Subgenre: Psychological | Sci-Fi
Underlying Element: madness & paranoia | artificial intelligence
Director: Sean King O'Grady
Synopsis:
This movie is about a workaholic family man who suddenly finds himself as a prisoner of the company he's working for.
Analysis:
The Mill (2023) can be considered scary because there is no premise or backstory presented. Unraveling the mystery of why he ended up in that concrete roofless prison is the only motivation you'll hold on to as you watch the movie.
Unfortunately, that mystery drags itself for 90 minutes. For a full-length movie, this is painfully boring. The repetitive torture and lack of progress for that long will make a viewer quit watching.
It also doesn't help that Lil Rel Howery is the lone starring role. There's something about his acting that seems too theatrical for a horror mystery.
On the other hand, the twist towards the last few minutes is something that can be explored further. It was abrupt and failed to explain how or why the story came to be that way. The symbolism might be too deep for a casual viewer, and the lack of backstory about the company-employee relationship needs a prequel.
Not to mention, breaking the fourth wall as an ending is a bit cringe, though it can be assumed that he became mentally disturbed after all that he's been through.
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