Sean Durkin’s Martha Marcy May Marlene plays out more like a slow burn horror film than the psychological drama it sets out to be. Instead of building minor scares toward a major climax though, Durkin’s movie fizzles with a unsatisfying ending that leaves more questions than answers.
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I’ll admit the ending is kind of ambiguous. After it was over I actually thought the projectionist had forgotten to load a reel of film. I enjoyed the film overall though.
3 ½ stars sounds like you did too although your review sounds more disappointed than captivated by the film.
I felt like it was pretty close to 4 stars for me. The ending really bothered me. I think I would have given it 3.75 if I could, but I had to go one way or the other. Thanks for reading Mark!
I agree that there are more questions than answers in this film but it was the persistent mood that had me hooked, an atmosphere of dread that worked well. I thought the lead performance was strong, as it had to be - an enigmatic character who we only learn little pieces of information from.
Good read as always Evan - it's a film that will undoubtedly divide audiences. For what it's worth, I gave the film 4 stars out of 5 in my review.
Thanks for reading Dan. I was also hooked by the mood and atmosphere that Durkin creates. I enjoyed Elizabeth Olsen's performance as well. Sounds like our opinions weren't too far off on this film.