Written by: Shayne at 4:48 pm
Filed under: Movies,Seasonal & Holiday
While some folks might seem cheated or tricked when they purchase or rent the newly released movie Bug, by Lionsgate, the overall film should be viewed and not judged on what fans had hoped to see. Lionsgate marketing is responsible for many of us thinking this would be as gory and disgusting as Saw (which was great in that gory and disgusting sort of way). Instead, we get one helluva psychological thriller that “surprisingly” ends up working out for what it is.
It would be hard to describe this moving without giving out too much information. If you expect disgusting bugs manifesting and eating everything in sight, you might be disappointed. This isn’t a horror film designed to gross people out. This is a horror film designed to make people think. I’d like to liken the film to something along the lines of Conspiracy Theory, though the acting was far superior to that of Julia Roberts and Mel Gibson and the storyline was more concretely etched out.
The film stars Ashley Judd (in what is being described by many as her best and possible award-winning performance). Judd stars as Agnes White. Agnes lives in a dump of a hotel room. She has an abusive ex-husband, who has just been released from prison, Jerry (played by Harry Connick Jr.), and she’s just met a quirky man whom she invites to stay with her named Peter Evans (Michael Shannon). This movie is based on a play that ran off-broadway, called Bug. It was adapted for the screen by director, William Friedkin, and Michael Shannon reprised the role he played (and very well at that) in the show on stage.
It isn’t long before Agnes is finding out more about Peter. This movie explores paranoia, claustrophobia, mental illness, and the possibility of a mass conspiracy. While any more details would give too much away, know that I went in thinking I was going to see giant insects eating people and murdering them. Instead, I came out of the experience quite puzzled and with so many questions it sealed the fact that I liked this movie more than I ever thought I could. I like movies that make you think and this one most certainly will.
The acting was what made this movie. The bulk of the film relies so much on the characters and the actors playing them. There is a limited amount of settings for this movie, so while they remain at the hotel through nearly the entire film, it becomes increasingly important for the acting to be stellar. It’s kind of like the movie Saw, which was previously mentioned. Those in Saw spent the vast majority of the film, locked up in one room. Their acting had to carry the film or nothing else would. This is also true for Bug though that is where the similarities between these two Lionsgate films end.
The quality of the film, visually, is not without the assistance of amazing work by the cinematographer. The aspect ratio for the film, which is displayed in a widescreen format, is 1.78:1. The film has a gritty look and feel to it. This just adds more power to what is already being portrayed by the actors on the screen. The audio quality is also superb. Dolby Digital 5.1 is the sound quality offered. There is also the potential to use Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo quality depending on how you wish to hear the film. Those who wish to use subtitles can do so with options available in both English and Spanish. I used the Dolby Digitial 5.1 and had no problem understanding anything Judd or Shannon said. I recommend this audio setting when you watch this film, as well.
There are some extras available on this DVD, which was released by Lionsgate, on 10/2/07. These extras may interest those who like added bonus features. Bug has an audio commentary you can listen to as you watch this film. This is with the director of Bug, William Friedkin. There is also a featurette or two including the behind the scenes “making of” featurette “Bug: An Introduction” and “A Discussion with William Friedkin”. In this sit down with the director, you will learn about Bug and the other movies he has directed. The featurette lasts for close to 25 minutes. The only other extras are trailers for other Lionsgate films, set to be released in both the theaters and on DVD.
Bottom Line: If you like witty, abstract, and somewhat quirky psychological horror films you will want to add Bug to your DVD collection. It will make the perfect addition. If you were hoping for giant bugs, gore, and plenty of “icky” moments, then I suggest you pass on Bug. It won’t be what you expect, even if it is a good movie.
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Technorati Tags: Bug, Ashley Judd, Award Winning, Lionsgate, Michael Shannon, Harry Connick Jr., William Friedkin
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Written by Shayne - Visit Website
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I am the proud Papa of a son, Dylan Michael Keller. Other than spending time with my son, I have two main obsessions in life; video games & movies. Often, the two accompany time spent with Dylan. I've been married to Andrea for 13 years this December. One thing I've learned about married life is to always expect the unexpected. After nearly eleven years with just the three of us, and our Golden Retriever, Braeden, I've just found out I'm going to be a dad again. In my professional life, I'm a bit of a cyber geek. I enjoy D&D, writing stories, role-playing, computer games, working on websites, and just hanging out. I work for a computer firm doing computer-tech type work and that's all I can really say about my job. In my fantasy life, I escape to the world of film. I'm not ashamed to admit that I've seen The Return of the King at least 37 times. I signed up to review movies, and you can guarantee I'll do the job right. I hope you enjoy my reviews and always remember kids...Make Love, Not Warcraft.
