Customer Reviews

Spiral

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(20)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

"Spiral" doesn't seem to know what kind of film it wants to be. Horror? Psychological thriller? A relationship film? A commentary about misfits? The unfolding of this story of socially inept Mason and the girl he hopes will "be the one" is slow and deliberate, with some scenes between them painfully awkward. There are undercurrents of madness, obsession, and psychological torment, although these all have a vagueness that never sharpens into the horror suggested by the film's trailer.

Despite the flaws, "Spiral" remains an interesting film. Joel David Moore seems to get inside Mason's skin, although he overdoes Mason's tortured personality so it hardly seems believable that he hangs out with the people he does. Amber Tamblyn is thoroughly likeable as . . . Amber, but the chemistry between her and Moore never quites succeeds. The cinematography is adept, with its hues of orange and red, and the use of rain.

The extras offer nothing special (except the trailer, which is interesting only because it splices all the tense moments into a minute that perhaps bests the film itself).

This film is a decent way to spend an evening, but I don't recommend going out of your way to see it.

This film was going to get a three star review from me. The office environment where the main characters work was totally unrealistic. The boss drinks on the job and flirts with his female co-workers to such an extent he would have been fired for sexual harrassment. Mason, the main character, is so strange and unattractive it is hard to believe that the woman he becomes involved with would give him the time of day. This film was very different from "Hatchet". It was slow, moody, and very restrained whereas "Hatchet" was all about excess. I have to say that I was never really bored but I was checking the clock a few times. Then, the last ten minutes of the film hit me and earned this film an extra star. The double-twist ending did pack a punch. I think that it saved this film from mediocrity.

Anchor Bay's new release of 2007's "Spiral" is touted as a "Hitchcock-Tale" on the DVD cover. But this is no "Hitchcock". "Spiral" does contain some good acting, a few great shots of Portland, and a cute trick ending. Mason(Joel David Moore) is a slouchy loser who loves jazz and sells insurance over the phone. He appears to enjoy painting women. He's often nervous, and there's a room in his apartment he refuses to enter. What could be in there? Mason is a loner, and his only friend at work is his boss, Berkeley(Zachary Levi). One day, a young woman named Amber(Amber Tamblyn) sits beside Mason at lunch. They become friends. Mason convinces her to pose for a painting. Clothes are optional. But his behavior becomes erratic, and Amber begins to suspect that Mason may be dangerous. "Spiral" Star Joel David Moore doesn't quite cut it in the leading role here. Though effective, his twitchy learing is too one-dimensional to carry this movie. Amber Tambly is fine as the girl, but a stronger director might have molded a stronger performance. However, Zachary Levi, as Berkeley, is poised and well-timed, confident and cool. The "Spiral" screenplay is spotty. It lacks motivation. Why is Mason's telemarketer-boss his friend and protector? Mason reveals no compassion to warrant such friendship. His basic emotion is contempt. And why is the young Amber attracted to the skinny, awkward geek? Promos reveal "Spiral" as a feature-length indie adapted from a 13-minute short. The budget is small, and sometimes it looks it. The highlight of "Spiral" occurs half-way, as a huge tracking shot, from a roof-top party, displays a colorful night-time panorama of Portland. The DVD has been letterboxed at 1.78:1 and the transfer is enhanced for 16 x 9 TV's. The image is sharp and clear, with no grain or defects from the source material. Colors are good. Mason's hallucination scenes provide a nice blend of surround and subwoofer effects. Extras include an audio commentary with the director, producer, and writer, "Spinning Spiral: The Making of Spiral( 8 minutes)", "Cinefile Promo", and three trailers. Amber Tamblyn is managed by her father, actor Russ Tamblyn, who zoomed to fame by starring in 1961's classic "West Side Story". Russ Tamblyn appears in this film as an extra.

SPIRAL seems very innocent at first, w/ it's nebbishy, central character (Joel David Moore) and his OFFICE SPACE-like working conditions. We feel sorry for this "loser" who seems to be the hopeless outcast. Then, a girl (Amber Tamblyn from THE RING and THE GRUDGE 2) enters his barren life. She begins to slowly win over his heart, which is when / where the trouble begins. We are led to believe that something is wrong, and that this guy has some dark secrets hidden away. I like SPIRAL a lot, especially the way the warm romance builds, only to be plunged into terror! The finale is worth waiting for, and gives my spine a nice shiver...

Mason is an introverted artist who is thrust out of his isolated existence by an obnoxious co-worker that has taken a real liking to him. Just as she begins to break down his barriers and he begins to show signs of life while painting her portraits, Amber discovers that she may not be the first person to see the tip of his paintbrush, though she may be the last... Joel David Moore is perfectly fitting as Mason, delivering the cold and empty performance that the role required. The steady build allows Amber and the viewer ample time to get in to Mason's head, but just as he starts to open up to become a likable character, a sudden reveal immediately ramps up the terror and turns the tables on our social misfit. Moore's writing and direction under Adam Green's supervision demonstrate a great deal of potential here, and are aided by crisp visuals and expert framing. Mason's declining mental state is alluded to on screen in a series of visual metaphors seen in the approaching storm, electrical outages, and increasingly shaky camera work. While many of the plot twists are easily predictable, SPIRAL produces a solid psychological thriller based on strong performances and a sound structure.

-Carl Manes
I Like Horror Movies

Spiral was nothing short of genius.

The acting was amazing especially by David Joel Moore who also starred in Hatchet another of Adam Green's films.

Some might think the movie a bit slow but I see it as building a foundation and great Character development something you don't see enough in a lot of films lately. Moore plays Mason, an introverted and emotionally disturbed man who goes to work at a drab job and also leisurely loves to paint.He loves to paint beautiful women. Amber Tamblyn plays the new girl "Amber"at Mason's place of employment and she for some reason is drawn to him' after a few lunch time meetings Mason starts painting Amber when she visits his Apartment " One that holds many secrets" .

They strike up an friendship that leads to somewhat of a love affair.

This is when it all starts to unravel..

What ensues next is intense and I couldn't stop watching.The story is amazing and the ambiguous nature of some of the content is also genius because it allows us to come to our own conclusion. There is a line in the film that I can't get out of my head, It's when Mason is talking to his brother Berkley "Zackary Levi", the line is " How do you know if Their real or not?" It sounds like nothing now but watch the film and you will see. it was heart breaking and chilling all in one.This is a film that will stay with you long after you are finished watching it.

Adam Green (HATCHET, FROZEN) and Joel David Moore (GRANDMA'S BOY, DODGEBALL), fresh off of HATCHET go on to make SPIRAL. Joel David Moore (DODGEBALL), Zachary Levi (CHUCK) and Amber Tamblyn (THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELLING PANTS) make some of the greatest performances of their careers. I give this movie 5 out of 5 stars! Long live Green and Moore!

I have always been a Zachary Levi fan, but I must say that after watching Spiral, I am now, very much, a Joel David Moore fan. Typically this is not a film genre that I usually watch, but I enjoyed Spiral immensely. I can usually figure out the ending of a story line, but just when I thought I had this one figured out, it took a different turn. If you like suspense without the gore, you should enjoy this film. I have watched it twice now since I purchased it and I will probably watch it again sometime in the future.

Spiral is a passable thriller that has its bits of cleverness, but overall is merely average. The principal character (played by Joel David Moore) is a telemarketer by day and artist by night who, as the movie opens, has apparently committed a murder. I say apparently because we never see a body and it's clear from the get-go that this guy is not all there. Also implied is that the victim was a waitress he seemed obsessed by.

Into his life comes a co-worker (Amber Tamblyn) who takes an instant shine to him and becomes the model for his latest set of paintings. The two become closer as he repeats his previous cycle of paintings featuring the waitress; will it end as badly?

While competently directed, acted and written, the movie also suffers from flaws. The big one is plausibility: I could never buy Tamblyn's character pursuing this guy: he is just too antisocial, and she is too attractive (in personality and appearance) to have him as the only option in her life.

Then there is the big plot twist at the end, which I (and probably many others) could see coming a mile away, followed by a second twist that, while clever, still stretches the credibility problems. The good and bad in Spiral balance out, making this a three star flick: not good enough to merit watching if something else is available, not bad enough to be a waste of time if you did see it.

Sprial was a decent movie. It wasn't really scary at all. I found that it was just freaky seeing what went on through the whole movie. The ending caught me off guard though. If you like pshycological mysteries then I would take this movie for a spin.