Was drawn into seeing 'Land of Smiles', with a cool poster/cover, a promising trailer, an intriguing premise and as someone with a general appreciation for the genre it fits under. That it was low-budget, which from frequent personal experience is rarely a good sign due to that there are so many poor ones out there, made me though apprehensive.
It is sadly however yet another film seen recently, hence some reiteration because the exact same strengths and flaws present in those films are here, that to me was incredibly disappointing considering its potential which it doesn't do anywhere near enough with. 'Land of Smiles' is really quite awful, with so many huge flaws and doesn't do enough with its potential, which was hardly small. There is very little to recommend in 'Land of Smiles'.
Beginning with the few positives, the setting is atmospheric and not cheap, but it deserved better.
'Land of Smiles' also starts off reasonably promisingly, it does intrigue and it does have creepiness.
Going on to the negatives, the story does feel over-stretched and some of it comes over as vague and under-explained in the last third where the film especially became duller, more predictable, more senseless and less unsettled and never gaining momentum. All the characters are too sketchy and with nowhere near enough to make one want to endear to them. Their annoying and illogical decision making and behaviours frustrates. The chemistry is bland and unfocused.
Making the film feel bland and forgettable with not enough heart put into it. The sound quality is obvious and utilised cheaply (being too loud in the build ups and people's reactions) and all of the acting is lacking severely on the whole and that is actually being kind, the worst of it is horrendous.
Dialogue can be stilted and rambling while the pace and film drags on forever after such an intriguing start and doesn't recover. The ending felt very unresolved and unfinished. Found too many of the supposedly shocking moments not surprising or scary and the supposedly creepy atmosphere dreary, due to the excessive obviousness, a lot of dumb and vague moments and explanations and the lack of tension and suspense. Thrills are none, thanks to stodginess and excessive over-familiarity, and found myself never invested in the drama, which tended to be overacted and statically directed.
A lot of 'Land of Smiles' has underdeveloped plot elements and often nonsensical and confusing character motivations when the characters weren't used randomly with no point to them, while too many of the things to make you shocked are far from creative or unsettling.
The threat is neither scary or interesting, no development and too derivative with no explanation for the motivations, while everything is unimaginative and are more odd than scary, completely failing to show any sense of dread. The mystery elements fail to thrill and are very predictable and the drama is overwrought. Some badly sagging momentum too and a lot of weirdness. The direction is leaden, got the sense their heart was not in it. 'Land of Smiles' is very amateurish visually, making one feel nauseous and actually did feel a headache coming on.
Altogether, very, very bad. 2/10 Bethany Cox
