Abandoned Mine (2013)

Too much of everything

Really Surprised!

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

Go in cold, and you're likely to emerge with your blood boiling. This has to be seen to be believed.

I find it very hard to find scary movies that don't have bad reviews so if one has more than 1 star I will give it a try. This was a good change for being able to watch a scary movie without the sex, profanity and extremely fake gore that it seems we keep getting these days. This movie takes you to your fears. Everyone keeps saying it's no The Descent, no it's not. The Descent was excellent and it's hard to find horror movies like that these days, but it was good. Everyone has some type of fear of being trapped somewhere (especially underground) and they do a good job of taking you there. It does follow the classic "knowing whats going to happen next", but that's also the fun in it. You will find yourself many times saying "No....don't go in there". I think the actors did a good job, they kept me interested and that's what they're supposed to do.If I had anything bad to say I didn't really like the ending very much. I feel with the story that unfolded the ending could have been better.But overall, if you want a movie that's scary that's is OK for kids then this will please you.

I went into this movie expecting the typical lame, but comical haunted ghost movie - full of all the usual points: one note characters, bad acting and stupid dialogue.What I walked out with? Way more than I expected and I'm now ready to list this movie in my Top 10 Favorite Horror Films.The way the movie started, I was all set for my cheesy, B-movie night. But after about the first fifteen minutes, I found myself invested. So much to the point that I didn't even check my phone once or look away from the movie. The characters, which start with all the stereotypes, end up being characters you find yourself getting attached to. As you're with them longer and longer, this film takes its time for character development in between the paranoia-filled scares.And not that "rushed" development like most modern horror movies love to do. You know. The ones where it's like...two lines in the entire movie and it's only done before the final scare scene? This movie doesn't do that. And the characters this film created, I thought, were very realistic, as were their reactions and responses to what's happening.With all of that going for it, and with the movie never showing you what exactly is going after them - which a lot of the fear comes from you never seeing anything - I found myself getting nervous. How were they going to end this film in a clever way that doesn't spit on the rest of the film? You know how a bad ending can ruin an otherwise great film? I was so scared that was going to happen.While I can't say how it ended, what I can tell you is that the build up and execution is perfect. You never see it coming and that's what makes it so great.In reality, if I had to pick one flaw from the ending, it's the very last scene before the credits roll. Again, I won't say what it is, but it was the only thing I found myself disliking. If for any reason, the movie is an otherwise great psychological case study.The pros to this film are the pacing and characters. At certain moments, I literally teared up! I got that attached to these characters! And that's not something easily done in horror films - especially anything coming out after the mid-70s. This movie had me scared. And being a horror movie junkie, I don't usually get scared. I'm one of those that will sit through movies like "The Hills Have Eyes" and "The Conjuring" and laugh my way through them due to how stupid and over the top they are.So, yeah. I do recommend this movie. Not just to the horror movie junkies like myself, but anyone who's willing to have their mentality tested.

And it's pretty clear from the initial scene that this is a B movie all the way. Though the rating should give it away with only a PG-13. In my experience, new movies with high budgets tend to go in for gore, which means an R rating. However, I love B movies and the hokiness that comes with them (and find fear is not based on disgust), so I gave this one a try. The overall movie was decent to be sure. There were the typical stereotypes (dumb jock, cool jock, comical Indian, dumb blond, smart blond with short hair) and they were done well-ish. Though I will admit to finding every joke made at the expense of the Indian guy a bit much within the first 5 minutes of his appearance. The real problem was in plot development. It was one of those where the writers clearly were unsure how to end the film after they gave an actually well done and surprising twist. They do play with time so separate events overlap at the end so you get numerous perspectives and that was really well done and entertaining. But the plot itself just sort of ended without a nice tie up. If that doesn't bug you, then give this one a try. However, I will warn you that you ought to keep the remote handy for fast forwarding in the beginning. The character development is long and since the film takes place at Halloween, viewers are forced to watch a montage of five minutes (but felt like an eternity) of two girls trying on costumes. Unless they are drag queens (and they aren't) there is no realistic way for two average white girls to have that many current Halloween costumes. It that sort of unbelievability that kills a B movie since they have so much less to work with. I relied on fast forward to take me through and I wasn't totally disappointed that I did continue on.

This unpretentious little indie caught me and my family just at the right time - after recently walking out of a pretty disgusting horror film. We loved Abandoned Mine for what it is - perfect for younger and family audiences who want a fun ride with twists and turns in some very creepy mine locations. It keeps you guessing up to the very end. If you're claustrophobic, you'll feel it. The acting is very believable. Ethan is hilarious. It seems to be more of a parody on horror films. The generic title Abandoned Mine, "Happy Valley" is where they live, telling ghost stories around the campfire in front of a haunted mine on Halloween - all seems to be purposefully cliché and poking fun. So if you're looking for real serious blood and guts horror, watch something else. This is for those who want some fun scares with psychological twists and turns but don't want to be offended by gratuitous language and nudity. It's a Faith & Family-friendly movie. Great for weekend sleepovers now that school is back in session.