Octane (2003)

Good concept, poorly executed.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

With such actors as Johnathan Rhys Meyers, and Madeleine Stowe one initially might think reviews giving this movie the thumbs down might be a bit harsh. Unfortunately, this effort is no gem...and manages to run out of octane before it has even begun. Redundant plot, redundant characters can't even save the best of actors and this piece is full of predictability. Unfortunately, the predictability runs straight into the end of the movie where we are left to wonder HOW? things end up as they do. For the reviewers who gave this piece anymore than 2 stars I offer that just because you like something it doesn't mean it is good. I'm a big Twinkie fan but that doesn't mean they are actually good...it just means I like bad food. Same with this movie there will be a few people who will "buy" into the visual images. Those images (and there aren't many) are the only thing that cause this piece to get my two stars, that and the actors. The gas tank party palace- could have been really cool device in a different movie. But This little ditty is just plain out of gas! Rolling down the road on fumes.

Another film with all the style of an art house intelligent movie but none of the substance. Great mood setting in places but no script to back it up. Madelaine Stowe, easily the best actor in the movie, did her best with a muddled script and a potentially interesting character. Jonathan Rhys Meyers is an okay actor but too pretty boy to convince in most roles, Mischa Barton was fine at playing the same character she plays in the O.C. Bijou Phillips isn't a good actor but looks the part as a screwed up killer. This film faltered and halted all over the place, intriguing characters were dropped and ignored to howls of frustration- the Christian looking couple- were eerie and exciting yet ignored completely , reduced to atmospheric window dressing. The motivational speaker who had such an effect on Madelaine Stowes drugged up mum was another, i suspect in these scenes we were seeing the script that was before the director hacked it to shreds. In summation this movie felt like a great script ruined by an inexperienced music video director who has a good visual eye but no talent for characterisation.

The film itself was not bad and mildly entertaining but it could have been so much more. I hate to see the start of good storyline turn into a big mess.The cast was quite versatile and fit the character profiles well. The dialogue was quite cheesy in parts and a few of the 'extras/characters' (i.e. the black female cop) acted horrifically. *Jonathan Rhys Myers is so hot no matter what he's in but especially as a bad boy so he automatically bumped my rating up a star. * The beginning premise of the story, mother and daughter with a dysfunctional relationship get caught up in a dangerous cult on a road trip home was quite promising and the beginning 10 minutes were quite enthralling. After that everything unravelled. Several instances happened in the next hour and a half that made no sense and were never explained. I mean I guess you could make up your own conclusions but you had no idea who the cult was, the history behind them, what the ultimate goal was for the cult and what the hell was the last half hour being in a research lab all about?! You don't want a story line being obvious but you at least want a foundation to start on before you begin fantasizing about the rest.There were just way too many questions unanswered that made the last 30 mins seem quite ridiculous and badly written.Not a bad flick overall but I wouldn't put it at the top of your rental list.

The movie starts promising but the turning point of the "cult" lacked credibility. Also it seemed as the director did not want us to really connect with the victim. Going through her parent's divorce did not seem enough to be sympathetic the her attitude problem. The whole movie is a "Rosemarie's Baby" gone wrong were everybody around the main character looks suspicious and devilish. Also, apparently the Mom was drugged somehow and we are never clear when her hallucinations begin. Therefore the special effects on her "mental trips" confuse and do not add to the plot in an essential manner. It was sad that what could be a nice thriller turned out to be as boring as a flat soda pop. Too superficial.