work, I come home tired, pick up food, and go watch my own YuoTube. I'm sitting there, and there's this movie commercial again. I think, ‘Wow, he’s being so busy. I think it was a really good thing to do. For what? Why all this advertising and such wild PR? I didn’t get any impressions from the film. The beginning was intriguing. Nothing else impressed. The middle was like a circle. Like the writers decided not to steam, loop the middle of the plot, and that's it!
-Eat, dear audience! We wrote you an absurd plot, we took the chips of other films. Actors! Hey, actors! Let's run fast, whine and go. The show is starting at home.
With words like that, I'm sure with those, writers and others, they showed us this movie. I highly recommend not watching it. Everything you saw in the trailer is the most interesting. It's just a mess! Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V! Nothing more! God, how he was praised before the show. It's like candy. But it wasn't. We got a disgusting horror movie where nothing interesting, nothing new. Bad presentation, atmosphere, acting, plot. It's a shaking camera, it's destroying my brain like some kind of parasite. I do not recommend the film to watch.
A group of American archaeologists find a mysterious and unexplored pyramid. Once inside it, they are lost in endless sand catacombs. They soon realize that they are being watched by an ancient evil.
Do not enter the trailer, description and poster for the film. They're lying! They showed us a certain mysticism and mystery, but it will not be a good pitch. I was hoping for some paranormal phenomena and mystical events, as in the same movie - Paris: City of the Dead. Where the ideas are very similar. Maybe I was intrigued at the beginning, because these are pyramids. They still wonder how they happened, who built them. We got so many clues, and more puzzles. With that thought, I started watching the movie. With every 10 minutes, the film lost interest and mystery. The end of the movie surprised me. Not for the better. He was terrible. No conclusion, no conclusion. Absolutely absurd.
I can only say bad things about the movie. The only thing I can say is that the idea is pretty good. The Egyptian pyramids are more mysterious. But the implementation itself leaves much to be desired. And the beginning was very interested. But alas, it's a failure for me. I wouldn't recommend watching. You're wasting your time. You will not learn anything from the mystery that was given in the beginning.
2 out of 10
The idea itself is fundamentally wrong. In fact, Anubis at the trial of Osiris drew the heart out of his chest and weighed it, but he dealt only with the dead, and never hunted the living. So this is ridiculous. In defense of the authors, I venture to assume that in fact it is possible that all the characters after entering the pyramid have already died and the action takes place in the afterlife (while they themselves have not yet realized this). Well, maybe so...
I also want to say about the stamps, which are immeasurable here. Stupid behavior of heroes, howls, snot, nunny became the standard of American films of this genre. How a brisk American, trembling with fear, suddenly attacked the Egyptian God of Death with a knife and wounded him is incomprehensible to the mind. What a good man!
And lastly. When the directors finally understand one simple thing – to really scare, you do not need to show long and detailed who personifies the main evil in the films – whether it is a resurrected dead man, the God of Death or a prehistoric monster. Show Anubis only briefly, only from the back - the effect would be striking. What is it? First, it looked like a character from a computer game. Secondly, the long and thorough sucking and savoring of his appearance in the end negated any horror before him.
However, there are some strong moments in the film, but about it another time.
6 out of 10
I’m interested, friends, and modern suppliers of horror, in general, are aware that this genre should scare, not laugh? I won't. The conveyor for the production of passing horror films “beer”, as it is customary to characterize this film industry (I myself do not drink drinks while watching) continues to work and produce the most indistinct products that one can imagine. And it seems that only the directors and producers themselves have not yet realized how much the audience is tired of all these zombies, vampires, mutants from the catacombs, cannibals from the forests and grandmothers upstairs (stop, the last one from another opera).
The conclusion must be self-explanatory. Rubber and computer monsters are already boring, so you need to add realism and common sense. Is it true that an appetizing idea with a group of fools in a pyramid does not deserve to be properly implemented on the screen? As an option - a hard realistic thriller with traps inside this pyramid. Nope. No one wanted to break their head. Again, enclosed space and darkness, again an obscure monster (in this case, an Egyptian deity), again adults with the thinking of kindergarteners and luscious cries: “We will all die!” It's the Pyramid. Let's go.
If you put on that very bowl of scales the brain of someone from the heroes (or maybe all at once), and on the other bowl – my ballpoint pen, with which I never part, then there is a high probability that the second will outweigh. A serious danger is expected ahead, which is likely to bring a lethal outcome? Nothing. Let's go, boys and girls. It's so interesting and informative. When else can we wander through a real pyramid? Who, or what, put the robot out of action? Follow him. We don't leave our robots in trouble. Moreover, only tied to some strange rope, which, in theory, should withstand heavy loads, because it is designed for this and steel (it seems). When you are in an absolutely strange position, when it is almost certain that you are in mortal danger, do not forget to talk loudly. You can discuss everyday things and shout your callsigns. Sometimes, however, the characters manage to behave cautiously. And then you think in perplexity, why not do everything properly? It is clear that within the framework of the conceived production, it is impossible to do without kicks of logic, but they should be balanced and disguised. Heroes could be blunt in moderation.
The function of surprise and fear in general, in this picture, is reduced to an absolute minimum. The director did not even bother to play on the good old-fashioned effect of jumping out of a corner or out of dark tunnels. Predictable, of course, but there would be something. That's not it. Like an adventure tape based on detailed mythological information, for obvious reasons, The Pyramid looks helpless. To interest and frighten the viewer of the film is not able. And the further you look, the more you become convinced of it.
The only bright spot in the project is, of course, Ashley Hinshaw. Bad actress, but attractive blonde. But the girls will have nothing to put their eyes on. The operator is too cowardly and not noticeable, the comic cowboy is ridiculous and lost behind the backs of others, and the father is simply old.
This tape is not able to keep in suspense already initially, since the quality of the production looks like digging in the sandbox, no more. And the dramaturgy, the characters, the informativeness of events – these are the things that just threw out. Heroes are not only stupid, but also cardboard. The monster is crammed here like a crutch in a sleeper. His appearance doesn't change anything. Music is not remembered and almost does not sound in the right places. It was simply forgotten, as well as other bonuses designed to tickle the viewer’s nerves. Well, under the curtain, we put the most anticipated and worn finale (here I just smiled broadly, so accurately guessed everything in the details) with a dynamic soundtrack to hint that it was all drive and should cheer you up. Alas. This strange and boring action did not cause any emotions.
“Pyramid” is an ordinary blank and stamping, which dozens fly out on the shelves of movie entertainment stalls (mainly immediately on DVD). And I don’t quite understand how such films can still be released on wide screens. On the other hand, the movie, at least something, put in the piggy bank. Funny, but the fees in the US and Russia are about equal, according to the site. Apparently, the American audience has already declared a boycott of blatant misunderstandings. Things could have been much better if the director had been more competent and the script more appropriate. But, as you know, it interferes with the very “would”. With great confidence, I can say that it is not worth watching this craft (unless you are a devoted gourmet of such a loose vinaigrette and eat it with buckets). The work does not justify the time spent and does not offer anything interesting. I'll only give three points for a good but bad idea and Hinshaw. Putting red is pointless. Since the picture initially did not inspire any confidence and was doomed. This is just another mark on the endless list of disappointing horror movies. It is high time to seriously restart the genre, or, more correctly, to give it a long deserved rest. You can't do this anymore, ladies and gentlemen. It's not serious.
Contemporary art of cinema recently not without reason can boast of all kinds of special effects. Movies are becoming more and more real. But in an effort to make the film spectacular, the directors completely forget about the idea of the film. Sometimes it is not fully disclosed, and sometimes it is not at all. Horror films are no exception either. Making a monster real, scaring the viewer, creating the illusion that this can happen to each of us – that is the main goal of the current horror films. In fact, we get a psychopathic killer with a childhood psychological trauma or an evil spirit, who throughout the film chase the poor main characters. Here's why and why no one knows.
To be honest, when I went to the horror film “Pyramid” I did not expect anything special, even vice versa. But after watching, my opinion changed dramatically.
Let's start with the plot. I won’t describe him in detail, I’ll just say he’s relatively unbeaten. Yes, the main characters are not in the most pleasant place and of course get lost there, this is a familiar technique of horror films. However, this place is not typical, it is not a hospital, not a mental hospital, not a house where the whole family was killed, not a forest, it is a pyramid, to be more precise, a tomb. Who? You won’t know that until the end of the movie. Let's get to the heroes. The main characters, namely 3 archaeologists and two journalists, realized where they got to behave quite naturally for the situation. I mean, they don't have stupid ideas to split up, their action, their dialogue is perfectly justified.
Throughout the film please historical facts that complete the awareness of the picture. Without them, only Egyptologists would understand when, by whom, and most importantly, why and for whom this tomb was built. I'll tell you right away, it's not the one I expected to see.
But the special effects, on the contrary, did not justify themselves. It was fun to watch these computer characters.
I don’t know about the rest of the audience, but the film made a positive impression on me. What is more important in the film: a bright shell or an exciting plot, let everyone decide for himself.
9 out of 10
Two horror films, shot in the same style, were released in 2014: “Paris is the City of the Dead” and “Pyramid”. Both made a positive impression on me. For films shot in the first person, I generally disapprove, because it primarily speaks of budget savings, but “Paris” and “Pyramid” are separated from most of these films, because there are scenes shot in the usual style and which accompanies the soundtrack.
What did the Pyramid please me? First of all, there is an interesting story. Ancient Egypt has always fascinated me. There are many mysteries and mysteries associated with this ancient civilization, so the monsters lurking in the pyramid and numerous traps are a reflection of our fear of the ancient world. Since “Pyramid” is a horror film, shot though not completely, but still in the first person, you can be sure in advance that something will flash quickly in front of the camera or rush at it. However, there are fortunately few screeners here. And for what I am grateful to the creators of the film, is that they took care of the nerves of the audience and diluted in the final atmosphere of fear, so that “Pyramid” can safely look at the night.
The film also pleased me with the presence of quite decent acting, with which there were problems in Paris – City of the Dead. Dennis O’Hare, his character Miles Holden, did his best here, and became my favorite. As a character, Sunny is also very interesting, performed by Krista-Marie Nicola. But Nora Holden in the performance of Ashley Hinshaw the second half of the film was very annoying with its predictability and whining. James Buckley's character, Fizi's cameraman, is not far from her: he will often utter phrases such as "your theories are interesting, but we need to get out of this pyramid." It's banal.
As for the very idea of the “Pyramid”, it just causes doubts. The idea that the direct prototypes of the ancient Egyptian gods were real humanoid beings of flesh and blood is very strange and does not smell like plausibility. By the way, computer graphics in the film are good only when the main monster-villain appears, and the Sphinx cats look somehow cartoonish.
There are three flaws in the Pyramid. The first is the unanswered questions that some scenes suggest. Why did Anubis ignore the first attempt to attack Nora and Fitzi? Where did Zahir's body go? Why do cats end up attacking the wrong person? The second is a kind of understatement. What was in the sarcophagus at the lower level of the pyramid remained a mystery, which, however, no one even tried to solve. What were all these guesses of Nora when reading the texts about Osiris is unclear. And the third drawback is the presence of several scenes where the notes of black comedy slip (which, incidentally, was characteristic of Paris – the City of the Dead). The man’s leg was crushed by a lump, and his friends, unfortunately, calmly stand aside and only sometimes say “Hold on, Zahir!” It's hard to keep a smile out.
I don’t like it when a movie ends badly and I was hoping for a happy ending to Pyramid. As I said above, the finale made me happy. In spite of these three defects, I have been lenient with them. The Pyramid is definitely worth a look if you like the subject of archaeology. And if you, like me, can't stand a first-person show, much less look. This film will convince you that any manner of shooting can be good if you use a combination of styles.
Just imagine. The last people to walk through this tunnel died a thousand years ago!
In childhood, everyone, or almost everyone, thought about who they would be when they grew up. Someone wanted to be a gangster, someone an influential politician, others saw themselves as a respected shrink, and only one person wanted to become an astronaut - a teacher. I once dreamed of the profession of archaeologist, because thanks to the films of Steven Spileberg I was able to make sure that in the sand you can find not only bitten heads of dolls and candy wrappers, but also something cooler, for example, the remains of an ancient lizard. However, over time, my enthusiasm has cooled somewhat and now my profession is as close to archaeology as the Oscars are to Uwe Ball. Now, after watching The Pyramid, I wonder if I was right not to devote my life to archaeology. After all, if you believe this film, then archaeology is a trifling matter! Interested? Want to know how to become an archaeologist? Well, then brew yourself hot tea, sit down and listen to an interesting and instructive story about the most underrated profession in the world. Sit down? Comfortable? All right, then we start.
So to become a great archaeologist, you don’t have to read dusty multi-volumes written in Latin. No, seriously, we came here to excavate ancient cities and find lost treasures, not to read books! After all, while we read books, some scoundrel without education will dig up a find that should rightfully belong to us! Then what do we do? We'll figure it out on the spot. Remember: If you stumble upon any ancient structure, first let the Negroes into it... heh, I meant to say cheap laborers... er, locals. Fortunately, they are guys without superstitions and will ignite with enthusiasm as soon as they see an ancient artifact / structure on which an ominous warning will be written in blood. When the fools ... erm, your employees have collected all the traps that were reserved for uninvited guests, you can safely go yourself. How are you? Bring a couple of cretin friends...creative friends so you don’t get bored on the way. And they may be sacrificed to the ancient guards, if they are there. Mmm, what else can I bring? Great question! Take a set of young scout - dynamite, gunshot, something from a barbed-cutting weapon, and most importantly a video camera! After all, even if you do not find anything in the underground catacombs, the recordings can be sold by a TV operator under the guise of "The Blair 17 Witch". What if you do? Oh, then you'll have something to fight off from the locals. What? A bullet can ricochet and stage a disco of death, not to mention that the echo of an explosion can make you completely deaf? So what? Archaeologists don't need ears, so don't worry. Mmm, what? First aid kit, radio, flashlight helmets and provisions? Do you have any idea how much space that takes up? It is better to go light, still in the ancient pyramid you will not linger for long.
Well, I like it already. After all, in this film, the viewer is not very smart scientists who throw scientific terms about and without, but guys from the people who a couple of days ago culturally spent time at the neighboring entrance drinking strong alcoholic beverages and talking about what the meaning of life is. Naturally in material goods, how else? True, the characters of the characters turned out to be not very recognizable, perhaps because the main characters simply do not have characters, and throughout the film they will speak in a calm and phlegmatic voice. Although... or maybe this is such a cunning director’s idea, designed to emphasize how ordinary and unremarkable heroes are, and therefore the viewer does not need to compare himself with scientists, but imagine how he would behave in their place? Brilliant! All for the viewer's sake!
And so that the immersion in the picture was even stronger, its creators considered that the soundtrack is a moveton, and therefore completely abandoned it, obviously, so that the silence was tangible, or so that we could enjoy the voices of the main characters who every couple of minutes discuss something completely forgetting that something unprecedented and extremely aggressive is chasing them.
However, not only the lack of musical accompaniment gives the picture its unique charm, but also the operator has contributed to what is happening. And the fact is that this glorious film was made with the law under pseudo-documentary, but with all this, we will very often watch the main characters from the outside, and if so, then the thought immediately comes that the ghost of a reporter who shoots them travels with the main characters. What a great story, do you think?
We also have a monster that lives in the depths of the pyramid, which is much larger inside than outside. The black hole effect? Looks like it. And the monster is none other than Anubis, who was locked in the pyramid by the God-fearing people of Egypt. You hypocritical bastards! But thanks to this film, I learned one interesting feature - the ancient gods are not afraid of gunfire, but fire for them is really terrible. Hmm, isn't that why Prometheus stole fire from Olympus? Burn Zeus and company to the core of the feni? It could be.
Outcome? A great film about archaeologists who have a set of necessary knowledge, but are in no hurry to use them, and therefore leave wounded comrades to their fate or completely calmly watch as their friends are torn apart without trying to interfere. There is a monster that seems to have come from the horror films of the 80s of the last century – a rubber suit that looks ridiculous on the actor wearing it, but gives the picture a futuristic, yes. And now, after watching it, I think I'm going to study paleontology to unearth a sentient Triceratops skeleton that's going to run around and wreck everything. I'm going.
3 out of 10
The movie was good. Excellent shooting, operator work, plot, scenery, visual effects. At a decent level, the script and acting. The film will appeal to lovers of the subject of research of the unknown. Of course, there are certain cliches and predictability, but the appearance of the Creature in the final part of the film was really unexpected. Heroes, in my opinion, behave much more natural and logical than in other films of this genre. The scenery was delighted - the ancient Egyptian tomb looks natural and spectacular.
The film was shot with good quality, which once again proves that talent does not need multi-million budgets, and you can make a decent movie for little money. For a higher assessment, there was not enough tension and greater mystery, although you follow the fate of the heroes to the end with interest to find out what awaits them in the depths of the sinister pyramid.
For six and a half million budget shot at a satisfactory level, and given the experience of the Director, or rather his absence in this role, the film turned out better than initial expectations. And therefore do not understand why such a massive disappointment in the project from the viewer, in which the brilliance of genius was not visible at the stage of its development.
Correctly noted by some viewers, very similar in its plot, just as the production with the recent film “Paris City of the Dead”, only this time the share of pleasure will not be enjoyed by lovers of the city of lovers and perfumes, but fans of Egyptian mythology. And it is worth admitting, albeit on the verge of absurdity, but the director-beginner had the courage to fantasize and the picture "Pyramid" was not another "ghost" odyssey of scientists, but swings at evil characters of a much higher rank.
It would be possible to pick up better actors and make the script more professional. What really surprised that the film was shot partly in the genre of mocumentry, and here just no changes were carried out, at the hour when every outgoing films, especially in conjunction with the genre of horror, try to show some ingenuity in the work of the operator with the camera.
Far from the worst representative of the horror genre, given the experience of the director and the almost absence of eminent actors - then "Pyramid" is a good choice for viewing for one time and you can forget it with pleasure.
5 out of 10
The film was surprisingly good, although, of course, has a fair amount of predictability. Indeed, who else can sit at the bottom of the unknown ancient, many millennia covered with sand “non-standard” Egyptian pyramid? It became more or less clear to me already about the 27th minute.
Nevertheless, this rather standard material is presented relatively well, although some weakness of the plot and well very economy-class special effects somewhat spoil the picture - but, in my opinion, not much. After all, it is ridiculous from a film with a small budget to expect special effects of the level of Transformers or Avengers. This kind of work is usually taken by others. So, this “other” in the discussed picture is in sufficient concentration. By the way, with regard to special effects, the sphinx cats turned out to be surprisingly good, the “owner” of the pyramid disappointed in this regard.
First of all, there are the same cats. It's ridiculous, they couldn't survive in the pyramid for how many millennia because they didn't eat. Let's discard other things like light and air. Secondly, air. If the air was poisonous when the entrance to the pyramid was printed, this contradicts the ending when the characters get out. If communication with the outside world is still there, the air inside would still be updated to some extent - well, except to refer to the sand that blocked the hole. But then he would fill up this mine, wouldn't he?
Finally, I do not see any sense in leaving an exit from the pyramid, which is supposed to serve as a prison for its occupant. As it turned out, on this vertical shaft, this subject moves directly with divine ease. Again, let’s say people broke a wall there, thereby opening the way out. No way! The mine comes straight out of the cell! And if some wall was broken by people, then even more so could our prisoner. Didn't know where to break it? For thousands of years, he could break every partition he could. So the plot traditionally suffers from logical inconsistencies.
However, I liked the episode with the corpse of a Mason – I wonder how he spent even 10 minutes alive in the poisoned air of the pyramid? In general, the picture makes a favorable impression, the timing is not prolonged, events are developing quite dynamically, the gloomy rooms of the pyramid are quite creepy. And, personally, I had a funny analogy with the old movie Counted Seconds. Indeed, the main villain of this film could well be the GZ “Pyramids”, who got free and was carried away by Satanism (with whom it does not happen). So
In short, it is bad, cheap, with a huge number of joints and just frankly idiotic dialogue. All these things are often found in horror movies (and even all at the same time), but the film can always be drawn with an idea, atmosphere and some small new peculiarities. Everything that could be bad is bad.
Heroes see wild dogs (they are specially emphasized at the beginning of the film), but send the three millionth value of the robot to their potential habitat. When the robot predictably dies, they follow it without any weapons. An experienced archaeologist, who has been in more than one dangerous situation, did not take even a first aid kit inside the ancient Egyptian pyramid. When his super-strong cable breaks, he phlegmatically replies: "Nothing, it happens." These cute people didn’t even think to review their detailed videos to get out – they went for a chance. In the maze. When you go to an unknown place, you can't go the easiest way through the gate in that place. You need to climb into the cave on the ceiling, fall, break your face and only then go to the gate. Brutal, experienced, again, the military shoots some unknown creatures climbing out of the tunnel, and then sticks his head in the same tunnel to see if he killed everyone. Oh, not everyone. Again, very a lot of shackles. When there are so many, it is impossible to believe at least a little.
Dialogues are blurred with words that have already been spoken thousands of times, with completely dead conflicts. “You brought us here! It’s your fault, I’ll come back for you, you hear me! I will not leave you!, I will not hide! Let him kill me! is almost literal. But the argument I liked the most was, "Look, if this gate has been here for thousands of years, it must have been put up for some reason." It is better not to touch them.
Sphinxes are too computerized and look like small dogs. The deaths of the main characters look completely ridiculous, especially the play “watch your partner die and fervently call for help; do nothing yourself”.
The trailer was good. The pyramid idea was good. The only good thing about the film itself is the beautifully filmed rain of sand in one of the rooms, and then with a stretch, because there is nothing more to say. Also, mummies are a bummer.
400 kilometers from Cairo, a research team of archaeologists stumbles upon a stunning discovery: a pyramid hidden under the sand. Excavations are in full swing, now the entrance to the cave has been found, and the robot entrusted with becoming its discoverer is put on alert when suddenly the American government announces an urgent evacuation of its citizens because of the outbreak of the revolution in Egypt. But what do researchers who are a meter from the great discovery, when they have no more than a day? Of course, at your own risk will go to the depths of the pyramid, on what they think is a short journey. Further developments are not difficult to predict... Of course, they will get lost, of course, time after time they will fall into the traps of the labyrinth, and find secret passages, they will not make logical actions, and, of course, will one by one become victims of the inhabitants of the pyramid.
A picture on a similar topic has been filmed quite a lot, and, unfortunately, “Pyramid” does not bring anything new to this series of films. Everything develops according to repeatedly tested patterns, because of which it is not difficult to predict who will survive in a particular situation, where the heroes will lead the next hole and what the final scenes will be. However, most of the screen time, the authors still manage to keep the main intrigue (on which the film rests): whose pyramid is it and who is pursuing the hapless archaeologists? But as soon as the answers to these questions are revealed, the last remnants of tension and drama finally leave the tape, which makes the last third of the film turn into an empty run of heroes who survived to this moment, with a pre-obvious ending for each of them.
Alas, the advantages in the form of a decent acting, good camera work and high-quality editing are overshadowed by the main drawback of the picture - the script not brought to mind. It seems that if the writers showed a little more imagination, a little more ingenuity, then “Pyramid” would have every chance to become a very spectacular and vivid film. But, unfortunately, the picture turned into an unremarkable, passing film, which, due to its unoriginality, is lost against the background of other films about the misadventures of the heroes in the labyrinths of caves. Also, not in the plus of the film are very mediocre special effects and the complete absence of frightening moments (which is naturally unacceptable for a picture positioning itself as a horror film).
“Pyramid” is a film from the category “one time”, which is likely to fade from memory with the onset of the final credits.
5 out of 10
Briefness is the sister of talent. I love movies of the genre mockumentary. Unusual production and transmitted feelings from the actors to the audience. The game is warm, I liked it. The idea is simply chic, to connect the history of Egypt with the plot of the film is not bad enough.
I agree with the above, too much blood from the first corpse, can not fit so much in a person. The image of Osiris himself resembled some kind of RPG game. The idea of a tunnel in which archaeologists were supposed to be covered with sand impressed me, but the frivolity and carelessness of the characters did not surprise me, this is typical of literally all horror films. Basically, I always notice all sorts of minuses or overlays in films, but a beautiful production smooths everything out.
The only thing I didn’t like was the ending. I thought it would be more interesting, but it only takes three. Everything was somehow too long, it was necessary to finish the film already when half a jackal half a man grabbed it again. The film met my expectations.
The history of Egypt still haunts many people around the world. This civilization has left us with too many mysteries. There are so many strange things in the pyramids. How? Why? Why? Many associate them with aliens, with magic and versions in fact a lot, but the answers are few. It's scary to think that pyramids were built before the wheel was invented, but they are. Mysticism shrouds all the secrets of the pyramids and I really like it. Like the great catacombs, the pyramids are a tidbit for horror directors. You don’t even have to guess what to write the script about. If there are drawings of gods in the pyramids, you can put them in a movie to kill people. The atmosphere of a closed space will do its job for the operator. But will such a movie be of high quality? Let's take a look.
Before us is another horror movie that does not have a good rating and did not find positive responses from the audience. Why? Because again, everything has been done sloppy. Every year we see dozens of monotonous films with one theme and no one is trying to bring something new to this genre. I watch horror movies from the '80s and '90s and I get creepy even though it didn't have the technology that's used now. No one wants to scare the viewer by driving horror into him, everyone just shoves sharp moments into the film and is content with it. There's a money hunt everywhere. To be honest, I didn’t like the movie. Maybe he has some special and interesting moments, but they are in abundance. I just sat and waited for the heroes to be covered by karma to open the tomb of the pharaohs. Here, as always, there are idiotic actions of the characters, full of their stupidity, a lot of inconsistencies and very bad computer graphics. The daughter never listens to her father, the cameraman never partes with the bulky camera, the guy sends a NASA robot for several million dollars deep into the pyramid and cries for losing it there? What nonsense. It's all funny to me. Who in their right mind would climb into the pyramid without special devices that would track at least a simple location. Okay with the story about the spirit that lives there forever, it seems to inspire interest, but it is not presented beautifully. The graphics are squalid, like I’m watching Mummy 99, but in a budget version from Asylum Studios. Oh, man, you've been on this scale, so do it. I can't believe it's a hundred. It's done, in my opinion, on the back. But still, the movie isn't that bad. There are positives. For example, the story of what is happening in the pyramid itself I liked, but again, the finale struck me by the fact that I did not understand what the logic is and I had a question: Why? You'll have it, too, because none of the people who watched me could explain what happened. As you might guess, I just don’t want to spoil any impression of the film for you without telling you the ending.
The family is not without a freak and a new creation in the genre of horror could not please me. I conclude that the old films are much better than the new and plan to stop watching new horror films... Although I am fooling, reviews I can only write on them. The bottom line is, you want to watch — look, if something stops, you have a nose for bad movies. You better look at something better. I really want to see a good movie about the Egyptian pyramids, but unfortunately, they can not make me happy. Watch a good movie!
“Pyramid”, or how Alexander Azha produces worthless projects of former colleagues.
While in Hollywood, Michael Bay promotes and sponsors rather weak projects from unknown directors ("Uigi", "Continuum") and squeezes millions of dollars out of them thanks to his high-profile name, the legendary Alexander Aja decides to keep up with his American colleague and his eyes fall on Gregory Levasser - a former colleague on the set and screenwriter of "Bloody Harvest", "Mirror" and "The Hills Have Eyes" - and his new film "Pyramid". Included in the budget of the film “horrors” Levasser’s tidy sum, which is politely not indicated on the site, was most likely spent on a high-quality trailer shot in the spirit of “Grave Seekers”, but with a historical admixture in the form of the curse of the pharaohs of ancient Egypt. What is left of the film itself? Let's dig deeper.
The plot begins quite quickly - the viewer is shown Cairo, swept by the growing revolution. Not far from the Egyptian capital, excavations are underway of an underground three-sided (!) ancient Egyptian pyramid, led by a university professor, his daughter and her boyfriend-technician. And, of course, not without a couple of journalists with shaking hands, filming the whole case. Fearing to enter the pyramid themselves, this archaeological gang is sent inside the historical find of a robot explorer, which they clearly stole from the Short Circuit. Voila, did you guess what happened next? The robot broke down, and our brash five, spitting on all precautions, enters the pyramid.
The theme of horror films, which tells about the clashes of people with the mystical unknown in a confined space (forest, hospital, etc.), originated with The Blair Witch and then was very successfully implemented in subsequent projects. Gregory Levasser chose a very interesting approach and decided to shoot such a picture in the spirit of ancient Egyptian mythology. But he did it, let’s face it, through one place. Why is the pyramid three-sided? Why did scientists remove gas masks when they knew there were poisonous impurities in the air inside the structure? What is this strange disease that they caught? "Shit in the ear" - approximately gives the answer to the last question one of the main characters, suspiciously similar to the early Max from "+100500". Questions about the reasons for what is happening on the screen torment the viewer all an hour and a half of screen time, and only 20 minutes before the end of the film, the scriptwriters still deigned to provide a meager mythical background through the lips of an illogical girl, who for some reason did not shine with correct conclusions. The rest of the picture is a mess, a kind of prefabricated hodgepodge shot in semi-mocumentary format (picture from the camera operator can be abruptly interrupted by shooting from a bird's eye view or from the ceiling). Everything was stuffed here - ancient Egyptian mythology, cats, religion, mysticism, Freemasons. And all this without the slightest hint of explanation of the actions of both the main characters and antagonists. In this regard, the recently released “Paris: City of the Dead” occupies a higher bar and looks much more presentable.
The situation could be corrected if the creators of the “Pyramid” walked along the path rolled by the “Grave Seekers” – a solid suspense component. Almost any shortcomings of horror films for a young audience can be corrected with banal “boo-moments”, oppressive music and maintaining tension. There is indeed a low-grade suspense here, but a paradox! There are no scary moments in the movie. Here, it would seem, comes a fascinating atmosphere, the action is transferred to a dull room with dark corners, in the air reigns unbearable silence – a godsend for any director of horror, but nothing happens, nothing, you know? Is that fashion today? No one jumps out of the corner, mummies do not suddenly rise their tombs, and the fate of the main characters by and large do not care. If Gregory Levasser naively believes that the modern viewer can be frightened with the help of computer-skinned sphinx cats that bite but leave no bites, and two liters of tomato juice splashed on the walls of the scenery - he is sharply mistaken. His manner of shooting in this film looks like a lush spit for fans of horror. “Pyramid” for Gregory Levasser, the man who once wrote the script of “Bloody Harvest” is a black page in his career, shame and shame.
The acting game is more fun than ever. The composition is traditionally recruited mainly from series, and therefore there is nothing to be surprised. The reaction to the loss and murder of friends in the characters is so indifferent that generally everything that happens on the screen acquires a taste of artificiality and unreality. Logic is a separate word. Were you in the maze and in the wrong corridor? No problem, let’s go forward and come out on the other side, only degenerates return. Attacked by a bony cat, 5 times smaller than a person? Run! The bitter sediment, perhaps, diluted only “Captain Egypt”, which migrated to this film from “Operation Argo”, forgetting to change clothes in the dressing room.
So, “Pyramid” is a low-grade “underfilm” of horrors in a brilliant wrapper from a former colleague and friend of Alexander Azh – Gregory Levasser. Not scary, not tense, not real. If you are going in a friendly company to tickle your nerves - feel free to throw the "Pyramid" far on the shelf, somewhere near the "Jesabelle", and it is better to review "Grave Seekers" or the new "Paris: City of the Dead". I will rate only as a token of respect for Levasser’s former achievements in the writer’s chair, and for ancient Egyptian themes, although not disclosed.
3 out of 10
Oh, bad hands can turn a good script into a sickening movie. I read the description, I thought it was funny, but what if I didn't look at it? But here's Denise O'Hare's time-wasted bonus. Or as wasted, rather lost. I don’t regret watching it, it’s just a pity that the movie was ruined, and could do something interesting. Not the Mummy, they overthinked, it turned out not a god, but a werewolf. The picture shows the Mummy. Liars.
In general, it is not a bit scary, on the contrary, you sit and spend your nerves, because the main characters are just a moron. How can you be such a stubborn, stupid sheep, please tell me. When it is clearly stated that the curse is placed on this pyramid, no, the archaeologists will get in their ass. I generally agreed with this professor or who he is, the only normal dude, but his daughter is dumber than a flock of sheep. You have to listen to the folder. Well, there was no effect of horror, there was no logic, there was little blood, no screaming, there were few corpses. It is clear stump with a small number of screeners movie will be shitty.
On the other hand, I liked Anubis, the whole film is based on him, it was very interesting. I didn't even rewind. There was also such a trick with an unexpected death, tore out the heart, this is the only thing even a little scary. And perhaps the film is not quite a horror movie, rather a thriller or something, if some mystery or big secret were added to the plot, then maybe the film was not so boring.
There is nothing to write, the only thing I can highlight is the performance of such actors as Denis O’Hare and James Buckley. Denise is remembered more as a half-dead bastard from AIU. Yes, this series is a hundred times more terrible than this, although there is nothing like that there. If there was something to cling to, the rating would not be so bad.
It's supposed to be interesting. Ahn no. Fuck it. Wandering through the ancient Egyptian dungeons of a group of gallant adventurers on their ass will end as it should: blood, corpses and all sorts of curses.
In the best traditions of low-budget and similar horror films, this film is a worthy continuation of traditions: a minimum of information at first, and then a maximum of anxiety and tension.
As it often happens, the main character, and in this case the heroine, succumbed to the desire to make the world a better place, to make a couple of new discoveries. Pulls several people and descends into the gloomy dungeons of the ancient pyramid. Long wanderings end tragically, and the heroine, as expected, remains alive. Oh, shit! So many people have died because of their ambitions and valiant American mottos “this is my whole life” and “how many secrets, I need to reveal them”, and “Yes, it’s not for long, we only go back and forth, you won’t even have time to fart.”
Like watching Ouija: The Devil's Board, I sincerely wanted the main character quartered. Why such injustice: because of her people die, and she lives!
Well, this is my opinion and it may not coincide with the opinion of other viewers.
In the course of viewing the "Pyramid" a couple of times involuntarily closed their eyes - very painful and muddy to watch the endless walks through the dungeons. And if it's Paris. In the City of the Dead, every second (this refers to the moment when the group descended into the catacombs) is fraught with danger and anxiety, in the Pyramid everything is reduced to stupid walking.
And also, bravo creators! Experienced archaeologists walk behind a cameraman who steps his back forward and shoots the rest of the group! Your mother, at the beginning of the film they show and say that the pyramid is fraught with unknown danger, and this ram goes backwards! Stepping into the dark! In which the fuck knows what traps can lurk! Yes, there you need to light your way 10 meters ahead, and not go and see only five centimeters in front of your nose.
Still would show how the ancient evil, in the best traditions of antiheroes, preferring throughout the film to kill without talking - instantly and immediately pulls the cat by the eggs, gives the heroine the opportunity to feel the closeness of salvation. Oh, that's in the Pyramid, too. As always, though.
A horror film, shot as a pseudo-documentary film on a brilliant and attractive theme of all time, the pyramidal theme of Ancient Egypt. However, to my deep disappointment, everything turned out very primitive and mediocre, great buildings, over which scientists still puzzle, tarnished and humiliated Hollywood. “Pyramid” is not about the pyramid or its secrets buried in the sands of the desert, it is about where human stupidity and cheap script can bring.
From the very beginning, the characters are annoying with their typical feature of going ahead, since the writers chose the action track that was beaten before them “we will drive ourselves into a trap ourselves”. Grief-archaeologists are faced with a new wonder of the world, a real find for science, a storehouse of valuable knowledge and secrets - an underground tomb. As a sign that it is time to leave the excavation site, fate throws them urban riot; super-expensive NASA-branded robot (covered by the name of a super-popular corporation to “add chic”) is incapacitated inside the pyramid by some creature, and our heroes are not confused. Without warning of the right structures (except one Corporal, whose role was as short and ridiculous as his name), without special insurance, this handful of idiots with brushes go inside in search of an information bomb, and, of course, they suffer a sad fate. All their adversities are inconclusive, and attempts to read wall symbolic inscriptions written by truly intelligent people are ridiculous and unprofessional.
The Egyptian theme of gods and curses failed miserably. Screenwriters took the kleshe about the faithful companions of the era of the pharaohs - this is Anubis and bald cats, untouchable and adored by everyone, who through the millennia managed to breed. And we tried to smear it all over the movie. Mental condolences were more brought to the cursed Anubis in this pyramid than to the heroes in trouble.
The film does not keep in tension and horror, does not intrigue. Of the frightening elements, only spectacular surprises packed together are presented. Useless introduction of the element of infection through the blood. Why it, what it gave... Just reminded "District 9" with his two-faced poor Vikus.
The end. In the lead-up to the final, the main character is trying hard to survive and she is either able to do it or not. In other words, finished to finish and go about their business.
Poster. The poster in the rental depicts the head of the mummy, spewing a terrible scream and horror. What a brazen lie. Although it is clear that mad cats and a computer head, to put it mildly, would be unsuccessful. A good poster gave false hopes to a naive viewer who wants to see an interesting "horror movie".
I will sum up these incompetent fruits of creativity as follows: for a representative of the horror genre also shot on such a simple, limitless for fantasy theme – everything is very bad. Disappointment and sorrow for the time spent, however, for the sake of laughter can be seen.
5 out of 10.
Over the past few years, the genre of pseudo-documentary cinema is very much loved by lovers of horror films. A big plus for such paintings is the tactic of "small budget - big profit" and in most cases this is the case. In October last year, the film Paris: City of the Dead appeared in cinemas, which sent the viewer to underground Paris in search of the philosopher’s stone, shot in the genre of “documentary”. It took about two months and cinemas began to storm the new horror film “Pyramid”, which I would like to tell you today.
Egypt. Our time. A group of archaeologists find a very ancient and unknown pyramid. After losing the signal with a robotic researcher who was sent to inspect the treasury, our heroes go into the pyramid and not only find a robot that has been gutted like a can, but also get lost. Now the task is one: to find a way out and get out of there alive.
The film was directed by Gregory Levasseur, for whom this film was the debut. To tell the truth, the debut is not the most successful and is associated not so much with the director - a beginner, as with the screenwriters or competing films - in this case with the same film "Paris: City of the Dead". The very idea of the film is very interesting and I think a lot of people would like to walk through the real pyramids and see it with their own eyes (without consequences of course). The film itself is very similar to "City of the Dead" - almost all the action of the film takes place underground, the characters solve some puzzles that devote us to history courses. Levasseur worked a little weakly - for the whole film liked only one scene, and the most important film, for me personally did not cause that horror, but even the slightest fright (and I watched this film at night). Turning to the writers, I want to say that the future generation of writers would watch this film and not do more such banal and stupid scripts. An example is the questions, of which there are many and which cause nothing but laughter – “Who is Osiris?”, “What is this cable for?”, “What is going on?”, “Something will climb after us”, to which one character answers “What should we do?”, etc. I especially want to highlight the scene with a cracking floor, where one of the characters says “all is well, great”, after which more cracks form!! Screenwriters, like the director, should consult with a professional "horror". And this person could be Alexander Azha, who is a producer, and who has long been acquainted with the director of this picture (Levasser was a screenwriter in his films several times).
I think the authoritative opinion could change the film at least a little for the better and would not hurt.
There are not so many actors in the film (for the most part, these are only our main characters), but they play very well and harmoniously, at least somehow trying to show fear, fear and other emotions. I will not single out or lower someone, since everyone did not cope poorly with their task, but there would be more dialogue, and not banal and stupid phrases, which I described above and it would be very cool.
Total:
I can only say that I am disappointed, because I was expecting something more from the film and only got bored. What I liked was the idea, as well as the only scene in the style of the computer game “Outlast” (yes, the scene with a night vision almost at the very end). Alas, but the film is ruined, as I said, by the writers who filled the film with a lot of empty dialogue, as well as a comparison with the same film “Paris: City of the Dead” (sorry that I often use this film), which came out earlier and looks better. In my opinion, it would be better if the film was directed by Alexander Azha, and the script was written by Gregory Levasseur, then the film would be worthy of attention. I can advise this film only to fans of the genre of pseudo-documentary, and the rest only at a special request.
Thank you for listening!
Sometimes I have a clear feeling that the current horror films are given to almost everyone at least some knowledge of cinema. And in most cases, this is an inherent reason why many of these horrors end up being of very mediocre quality. Of course, you do not want to bring everything and everyone under one comb, there are also brilliant debuts, but alas, they are extremely few. So with the director of the new “Pyramid”, Gregory Levasser, something similar happened. In the form of a screenwriter and producer, he managed to work on such good works as Mirrors, The Hills Have Eyes, or even Maniac, but in the end, his own work has almost no face, except for the setting, which we have not been spoiled for a long time.
The story is as simple as any other horror movie. A group of archaeologists during excavations in Egypt comes across an ancient pyramid, previously buried under a layer of sand. After some time, antiquities hunters find the entrance to the above pyramid and by coincidence, despite the warnings of local residents, as well as the prohibitions of their own superiors, penetrate inside. And then their problems begin, they banally forget where the exit is and begin to wander through the dark corridors of the mysterious structure with time realizing that they are not alone there and with them in the pyramid lives centuries-old evil that was there waiting for countless years.
Before watching the movie, I was expecting something different. No, of course, it was obvious from the trailer that we were actually waiting for another foundation footage, but here’s what about the very evil that lives in the pyramid, I was still somewhat disappointed. Cats? Are they serious?! Well, with ancient traps, everything seems to be more or less clear, especially since the plot of the film itself obliges. And everything would not even be so bad if the creators removed all the mystical biliberd and left only one trap. But no, in the end, we are waiting for the appearance of Anubis himself, a god who lives from something in the pyramid. At the same time, another problem opens, computer graphics and processing of monsters here is quite poor quality. Well, that is, for fans without a penny in their pocket, this is not bad at all, but for Fox, a real shame. It seems that some penny was thrown into the production of the film just so that it was nothing more. Nevertheless, deaths here sometimes look quite good, and the atmosphere makes itself felt, but no more.
What surprised me was the participation of several worthy actors, who at one time managed to shine in quite good works, not in the example of “Pyramid” of course. It is primarily about the beautiful Ashley Hinshaw, as well as the man who played her father in the film – Dennis Oheira. However, people apparently offered a good fee, how to refuse? At the same time, it seems that most of the budget just went to the salaries of actors.
In conclusion, Levasser has a very standard horror movie that lacks stars from the sky. I cannot say that the work is disgusting in all aspects, it is possible that fans of the genre will be satisfied, but in my humble opinion, it would be best to review the first part of The Mummy, which, although it contains a whole bunch of funny moments, but nevertheless, even this film could sometimes catch up with some creepy. In the “Pyramid” this is not in sight, instead, we are waiting for another run through confined spaces, feral cats, as well as incomprehensible from where the ancient Egyptian god, who looks like the creation of amateur filmmakers. Although, I still overestimate, because I love the history of Egypt and favorably treat the genre itself.
5 out of 10
I think there is a period in almost everyone’s life when they pay some attention to the culture and religion of ancient Egypt. There was a time in my life too. I can’t call myself a connoisseur or a big fan, but I am respectful and admit that it’s not for nothing that Ancient Egypt is so interesting. That’s why every firefighter always gives a chance to such films.
The film has two dubious advantages - the camera does not shake so much, and we understand that the operator is sober, and dynamics, which, however, leads to nothing.
Well, you've got some downsides. To begin with, I would like to note that it is 2014, and computer graphics could not be so plasticine. A small budget is never an excuse. If you wish, you can come up with something, get out.
Deciding to take as a basis Ancient Egypt and the mysterious pyramids, the creators could not agree on what will be in the pyramid of such a mysterious and deadly. I think one writer wanted cats, the other wanted Anubis, and the director dreamed of a maze with deadly traps. In order not to offend anyone, they stuffed everything into the pyramid, and it looks very ridiculous. Oh, do not forget about a certain infection, which dreamed of one of the illuminators.
Logic bypassed the location of the shooting. Archaeologists climbing into the pyramid without any means of protection, touching everything with their bare hands. The cats, who had been living peacefully alongside Anubis, suddenly rushed at him instead of Nora. After shooting cats in the tunnel, you have to stand and look into it until you are killed. These are the most noticeable blunders, a whole mountain in detail, as if there is a manual on the topic “How not to do”.
What you don’t have to do is play. That’s the idea, apparently, inspired the actors before the shooting. Throughout the film, they very sluggishly portray fear, occasionally recalling flashes of panic/unmotivated anger. Ashley Hinshaw tries harder than others, opening his eyes and mouth wide, but it turns out still unconvincing.
And finally, absolutely not scary, sometimes even boring. Probably, it should still be designated as a mystical thriller or something else, but certainly not as horrors.
A film like this should be watched in a big and fun company when the film is being staged, but no one really watches it. But I’ll still get him a couple of points for cats and for being Gregory Levasseur’s directorial debut.
2 out of 10
In Egypt, a group of archaeologists find a mysterious pyramid. Without thinking twice and forgetting about all caution and common sense, the group goes down, without even realizing what horror awaits them there.
On the one hand, “Pyramid” is a film that tries to look original, the theme of the pyramids of their contents is very, very interesting, especially by combining this theme with the horror genre, you could get a truly interesting and terrible horror movie even with a limited budget.
But it turns out that the “Pyramid” collapses at the very beginning of its path, moving from one horror to another, without paying attention to more than one essential detail. If in the beginning the heroes simply got lost, then they tried to eat, and in the end their souls were almost taken into the realm of the dead, such multifacetedness for an hour and a half horror movie is too much. Moreover, the film is shot in the genre of documentary, which does not benefit him, but on the contrary only distracts.
The Pyramid is a film that can hardly be called scary or interesting. This is a simple uncomplicated horror film that will not cause the viewer any emotions, neither positive nor negative and will most likely be immediately forgotten, since it is difficult to earn audience sympathy with such a presentation.