Blazehgehg
Conceptually, this is a cool movie: all of a sudden, the world is plunged in to darkness. Those that vanish in to the night are never seen again. And those that survive to see the sunrise find that even the sun itself is beginning to disappear, bit by bit."Vanishing on 7th Street" is presented to maximize confusion and to scare the pants off you. With a high-contrast visual style where light sources are constantly blown out, it definitely has a unique look all its own, and the whispering, living darkness will make you think twice about sleeping with the lights off.Here's the problem: adrift in an ocean of style, the movie barely gives you anything to hold on to. Some of it is being cryptic on purpose, and that's fine, but other parts of it just don't have enough meat on their bones. Or, like, uh, any at all.Vanishing on 7th Street doesn't have any characters. This should be obvious enough, as the lights go out barely even five minutes in to the film without establishing anything or any one. It's not until almost halfway through the movie that anything really begins to solidify in to a coherent narrative, and even then, the cast of characters we're given mostly exists as the same "scared survivor" clichés that have become so common in zombie movies: the traumatized orphan, the hardened curmudgeon, and so on. Hope gets lost, nerves get frayed, guns get pointed, and should we leave him? I DON'T KNOW, MAN! WE GOTTA GET OUT OF HERE! LET'S GO! The movie throws out vague ideas about what *could* be going on, but they never amount to anything more than just suggestions. And so, our characters of one-dimensional stereotypes move from light source to light source, running from shadows, and doing incomprehensible things that jeopardize their own safety for no other reason than to manufacture fake tension.It all feels a little thin -- a spooky concept that just needs to be fleshed out a little more. I'm not asking for it to over-explain itself to death, I'm just asking for it to explain literally anything at all even a little. It doesn't.
Floated2
Vanishing on 7th Street is another non mainstream supernatural thriller. However this film is a disappointment. Director Brad Anderson's film is a conventional genre exercise, but the choices he and screenwriter Anthony Jaswinski make cripple the exercise right off the bat, and the film never overcomes the built-in handicaps. In short, the menace the film is built around is never menacing, and that's not because of the concept so much as the execution. There's something creepy about the notion of evil that hides itself in any shadow in a world where light is slowly slipping away, and there are a few moments in the film that suggest just how a subtle, creepy version of that film might play. Although there are some moments of unintentional comedy played by Hayden Christensen as the other members, Vanishing doesn't provide much or anything new. As pointed out by many, the ending seemed to be unfinished as it wraps everything up with many unanswered questions.
mjbset
I have simple standards for movies based on their categories. If have to delve into the message of the movie to enjoy the movie this first time you watch it, it is not a good movie. Really great performances in this film and that is shame that they were wasted. Without their strong performances i would have given this movie one star. I believe this is a case of the writer and directors creating something they would enjoy rather than the masses. There are some very interesting themes in the movie but unless you are an "artistic" film watcher you won't appreciate them. The movie is the opposite of films like the Matrix, The Chronicles of Roddick, For Few Dollars More, Aliens, The Shinning, and Carrie entertaining in real time the first time you see and thought provoking after. I kind of tune out of being entertained by the movie into considering the inconsistency. I think I was fortunate not to see the first part of the movie. I tuned in when they were all in the bar. I believe if I saw the first sequences I would have changed the channel by the time they got to the bar. It worth maybe 40 minutes of your time to watch Thadie Newton perform. But if you not an "artistic" film watch or a Thadie Newton fan, I would recommend you pass.
suite92
The film is set in Detroit in modern times. Paul handles the technical end of a movie theatre. Luke had a nice job at a television studio. Young John was with his mom. Rosemary was a nurse. One day darkness falls, so to speak. People disappear, with their clothes left behind. The period that the sun shines decreases rapidly.Three days later, almost everyone is gone. The four have found each other, and are trying to save Paul. They have figured out that they need to stay in some sort of light. Batteries that work are getting harder and harder to find. Luke locates a truck that might still work.The darkness comes after them. Will any of them survive?------Scores------Cinematography: 6/10 It's a dark subject. The camera work is pretty good for the trying situation.Sound: 6/10 No particular problems, but the creepy music is not all that creepy.Acting: 5/10 Hayden Christenson, Thandie Newton, and John Leguizamo all gave reasonable performances, but I have seen each of them do better in better films. The script did not give them much interesting to do or to say.Screenplay: 4/10 Short on ideas, useless ending. The references to Roanoke Island did not seem to lead anywhere.
AD
