MEANDER
GHOSTFACE
Welcome, brave souls, to a discussion on the spine-chilling and disorienting world of "Meander." In this French science fiction film, director Mathieu Turi takes us on a mind-bending journey through a nightmarish maze, where survival is far from guaranteed. Join us as we delve into the depths of this psychologically intense tale, exploring its striking visuals, haunting performances, and thought-provoking themes. Get ready to be captivated, thrilled, and challenged as we unravel the mysteries that await us in "Meander."
A woman is lying in the middle of the road when a car approaches, before it reaches her she stands and moves aside. The car pulls up beside her and the man inside offers her a lift. They introduce each other as Lisa and Adam. She notices he has a tattoo of a cross on his hand. They speak, and Lisa reveals her daughter Nina had died and today would have been her ninth birthday. After a while, Lisa turns on the radio and hears a report of a man who has murdered two people. The report describes a man with a cross tattoo on his right hand and Lisa realises it is Adam, who slams the brakes throwing Lisa against the dashboard.
Lisa wakes up in a small room with strange lights on the walls and seemingly no way out. She has a strange device attached to her wrist emanating a yellow light. After a while, a door slides open and reveals a narrow tunnel. Lisa crawls into the tunnel and the door closes behind her. The device on her wrist sounds an alarm and a timer briefly flashes showing 11 minutes counting down.
Lisa crawls through the tunnel overcoming various obstacles like an incredibly narrow passage she must squeeze through, a platform that begins to slowly rise and almost crushes her against the ceiling, a rotting body blocking her way that falls apart as she tries to move it.
At one point the tunnel ahead of her is blocked and the device on her wrist glows red and begins to countdown from 60. The walls are suddenly lined with tubes that appears to be heating up, and a section of the wall behind her opens. She quickly scrambles into the space as a glass barrier closes her in and the tunnel behind her is filled with flames.
She carries on through a section that is flooding with water, and an acid pit with only a thin ledge on either side to crawl along and eventually hears a man calling out. She finds herself trapped behind a barrier, the man trapped behind another barrier in front of her, and an open stretch of tunnel between them. The man is clearly losing his mind, his hair is long and he has a beard indicating he has been in this place for a long time. A section of wall opens up in the tunnel between them and fire tubes line the walls, both of their barriers lift at the same time and they race to the safe space. After a struggle, Lisa gains the upper hand and forces the man into the tunnel. The glass barrier drops down severing his arm that was attached to the device. She sees a tattoo of a cross on the hand and realises it was Adam, who is burned alive as the fire fills the tunnel. She then passes out.
She wakes up in the same safe space. A skull, attached to a mechanical tentacle, appears from the ceiling and heals her wounds. It then attaches itself to a part of her suit and Lisa experiences a flashback of Adam attacking her with a knife, her being stabbed and falling from the car, and a strange light in the sky.
She leaves the safe space and takes Adam's arm with her, she examines it and sees there are three markings - a diamond, a cross, and a diamond - underneath the device attached to it. Suddenly, a spinning blade appears in front of her, forcing her to move quickly backwards. She narrowly escapes into a tunnel above.
A section above her opens up, and a strange creature crawls into the tunnel with her and lies still behind her. It begins to chase her and she crawls through a small section of the tunnel that it cannot fit through. It appears to be human but badly burned; its eyes are white and glossed over. It's missing an arm, hinting that it is Adam, reanimated somehow.
She comes to a section with two tunnels to choose from, remembering the markings on Adam's arm she tries to work out which to take. She chooses the left, and hears her daughter Nina's voice. Lisa follows the voice into a bright white room that shows images of her life, from herself as a baby looking up at her father, to seeing her daughter fall to her death from a window.
The burned Adam creature appears above her and descends into the room and gives chase through a tunnel. At the end of the tunnel is bright cloudy sky, but the tunnel itself is lined with razor sharp wire. With no choice but to push forward to escape the creature, Lisa forces her way through the wires, badly injuring herself. Finally, she cannot move just feet from escape. Fire tubes appear from the walls, a safe space opens up which the creature rolls into, and Lisa closes her eyes and waits to die. Just before the flames hit, the floor opens up and she falls to safety.
She wakes up in the same room she started in. Badly injured, she writes the symbols she had seen in blood on the wall for someone else to find after her. The skull appears and begins to heal her but she tells it she wants to die as she wipes the symbols from the wall, it is about to inject - seemingly to euthanise her - when Lisa notices she has only partially wiped the symbols. It was not a two diamonds and a cross, it was 6 arrows indicating directions to take. She tells the skull to stop and, rejuvenated, she sets out again. She easily passes the same obstacles as before, this time knowing how to overcome them.
When she reaches the acid pit, she burns off the clasp of her wrist device and discovers her own set of markings underneath - two crosses and a diamond telling her which directions to take. The creature begins to give chase again as Lisa reaches the split in the tunnel, she throws her removed device down one tunnel to lure the creature and takes the other.
She comes across a strange biological door that leads into a womb like room. She crawls inside and strange creatures - possibly aliens - can be seen moving on the other side of the walls of the womb. She leaves the womb by another exit and enters a similar room, where she notices her wrist device on the floor and the creature stuck in a door ahead of her. She slowly retrieves the device, but it sets off an alarm which rouses the creature and it gives chase again.
They move into a tunnel that again lines the walls with fire tubes. Lisa escapes into the safe room and the glass falls down, but this time the fire doesn't come and the glass opens again and she is pushed back out in to the tunnel with the creature. She wrestles with it, placing her foot on its head as the wall presses them both into the main tunnel. Its head is crushed against the wall, killing it.
Lisa uses the marking on her wrist to find her way. She eventually finds her daughter Nina playing with a ball. She realises her daughter is not real and tells her she has to leave another way. The daughter hugs her, telling her "I'm proud of you, Lisa. We all are", then disappears.
Lisa crawls into one final tunnel with three blades falling at faster intervals. The first is every 4 seconds and she makes it through. The second is every 3, she gets by it. The third is every 2 which seems impossible. Just ahead is the exit with bright blue sky. Determined, she forces herself to try and almost makes it, but her foot is severed in half. She crawls to the exit, weak with loss of blood, and finds it is merely a screen with a video of a sky.
She begins to cry as the tunnel fills with flame tubes.
Suddenly, the ceiling opens up and she begins to float upward into a bright light. She wakes up outside on a rock under a bright blue sky. Her foot is healed. Nina appears before her. Lisa asks her if she has died. Nina tells Lisa that her body died many times, but she is safe now. Lisa asks her what she is supposed to do. Nina says "Live".
The camera pans up, revealing that they are on a beautiful alien planet.
MEANDER: BEHIND THE SCREAMS
MEANDER: BEHIND THE SCREAMS
JASON
Listen up, you sick souls who thirst for terror! Meander, the nightmarish confined sci-fi puzzle thriller, will send shivers down your spine. If you revel in the bone-chilling moments and dread-inducing claustrophobia found in 80s horror flicks like Aliens and Die Hard, then prepare to be petrified by this demented descent into madness. It seems this film was specifically designed to resurrect the word "fiendish" in reviews, and trust me, it's earned every bloodcurdling syllable. Vincenzo Natali's haunting film Cube provides a faint resemblance to this horrifying journey, as Meander rips you from the light and thrusts you into an abyss of unimaginable terror.
The nightmare begins with a chilling encounter between Lisa, a fragile soul donning a woolly hat, and Adam, a gravel-voiced driver whose mere presence reeks of malevolence. Their deep conversation takes a twisted turn when Lisa spots a tattoo on Adam's hand, instantly recognizing him as the escaped murderer the radio has been prattling on about. Without warning, he lunges at her, forcing her into a hair-raising struggle for survival. When Lisa regains consciousness, she finds herself confined within a desolate industrial space, its walls riddled with ominous perforations. Her only escape route lies through a hatch, leading her into treacherously narrow corridors. But beware, for each step she takes brings her closer to a suffocating fate, as the very ceiling inches closer to sealing her doom.
Meander enthralls viewers, its bone-chilling premise of a rat-in-a-maze inducing a primal fear that consumes the soul. Though some of the traps may seem unremarkable, the power of Gaia Weiss cannot be denied. This agile former ballet dancer effortlessly immerses herself in the role, channeling Noomi Rapace's dark magic as she traverses the twisted labyrinth of her own personal hell. Her physicality is breathtaking, while her poignant expressions convey a haunting pathos that seizes your heart. Alas, the film stumbles with a superfluous subplot about Lisa's deceased daughter, a burdensome distraction that drains the intensity from the torment with every agonizing moment.
But let me tell you, there is an otherworldly force at play, an extraterrestrial puppeteer whose unfathomable motives govern this hellish dance. In a mesmerizing astral flashback, Director Mathieu Turi captures the essence of cosmic horror, leaving you trembling in fearful awe. Turi's masterful touch is further showcased in the ominous opening scene, weaving an atmosphere of dread that is palpable. One can only hope that Turi, with his unnerving prowess, will unleash even more frightful possibilities beyond the stifling caverns of this genre, where terror roams freely in illimitable darkness.
Meander is an unrelenting nightmare, plunging you into the abyss of terror with no reprieve in sight. While it may not redefine trap design or fully exploit character development, it will undoubtedly leave you quaking in your seat. With Mathieu Turi's wicked vision and a cast that embraces the essence of horror, Meander is an invitation to embrace your deepest fears. So, prepare to be consumed by the unspeakable horrors lurking within, for there is no escape from the depraved terrors that Meander has meticulously crafted.
JIGSAW
Prepare yourself for a descent into the heart of darkness, where Meander, a film that shamelessly emulates Vincenzo Natali's Cube, fails to instill genuine fear but instead leaves you with a lingering sense of disappointment. This lackluster attempt at experiential horror drowns in its own simplicity, delivering a narrative that falls disappointingly short.
Lisa, portrayed by Gaia Weiss, finds herself in a desolate world, consumed by guilt and grief over the loss of her beloved daughter. When offered a ride by Adam, played by Peter Franzen, the moment should be ominous enough to raise alarm bells, but instead, Lisa's distracted state blinds her to the impending danger. Soon enough, she awakens in a confining, high-tech box, tethered to a ticking timer that mocks her very existence. As she escapes her mechanical prison, her true test begins—an arduous journey through treacherous tunnels designed to snuff out her flickering hope of survival.
Mathieu Turi's attempt to generate tension in a threadbare story falls flat, as the film becomes a stagnant one-woman spectacle. The emphasis on time, while initially captivating, quickly succumbs to monotony as Lisa trudges through the tunnels, facing predictable threats at every turn. The monotonous exploration of danger becomes tedious, stripping away any suspense or genuine moments of horror.
To mask the weakness of the narrative, the production design strives to create an illusion of expansiveness within the suffocating tunnels. Yet, the effort falls short, failing to ignite the imagination or evoke a sense of true dread. Turi's nightmarish imagery feels forced, lacking originality or the ability to truly disturb. It becomes clear that the film's only worldbuilding comes in the form of these underwhelming visuals, leaving the viewer craving more substance.
Even the sound design, heralded as the true star of the film, fails to salvage the sinking ship of Meander. While it attempts to create an immersive experience, the result is an overwhelming soundscape that lacks nuance. Instead of enhancing the terror, the over-the-top sound design tends to drown out any potential for genuine fear, leaving you detached and unaffected by Lisa's nightmarish predicament.
Furthermore, Turi's refusal to offer answers or explanations only serves to highlight the underlying weakness of the film. Logic crumbles before your eyes, rendering significant details irrelevant and leaving you with an overwhelming sense of frustration. The loose allegory for grief that Turi attempts to weave lacks depth and fails to provide a satisfactory conclusion. In the end, Lisa's internal journey feels inconsequential, leaving you with a lackluster ending that offers no emotional payoff.
Gaia Weiss does her best with the material she is given, but her valiant effort cannot save this sinking ship. Her portrayal of Lisa is adequate, but the lack of character development and a compelling arc leave her performance feeling hollow. Even the potentially cringe-worthy moments fail to elicit a genuine reaction, lost in a sea of mediocrity.
Regrettably, Meander falls short of its potential, stretching a simple concept to its breaking point without delivering any meaningful substance. Stylistically, it may have its moments, but the hollow storytelling and lack of genuine horror leave you feeling cheated. It becomes painfully clear that Meander is more concerned with surface-level thrills than digging deep into the darkest recesses of the human psyche. Save yourself the disappointment and avoid getting lost in the labyrinth of Meander's misguided ambitions.
GHOSTFACE
Well, well, well... Meander, an interesting little film, ain't it? It's got this mysterious maze, colorful lights illuminating the way, and traps that'll make your skin crawl. Reminded me a bit of "The Cube," you know, reusing sets and all. The movie never slows down, driving forward like a freight train. Poor Lisa, pushed to her limits. She's a brave one, I'll give her that, but damn if she ain't hollow as a ghost.
Now, here's my biggest bone to pick - those antagonists. Who the hell are they and what's their damn motive? They're practically shadows, barely there. It's a shame, really. I wanted more than just the skeleton outline. But hey, guess that's not what this movie's about. They pad out the runtime though, dragging it on like an extended short film teetering on the edge. Redundancies and an overused monster? Could've been trimmed down or better explained.
But I gotta admit, the film looks great. The maze all lit up with those colorful lights is quite the sight. And those traps, man, they pack a punch. Intense, I tell ya. It's like being on a twisted rollercoaster ride. And hey, there are a few intellectual "aha" moments that keep you engaged and thinking. Lisa, played by ?(actor's name), does a fine job as our reluctant action hero. Shame her character's as thin as tissue paper. You can empathize with her, but you barely get to know her. Brave and clever, that's about it.
This is Mathieu Turi's second shot at the big screen. His debut was a post-apocalyptic film called "Hostile." Seems like he's got some real potential. The guy worked as an assistant director on major studio films like "Lucy," "Inglorious Basterds," and "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows." Crowd management was his gig, ironic considering "Meander" is essentially a one-woman show. But hey, the dude's got some style. Curious to see what he's got coming up next.
Funny thing is, this movie kept popping up on my Amazon Prime recommended films. And guess what? It's free if you got Prime. Can't argue with that, can ya? So, if you dig these trickery and trap-filled flicks, "Meander" is worth a look. It's entertaining, no doubt. But don't expect any mind-blowing revelations. Oh, and heads up, it's not rated, but brace yourself for some pretty sloppy gory corpse moments and good ol' violence.
So, go ahead, venture into the depths of "Meander." Just be prepared for a wild, albeit sometimes frustrating, ride. It may not give you all the answers, but it'll definitely leave you with more questions... Just like a ghostly whisper in the night.
MEANDER: BEHIND THE SCREAMS
MEANDER: BEHIND THE SCREAMS
MEANDER: BEHIND THE SCREAMS
Welcome to the dark and twisted realm of "Meander," a French science fiction film that took audiences on a thrilling and nightmarish journey. Written and directed by Mathieu Turi, the film captivated viewers with its intense atmosphere and mind-bending challenges.
Led by our talented lead actress, Gaia Weiss, as Lisa, and Peter Franzén as Adam, the cast brought these complex characters to life in a captivating and haunting manner. Their performances kept us at the edge of our seats as we followed Lisa's harrowing quest for survival in a mysterious maze.
The film, shot with captivating cinematography by Alan Duplantier, transported us into the eerie corridors and deadly traps of the maze. The use of lighting and camera angles enhanced the tension and created a sense of claustrophobia, adding to the overall sense of dread.
Frédéric Poirier's haunting score heightened the suspense throughout the film, underscoring each twist and turn with eerie precision. The sound design played a crucial role in building tension, immersing us in this nightmarish world.
With a runtime of 90 minutes, "Meander" kept the pace relentless, rarely allowing the viewers a moment to catch their breath. The narrative unfolded like a puzzle, revealing hints and clues along the way, reminiscent of the cult-classic "Cube." Audiences found themselves drawn deeper into the mystery, eagerly trying to decipher the motivations and identities of the enigmatic antagonists.
The film's production design was a testament to the creative vision of Mathieu Turi. From the intricate set pieces to the practical effects, the team brought the haunting atmosphere of the maze to life. The claust
GHOSTFACE
In the chilling depths of "Meander," darkness reigns supreme. Brace yourself, for this psychologically intense science fiction film will send shivers down your spine. Prepare to be captivated and terrified as you navigate the nightmarish maze, where survival is uncertain and true horror lurks within. Enter if you dare, for we are here to guide you through this harrowing journey.