[4.50/10] Die (2010)

Die (2010)

Brief review: A bunch of strangers wake up in an unknown place, without knowing how they got there or why. A cliche? Definitely! "Die" can be easily considered as a complete rip-off, as it shamelessly borrows ideas from many other similar horror thrillers, such as "13 (Tzameti)", "Saw" and "The Killing Room", just to name a few. Although, the story gets more intriguing as the movie unfolds, it never leaves up to its potential, as the film suffers from poor plot structure, muddled pacing and lazy direction. Technically, everything about "Die" screams low budget, as it's quite unimpressive in terms of visuals and execution. Yes, the death scenes are well-crafted and somehow clever, but they're neither gory, nor terrifying enough to stand out on their own. Actually, the only clever thing about "Die" is its tricky title. Acting-wise, "Die" also fails to deliver. Though Caterina Murino is one of the most naturally beautiful middle-aged women I've ever seen in my life, she lacks screen presence and seems quite bored throughout the film, and therefore, she never feels believable as the police inspector, Sofia. Elias Koteas is mediocre at best, and Emily Hampshire as Lisa is just too over-the-top.

Overall summary: With its cliched premise, poor execution and uninspired direction, "Die" is yet another lazy horror flick, that never rises above mediocrity.