Tag: survival thriller

Spoiler-Free Review of “The Dive” on Demand: Solid Survival Thriller

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“I still get a bit nervous every time…”

The Dive released on Demand on August 25th 2023. The survival thriller film stars Sophie Lowe and Louisa Krause. It runs for an hour and thirty-two minutes.

Two sisters go deep-sea diving in a remote location when a landslide sends rocks into the ocean, trapping one of them beneath the surface, as the other must figure out a way to save her before their air runs out.

Here is the trailer:

The Dive channels 47 Meters Down and Fall, giving us another extreme example of two women facing off against unlikely odds. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of RLJE films

Intense moments that will have you holding your breath!

I was on the edge of my seat for this one and there were plenty of moments that captivated my undivided attention. Similar to other well-done survival thrillers, this film never let the audience off the hook. While some of it may have been far-fetched, it definitely kept my adrenaline pumping and met my expectations in this department.

Images courtesy of RLJE films

Characters to cheer for.

I liked that they were sisters, which made me root for them that much more. There were so many possible moments of “giving up” and these two kept fighting. Their bond was apparent…even though I didn’t get too many details about their characters. That being said, both actresses put a lot into their performances and these dire circumstances made me care enough about what happened to them.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of RLJE films

The bite-sized flashbacks didn’t add much to the story…

They didn’t successfully add in any real details or layers to these characters and they were kind of confusing. I got that there was some kind of trauma involved in their past, but not enough of this was explained and it honestly wasn’t needed in the movie.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of RLJE films

I’m in!

A stimulating watch that held my attention from beginning to end with a satisfying conclusion.

This wasn’t as good as Fall, but I love these types of movies and this one had plenty going for it. If you enjoy survival thrillers, you’ll feel right at home during your watch.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Dive in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe.  Thanks for your support!

 

Spoiler-Free Review of “The River Wild” (2023) on Netflix: Doesn’t Compare to the OG but a Solid Thriller Nonetheless!

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“Not on my river…”

The River Wild (River Wild) released on Netflix on August 1st 2023. Loosely based on the film starring Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon from 1994, the adventure thriller remake stars Leighton Meester, Adam Brody, Taran Killam, Eve Connolly, and Olivia Swann. It runs for approximately 92 minutes.

Joey accepts her brother’s invitation to go whitewater rafting with a group, but when they end up in a dangerous situation, someone begins to sabotage their attempts at survival as secrets are revealed.

Here is the trailer:

The River Wild will get your heart racing with a solid cast and some shocking moments, but is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Fun cast!

Leighton Meester and Adam Brody are married in real life and both starred on two of my favorite series so I was excited to see them in this one. Leighton is making a comeback in Netflix thrillers!

It was going to be hard to top Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon’s performances, but I thought this cast really held their own and I cared about what happened to these characters, which is important in films like this.

Images courtesy of Netflix

Gets more and more intense as the plot unfolds…

Things started off a little slow, but as the movie continued, I was quickly on the edge of my seat. Everything kept building more and more, making this a consuming watch. I’m not sure I’ll be attempting whitewater rafting any time soon, but this movie really got my adrenaline pumping and I felt like I was there!

It really made me want to re-watch the original film again, which you should watch immediately if you haven’t yet. Trust me…it’s fantastic!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Should have been a standalone thriller to prevent comparisons…

The plots really have nothing to do with one another except for the fact that they are whitewater rafting and someone in their group means to do them harm. Other than that, this is a completely different thriller and I’m wondering why it was called the same name.

As a standalone film, this one checks off all the boxes for me as a fantastic “movie of the week.” It’s actually really solid and my only con is that it doesn’t come close to the original. This film was strong enough to have its own name and identity and I think sharing the name with the original film hindered it slightly.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in!!!

Leighton Meester shines in this intense and entertaining thriller!

If you enjoy quick survival thrillers, there’s plenty to appreciate in this one.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The River Wild (2023) in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe.  Thanks for your support!

Spoiler-Free Review of “Quicksand” on Shudder: Solid Survival Suspense Film

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“We both need to be perfectly still…”

Quicksand released on Shudder on July 14th 2023. The survival thriller film stars Carolina Gaitan, Allan Hawco, and Sebastian Eslava. It runs for an hour and twenty-five minutes.

Sofia and Josh are thinking about getting a divorce when they go hiking together in a rainforest in Colombia, but they end up with bigger problems when they get trapped in quicksand with dangerous predators close by.

Here is the trailer:

Quicksand has plenty of intense and edge-of-your-seat moments with a familiar, but entertaining plot. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Shudder

Enough threats to keep us invested.

As if getting stuck in quicksand wasn’t horrifying enough, Sofia and Josh had to deal with a lot of other predators that had me squirming in my seat. There were plenty of intense moments in this one. I personally really like survival thrillers and this film did a good job of representing the genre with a few welcomed surprises.

Images courtesy of Shudder

Decent pacing.

I was worried that we might have to suffer through fluff-filled flashbacks to keep things moving, but the pacing worked really nicely in this film. The characters had enough time to hash things out while trying to figure out a way out of their situation. I never felt bored and I thought the actors gave us honest performances.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Shudder

A movie I’ve seen before…

I did enjoy this one quite a bit, but it’s a very familiar plot. I’ve seen plenty of survival thriller/horror flicks where the main couple are having problems and then they end up in a life-threatening situation in different settings.

That’s pretty much the case with this film, but it’s still entertaining. Just don’t expect anything too out there…

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Shudder

I’m in about 75 percent…

A survival thriller worth your time with plenty of edge-of-your-seat moments.

This film was predictable, but it still checked off all the boxes to make this an enjoyable watch from start to finish.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Quicksand in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe.  Thanks for your support!

Spoiler-Free Review of “Survive” on Demand: Sophie Turner Gives it Her All

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“I’ve never been good at lying…”

Survive originally released on the short-lived streaming platform, Quibi in 2020 as individual chapters/episodes, but has now released officially in the US (on Demand) on June 20th 2023 as a full length film. The survival thriller stars Sophie Turner and Corey Hawkins. It runs for an hour and forty-eight minutes.

After their plane crashes in the snow-covered mountains, Jane and Paul have to work together to make it out alive.

Here is the trailer:

Survive is packed with intense and edge-of-your-seat moments with a strong performance from Sophie Turner, but does it do enough to earn a a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Gunpowder & Sky

Sophie Turner gives an emotional performance worth experiencing.

The Game of Thrones star is no stranger to cold winters, but she showed off her range in this film and elevated it in a lot of ways. I thought both actors did a good job and I enjoyed the chemistry between them. I was rooting for Sophie’s character the entire time. She was exceptionally good in this and I hope to see her in more films soon!

Images courtesy of Gunpowder & Sky

Good balance of intense survival moments and emotionally-stirring ones.

In a lot of ways this film reminded me of the Melissa Barrera series, Keep Breathing. There were some nail-biting moments for sure that kept the pacing moving with a lot of emotional layers and revelations built in, which worked seamlessly. It helped me care a lot more about these characters and left us with some important life lessons as well.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Gunpowder & Sky

The opening is a little heavy.

I get that we were trying to understand Jane’s character and where she was at in her life, but it felt very emotionally draining and it was tough to watch at times. Luckily the pacing picked up around the thirty minute mark so this wasn’t a major con.

I enjoyed my watch overall, but I’m not sure that this film did anything that unique in the survival/wilderness thriller genre. I’ve seen this type of movie many times before. That being said, it still had a lot of heart in it and some sincere moments.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Gunpowder & Sky

I’m in!!!

Sophie Turner breathes life into your typical survival thriller.

I was genuinely moved by my watch and I thought that both actors did a great job with what they were given.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Survive in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe.  Thanks for your support!

Spoiler-Free Review of “Distress Signals” on Demand: Slow Burn Survival Thriller

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“Can somebody come get me?”

Distress Signals released on Digital and Demand on May 12th 2023. The survival thriller film stars Christine Nyland and Terence Krey. They also wrote and directed the movie. It runs for an hour and twenty minutes.

After taking a nasty fall that separates her from her friends, Caroline must figure out a way to survive and escape the woods.

Here is the trailer:

Distress Signals follows a simple formula that is actually really compelling with an eerie final act that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Unquiet Films

Christine Nyland is captivating on screen.

I was extremely impressed to find out that she was also part of the writing and directing team for this film. It’s difficult to carry films that predominantly center around one character with minimal dialogue and yet she did a good job and held my interest.

I was literally cheering for her during certain moments and even though I wanted to know a little bit more about her character, she commanded the screen in an effective way.

I also enjoyed the subtle soundtrack and I thought this film was shot really well.

A final act I did not see coming!

For the most part, this film follows your standard formula for a survival thriller. In a lot of ways, it was a decent enough mix of Alone (2020) and the series, Keep Breathing (starring Melissa Barrera). Caroline has to handle overcoming an injury, finding her way out of the woods, dealing with potential predators, and finding food and water, which I’ve seen a lot in similar movies.

But things don’t stop there and they take a major shift in the last thirty minutes or so, where we get some shocking moments I did not see coming. I really enjoyed the last act and I wanted more of it! 

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Unquiet Films

Slower pacing…

If you’re looking for a jam-packed thriller filled with lots of action, you won’t get that here. This is a different kind of a thriller. I still enjoyed it, but I wanted more grit and edge at times. I also wish that the last act had been fleshed out a little bit more because it was the best part of the movie.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Unquiet Films

I’m in about 75 percent…

Distress Signals may seem like your average thriller at first glance, but its slow burn approach does pay off in the end. If you enjoy survival/wilderness thrillers, there is enough here for you to appreciate.

I wanted a touch more to make it stand out from similar films, but I enjoyed my watch overall.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Distress Signals in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe.  Thanks for your support!

Spoiler-Free Review of “Beast” (2022) in Theaters: The Law of the Jungle

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“We’re in his territory now…”

Beast (2022) released in theaters on August 19th 2022. The survival thriller film stars Idris Elba, Sharlto Copley, Leah Jeffries, and Iyana Halley. It runs for an hour and thirty-three minutes.

Dr. Nate Daniels and his two daughters visit their old family friend at a South African game reserve to help cope with the death of their mother. However, their journey takes a deadly turn when a surviving lion of a poacher attack begins stalking them.

Here is the trailer:

Beast is everything you would hope to find in an entertaining man vs. predator film with exceptional characters to root for. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

Super intense!

If you enjoy this genre, you will find plenty to be excited about in this one. There are some really suspenseful moments that will have you on the edge of your seat. There’s lots of action as well, making this an entertaining ride from start to finish. 

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

Characters to root for.

There is a small cast in this one, but I really liked every single character, which made me want to root for them all that much more. The film did a good job of balancing out the suspense and action along with the emotional content. It never overdid it and the pacing worked really well.

I was invested the entire time and I thought the moments between the family really helped the audience connect more with these characters.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

Predictable at times.

I don’t know if it’s because I saw way too many previews for this one or because I’ve seen this type of movie before, but it followed the formula you would expect to see without ever wavering. That being said, I still enjoyed the ride. 

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

I’m in!!!

Entertaining and suspenseful from start to finish!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Beast (2022) in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe.  Thanks for your support!

Spoiler-Free Review of “Fall” (2022) in Theaters: Suspenseful Survival Thriller

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“If you’re scared of dying, don’t be afraid to live…”

Fall (2022) released in theaters on August 12th 2022. The adventure thriller film stars Grace (Fulton) Currey, Virginia Gardner, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Mason Gooding. It runs for an hour and forty-seven minutes.

One year after a tragic accident, Becky agrees to climb a 2000 foot abandoned radio tower with her best friend Hunter, but when they wind up stranded at the very top, they need to work together to find a way to survive.

Here is the trailer:

Fall is extremely intense with plenty of edge-of-your-seat moments that will worsen anyone’s fear of heights that much more. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Capstone Pictures

Nail-biting moments throughout!

I am not a huge fan of heights, but wow I don’t even think I can get on a small step ladder after this one. This movie was so intense and brutal! My heart was pounding the entire time. The movie reminded me a lot of The Ledge (which I also really enjoyed and is now streaming on Hulu), but the radio tower environment made it a unique watch. If you enjoy survival thrillers, you’re in the right place.

Images courtesy of Capstone Pictures

Characters to root for.

Becky and Hunter were both really likable characters. The film mostly focused on them, but it did bring up the past a little bit and some emotional baggage. I never thought it took away from the core of the film, however. Sometimes films can force these interactions and flashbacks, but this film kept the pacing going without skipping a beat.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Capstone Pictures

Somewhat unbelievable…

I don’t really have many cons for this movie. I did find it a little suspicious that there was a “no trespassing” sign, but no mentions that this tower could be extremely unstable? I guess common sense would tell someone not to climb this tower, but then we wouldn’t have this amazing and intense movie.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Capstone Pictures

I’m in!!!

A brutal and intense watch worth your time!

If you’re looking for a good thriller, you should absolutely check this movie out. I also highly recommend watching The Ledge on Hulu. After seeing both movies, I’ll be staying on the ground for quite a while…

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Fall (2022) in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe.  Thanks for your support!

Spoiler-Free Review of “Borrego” on Netflix: Lucy Hale’s latest thriller

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“I can take you wherever you need to go…”

Borrego premiered on Netflix on May 14th 2022, but was originally released in January 2022. The survival thriller film stars Lucy Hale, Nicholas Gonzalez, Leynar Gomez, and Olivia Trujillo. It runs for an hour and forty-two minutes.

A botanist named Elly is studying plants alone in the desert when she witnesses a drug mule’s plane crash. Elly is kidnapped and forced to journey through the desert to the drop off location as she fights to stay alive.

Here is the trailer:

Borrego has plenty of intense moments built in with a believable performance from Lucy Hale, but does it do enough to earn a a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Lucy Hale gives it her all.

Look, I’ll pretty much watch Lucy Hale in anything. I love her as an actress and I think she does really well in horror and thriller films. This film is no exception. Lucy was terrific as Elly. I really liked Elly as a character as well, which made it easy to root for her during this ordeal.

Not your average survival thriller…

Elly is in a very dangerous situation and you would think it would be easy to pinpoint the bad guys in this, but there was also a lot of heart in this one. I kind of liked this approach and I thought it helped the movie stand out from other similar plots.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Unsure of its intention…

The beginning of the film presented us with a statement about drug use and trafficking, but it didn’t really follow through on this. This made it feel out of place and odd. I wasn’t really sure of the intention of this movie, but I think it tried to tackle too many different issues without ever really paying enough attention to any of them to have them resonate with the audience…

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in about 75 percent…

I enjoyed my watch for the most part. I thought Lucy Hale was captivating, but there was something missing in this one, even though it made a valiant effort to stand out as a survival thriller film.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Borrego in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe.  Thanks for your support!