Haven (2006)

Powerful

Good movie but grossly overrated

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

The thing with Haven is that it doesn't quite chooses which genre it wants to be. Is it an amusing gangster-flick in the line of Reservoir Dogs or Snatch? Or is it a panoramic view on people's lives like Magnolia or Crash? In both genres it fails to be overly convincing. For a gangster-flick it needs more action; for drama the characters are too superficial and uninteresting.I still enjoyed the mellow atmosphere of the Cayman-islands, created by the typical soundtrack and the atmospheric shots of turtles, domino playing old folks, water skiing youth, etc. The story unfolds itself on a funny and unpredictable way. The camera-work feels a bit amateuristic with annoying coloring and shaky shots.Overall, it's a nice movie to watch, though not very memorable.

I decided to rent this movie to see if Orlando Bloom had any talent with being someone other than an action hero with a sword. I was surprised when his performance in Haven was pretty good. I actually felt for his character. The story line was impressive and it was nice to watch a small film with a good story that wasn't filled with tons of big name actors. At times it was hard to follow what was going on within the time frame. Some of the film was four months prior to the two key days in the film. There were some points in which the story was predictable but hardly, and there are some characters in which I couldn't figure out their actions. But Frank E. Flowers did a great job for such a young man, and Orlando Bloom deserves a well earned hats off for his performance.

i saw the DVD of the movie at the DVD store and thought lets give it a try. after i watched it i was really inspired it was fantastic. i really cant believe how its getting such a bad rating. i believe its narration is breathtaking. its very similar to the one in crash but even more complex. u cant really get a grip on whats going on but u r so into it. until the endings where every thing becomes obvious. the acting is solid. and i think only novel readers can enjoy this. the editing reminds me of Marty's movies very not smooth at all. whats really interesting is how the relationship or the interaction between characters really affect others destinies and attitudes. the two guys on the bike very tastefull I'm gonna go watch the movie again.

I'm not sure why the previous reviewer felt the movie needed a "present day" title...that would have defeated the purpose of the artistry and use of the flashback. I think most people prefer not having a movie mapped out for them.This movie has a gritty quality and leaves an impression of a lack of resolution...which, to me, is the sign of a realistic movie. It was actually a story about loss of innocence in several ways. And innocence is something you can never get back, no matter how hard you try. Haven beautifully emits that feeling of futility and devastation when you realize things will never be the way they were before...when things were good...when life was beautiful.Did it have some flaws? Sure. But overall, great cinematography, nice blend of multi-linear stories, solid performances, and an impacting plot.