Search - Blackout on DVD

Black out is a claustrophobic experience

David Carney | POINT PLEASANT | 01/20/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I viewed this after comming home from My Bloody Valentine showing and its a good little movie.A man who works in a hospital,another man who carries a knife,and a woman who has asthma are trapped in an elevator when the power goes out during the summer.Like caged animals loosing air,no food and one bottle of water these three are trying to survive anyway they can.Its brutal but enjoyable."

Amber Tamblyn Trapped in a Bad Film

Tsuyoshi | Kyoto, Japan | 02/15/2010

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Three strangers are trapped in an elevator and they all have their reasons to hurry. They are Claudia (Amber Tamblyn), Karl (Aidan Gillen) and Tommy (Armie Hammer) - and these three ordinary persons might not be what they appear.

"Blackout" directed by Rigoberto Castañeda begins with an intriguing premise, and then quickly loses steam and stalls out. "Blackout" clearly wants to be a psychological thriller between Claudia, Karl and Tommy, perhaps something riveting like Polanski's "Death and the Maiden." But there is little dramatic tension in interactions between the three characters. After all, all they can do is wait in, or attempt to get out the elevator.

However, the main storyline about the three characters in a stalled elevator is frequently interrupted by flashbacks (revealing what they had been doing prior to the elevator accident), so the inside of the elevator car looks hardly claustrophobic. Also, because of this heavy-handed narrative, we don't feel the lapse of time, which should be one of the key factors in creating tension. Moreover, the back stories of each character are not very interesting, and even worse, it is predictable.

It is reported that the film was originally 120 minutes long. I just saw the 85 minute version. Sorry to say this, but 85 minutes is still too long."