“Greta” Movie Review

posted March 18, 2019 in CommRadio, Arts & Entertainment by Lilly Adams

Horror movies have seen themselves as the top genre at the box office within the past five years, giving audiences a new form of terror and originality that seemed lost in a sea of remakes and fake blood. Alongside the new wave of stellar horror movie motion pictures with all-star casts, incredible dialogue, and unique storylines come lackluster films like “Greta.”

The film was released on March 1 and tells the story of Frances, played by Chloë Grace Moretz, a young waitress new to New York City. Her naive nature brings her to the doorstep of the elderly Greta Hideg, played by Isabelle Huppert, after finding Greta’s bag on the subway, leading both women into a seemingly innocent friendship.

As the film drags on, so does the uncommon nature of the friendship, eventually spiraling into a derivative, borderline comedic film with no saving grace from the dialogue, acting, plot, settings and more.

When writing horror, it is easy to slip into repetitive aspects seen in films before. Audiences are all-too familiar with the cliché stalking montage resulting in the ultimate battle between the main character and antagonist. It is hard to convey new types of horror movie methods, but the fact that the past few years have been filled with creativity in the horror genre, and the previous Academy Award won by director Neil Jordan, the cliché, repetitive nonsense that “Greta” turned into was the last thing audiences expected.

The acting is dry, and even acclaimed actresses like Isabelle Huppert couldn’t save the mediocre characters and thoughtless dialogue. The film did way more than stretch itself too thin; its pitiful attempts at forcing dramatic impact were laughable to the point where “Greta” could very easily be described as a comedy.

To give the film some undeserved credit, it is clear director Neil Jordan had better intentions for “Greta” than what it turned into. Jordan is not renowned in the film industry for his horror/thriller creations, but it seemed that “Greta” was his final attempt to prove something to himself and his fans that he could create something fresh, new, and deserving for this new wave horror genre.

In some aspects of the film, this attempt shines. There are few moments where the film’s gears grind smoothly, and in those rare moments, audience members feel their shoulders relax and settle in to let the film naturally create the terror audiences expect. Once these moments come through, it’s ruined by cheap jump-scares and laughable dialogue, both in some attempt to turn the film around from the catastrophe it was doomed to be from the start.

“Greta” was a sad attempt of trying to get on this new wave of horror films. With its less than mediocre acting, predictable and comedic plot-line, horrible dialogue and other disappointing elements, it deserves much less than the 55 percent it was given on Rotten Tomatoes.

Neil Jordan is a talented, Oscar-winning filmmaker, but that creative and rate-trait was completely lost within the lines of “Greta.”

Rating: 2/5

 

 

Lilly Adams is a sophomore majoring in film/video. To contact her, email lillyadams11@gmail.com.