Review of Slow West (2015) by Esocid — 06 Jun 2015

While certainly an entertaining movie, it's just not enough of a story beyond the premise. There could have been more to enrich the characters. There were parts that were very well done, but there were also the characteristically blunt film school techniques that just pulled me out of the moment. Was it absolutely necessary to literally pour salt in the wound? If you have a large sign that reads "SYMBOLISM" then it misses the point of including it. There was great cinematography, reminiscent of good westerns, then art-house shots thrown in just because, which I liked but made the film seem scattershot, asking myself "what style is this going to be?".

Both Smit-McPhee and Fassbender acted well, and I liked Mendelsohn's portrayal of Payne. I really wanted to like it more, but unfortunately left feeling slightly apathetic.