First of all let me make it clear that this short film isn't bad . That said I feel I should also point out that it's not as brilliant as some people are claiming and I wonder if some of the hyperbole is down to them not knowing anything whatsoever about the source story by Ambrose Bierce ? I'm afraid I knew the ending long before I saw the film and it was actually the original 19th Century story that made me want to catch the film version
The cinematography is suitably gloomy and in some scenes such as those filmed underwater it's breathtaking . However just before the denouement we see the protagonist staggering in to the grounds of his home gasping " Abi Abi Abi " and this scene since it is supposed to be groundbreaking is nowhere as good as it should have been
It's also a French film . Nothing wrong with that per se but even if you knew nothing about this production it's painfully obvious that despite being American characters none of them are played by Americans , unless of course you think they might be Americans playing foreigners rather than the other way round . The strange song played doesn't help matters either and contributes to this being somewhat patchy film
The cinematography is suitably gloomy and in some scenes such as those filmed underwater it's breathtaking . However just before the denouement we see the protagonist staggering in to the grounds of his home gasping " Abi Abi Abi " and this scene since it is supposed to be groundbreaking is nowhere as good as it should have been
It's also a French film . Nothing wrong with that per se but even if you knew nothing about this production it's painfully obvious that despite being American characters none of them are played by Americans , unless of course you think they might be Americans playing foreigners rather than the other way round . The strange song played doesn't help matters either and contributes to this being somewhat patchy film