The Shadow Effect (2017)

People are voting emotionally.

I gave this film a 9 out of 10, because it was exactly what I expected it to be.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Just horrible, unimaginative. The writing is bad, the directing and producing is bad. I see why the producers now are trying to get into real estate development, because this movie just bombed. Being from NC I always love watching local film and other artistic productions. I actually feel I'm more generous with a review when the producers are from my home state, but I could barely get through this movie. The action I thought would at least be exciting, but I found myself busting out in laughter.

Gabriel (Cam Gigandet) is an ex-Navy Seal, diner owner who kills people, but only remembers it in his dreams. He also gets shot and stabbed in those killings, yet has no indication that has happened-no wounds. It is as a confused mess for Gabriel as it is the viewing audience. We get an explanation at about 75 minutes into the film about the time they do the "Clockwork Orange" scene.The film consisted of Cam Gigandet holding his head in far too many scenes. They initial kill scene was great and after that it appears they ran out of money. I was wondering what road you can take from being in downtown Baltimore one moment and on a country road the next. I drive around looking for an Interstate sign- stupid me.Guide: F-word, Sex. Brief rear nudity.

The Shadow Effect suffers from a very weak script. Ideas seem plundered wholesale from other movies where they were executed much more effectively, including The 6th Day, The Manchurian Candidate, A Clockwork Orange, Edge of Tomorrow, Total Recall, The Bride and Universal Soldier. The derivative nature of key plot elements could be forgiven, if they were presented with some sort of original twist or insight which is sadly lacking here. The production was clearly limited by a modest budget, estimated at $4MM; however, some very good films have been done with comparably limited budgets, such as Lone Star and Dinner Rush. The difference is creativity. Plot elements that are not shamelessly misappropriated seem contrived. Some elements are simply missing, such as the lack of response by the FBI, DHS and BAFT, motivation, character arcs and theme. The producers assembled a capable cast and secured a wonderfully rustic cabin in the woods as a location for several key scenes. However, one character is heavily tattooed, which makes no sense relative to a key element in the plot, and it's difficult to imagine how the owner-operators of a rural café with only one employee and not many customers can afford such a home. By contrast, a secret laboratory that would seem to require antiseptic conditions is located in a dingy industrial setting. However, a DTV potboiler doesn't need to be cerebral, provided it delivers the genre basics: fight scenes, chases, gunplay, explosions and sex. The gunplay is a bit hit-or-miss with a few good scenes and shots, but a lot of weapons brandished without being fired and not many impacts. CGI explosions are pretty decent. A car chase and crash is done well for a film of this caliber, but a character steals what seems to be a souped-up vehicle but doesn't drive it. The fight choreography is clumsy. The sex and nudity are self-conscious, although integral to the plot. Whereas similar efforts hobble along with very little plot and a lot of eye candy, TSE offers a lot of plot, but very little eye candy. However, the plot is largely incoherent and derivative and not sufficiently engaging to bridge the gaps between the visuals.

This film obviously has a limited budget, but it's biggest handicap is limited imagination and innovation.These actors are given nothing to work with but scraps from other action films. The quiet stretches are the strongest parts of the film, and they're not strong.The real weakness is when action scenes are shot and it's obvious only one take was in the budget.The scene between Rhys-Meyers and Gigandet at the conference table sounds like bad adult film dialogue. I'm guessing this entire film was shot with one take per scene.