The Labyrinth (1971) Movie Review

Not to be confused with David Bowie and that sweet hair from Labyrinth. This is the animated story of the Greek myth of the labyrinth done by Russian animators.

The Labyrinth (IMDB)

The Labyrinth 1971.png

This is the story of Theseus and his attempt to kill the Minotaur in the maze in Crete.

It’s odd watching Greek characters speak Russian even if you are reading the subtitles. The animation is not Pixar or Disney, but I’m not sure what to expect from 1971. It’s not Hanna Barbara either. If you want a quick 20 minute version of the story….I guess it is ok, but only if your queue is empty. The real highlight comes at the 8:00 mark while on the ship to Crete a Bollywood-like dance number breaks out ? Because ? So awkward. 5/10

Here is a link to watch the subtitled version on YouTube: (Sadly this video has been taken down :() )

If you like this story I suggest you check out my Maze Comic Book Reviews - Theseus and the Minotaur that reviews 4 different comic book versions of the story !

The Man in the Maze (2011) Movie Review

It’s time to review another Maze movie ! This one is a standard low budget horror film. Let’s get to it !

The Man in The Maze (IMDB) (Amazon)

The Man in The Maze movie poster

I have always liked how James Bond movies start with action. Like the story has been happening and they turned the camera mid-story to let you in on what is going on. The Man in The Maze starts with a masked man having already captured 3 people, all of them injured and passed out (maybe dead ? - the viewer isn’t sure yet ) and the assumed assailant working to bind them.

Not giving too much away, not that most of you would care, but this becomes a horror chase movie through a wooded area that the 4 main characters do not know, making it a bit of a maze. And there is a curse on some of the ground they stumble upon, the ancient Native American burial grounds from the Trail of Tears. Things get complicated. Who is this masked assailant and can the group escape ?

I have seen some bad movies. This is plagued by bad acting, dialogue, and a script similar to a much better Spanish movie Los Cronocimenes, which has nothing to do with a maze but has a similar masked chaser. Watch The Man in The Maze only if forced to, 3/10.

Here is the trailer:

Iteration 1 (2016) Movie Review

Today we dive into another maze-ish related short film from 2016, Iteration 1, directed by Jesse Lupini.

Iteration 1 (IMDB)

Iteration 1.png

Here is the premise of the short film: A woman (played by Katharine Isabelle who you might know from Ginger Snaps) wakes up in a bed in the middle of a well-lit white room with black grids on the walls. She has 60 seconds to, well, after 60 seconds she collapses and everything resets. Her goal, although never stated is to find a way out of the place she is in (which is about as specific as I can get because it isn’t really clear except it is maze-like). Each time she awakens a voice declares the Iteration # she is on.

And it’s weird with little dialogue but actually fun to watch. You’ll find yourself telling the woman, hey, maybe try this (or that). Definitely worth a viewing ! I give it a 7/10 and suggest you invest the 14 minutes you will need to watch this film.

The best part about short films is you can often watch them for free on YouTube !!

Exit (2011) Movie Review

Today we dive into another maze related movie review, the 2011 Australian TV Movie Exit.

Exit (IMDB) (Amazon)

Exit.png

Here is the premise of Exit: groups of people wander around a city looking for a door that leads to an exit to another place, out of the maze of the city. They aren’t sure what this new place is or what it is like but they become obsessed with finding the door and getting there. Cool concept.

The best part about this movie by far is the cinematography with excellent sweeping views of the city landscape really capturing the essence of the place. It feels industrial and very much like a city of large grey buildings. The music also fits well and creates the appropriate mood.

The pace of the movie is a bit slow. I think that is because beyond long sections of dialogue, not much is really happening. Things are mysterious, but they never feel very tense or urgent. I think with a few tweaks this could have been a really good movie. Instead it’s average for what it is, a low budget sci-fi movie. A big budget remake with some action, a compelling dark antagonist, and a Dan Brown type puzzle unfolding makes this a big success. All you need is a couple million and Dan Brown to help with the script, that should be easy !!!!

I give it a 6.2/10.