This review is brought to you by Kathy Kaiser
GRETA – Rated R – 1 hr. 38 mins.
Director/Writer: Neil Jordan (Interview with A Vampire)
Writer: Ray Wright
STARRING: Isabelle Huppert, Chloe Grace Moretz, Maika Monroe and Colm Feore
From the minds of Neil Jordan and Ray Wright, comes a horror film that even I made it through, as we meet waitress Frances McCullen (Chloe Grace Moretz), making her way in New York City with friend and roommate Erica Penn (Maika Monroe) by her side. When Frances happens upon a purse on the subway, and decides to return it to its rightful owner ~ little does she know that the friendship that will develop between her and the purses owner, Greta Hideg (Isabella Huppert), is going to go tragically awry, as this psychopathic killer has plans for Frances, and anyone else who crosses her too…
I give GRETA a rating of DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY!!! You heard that right! This is one Horror film that can barely be called that, as the plot and minimal horror aspects make it feel as if you are watching just a mediocre drama play out on screen, and nothing else. I hate to give this film my worst rating, as I truly have enjoyed Moretz previously throughout her short career, but this project is definitely not going to boost her career, the way she had hoped. From its lack of character development throughout, to its minimal at best scariness, to its so unbelievably predictable storyline all along the way, Greta is one of those films that manages to give everything you need to know away in its trailer, so if you viewed that already, take my word for it, you’re good! It’s tragic and sad too that Huppert wasn’t given more material to thrust her into the psychotic killer you know she could have become, had she received the right direction, and more in-depth material to draw from. Moretz on the other hand, does manage to put it all out there for a few scenes of this film, making her acting one of the very few things that got me through this very sad, and not scary at all Horror movie. The only positives that I could come up when it was all said and done, is that it wasn’t as scary as it should have been, which works out for me, as I don’t usually enjoy Horror genre films, and the fact that Greta was only 1 ½ hours, instead of the standard 2, making it a shorter time of my life that I wasted, on this rather dull, and mundane film…
This humble opinion is brought to by you T. K. Edwards
GRETA – Rated R – 1 hr. 38 mins
Director by: Neil Jordan
Cast: Isabelle Huppert, Chloe Grace Moretz, Maika Monroe, Colm Feore, Stephen Rea
A young woman befriends a lonely widow who’s harboring a dark and deadly agenda towards her.
NO SPOILERS BELOW
I really enjoy stalker/obsession movies like GRETA. I think I find horror movies that are based in reality or stories that can “actually” happen to us scarier than movies like IT, NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, FRIDAY THE 13TH, IT FOLLOWS, THE RING, & LIGHT’S OUT because it’s easier to put myself in the protagonist’s position. Now, some of their choices I would never do, for example:
- Run from the villain and hide in the basement or attic of the villain’s home.
- Actually, go to the villains home to snoop around.
- Call the cops after shit has gotten out of hand.
- Ignore all the warning signs that the person is crazy as balls.
- Hit or shoot the villain just once and leave them alone to check for a way out.
Things like that would not happen in my story because I wouldn’t run, I’d call the cops right away, I know when someone is crazy as balls, and I would unload on them with whatever it was in my hand and I’d probably find something else to keep unloading on them with. LMAO. As far as the movie GRETA goes, it’s not the best stalker film I’ve ever seen, but it’s not terrible. There are definitely some creepy scenes and a few “Holy Shit” moments, but at the same time there are also some really far-fetched things happening just to let you know this is obviously a Hollywood movie. Chloe Grace Moretz is dipping her toes into other ways she can show her acting chops and you can tell this performance is a bit out of her comfort level, but she still does a good job. Maika Monroe gives another one of her routine horror movie performances. Stephen Rea just showed up for a paycheck. And the standout of GRETA is Greta herself, Isabelle Huppert. The movie doesn’t work unless she does her job and to be honest…she does. She is equal parts crazy and creepy. Huppert does just enough for you to enjoy her character at the beginning, then be disturbed by her at the end. So if you are a fan of stalker/obsession movies I would tell you to definitely watch GRETA because it would be worth your watch, but not in a theater. Don’t see it there. Trust me, a movie like this will be a lot more intimate and suspenseful on the safety of your couch. Until next time, thanks for reading.
P.S. – There is no post credit scene.
P.P.S. – Here is a list of some other Stalker/Obsession movies that I find really good and worthy of your time.
- The Caller
- Fatal Attraction
- The Resident
- The Gift
- Hush
- The Crush
- The Perfect Host
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