Saturday, April 18, 2015

Cradle of Shadows (2013)

aka Le Berceau des Ombres

After a worker in a massive underground bunker disappears, a private investigator is hired to look into it. The owner tells the PI that he has three days to spend in the bunker and figure out what is going on down there.  Rumor has it the bunker is haunted and was also used by the Nazi's in World War II.

Along with his assistant, the PI recruits a professor of parapsychology and two of his students.  They set up their equipment and start to explore. Almost immediately the hear noises and get video of what appears to be one of those Japanese ghost girls with long hair.

This starts an argument about whether to leave or stay. Some people want to get out, while others want to locate the girl.  This begs the question, why do people looking for ghosts always get the hell out when they find one?  Shortly after this they realize there is something else down there with them, and the key to the bunker door is missing leaving them trapped.

Unlike many American horror films where the characters are annoying jerks you'd rather punch in the face than spend a minute of your time with, the characters are overall pretty likable.  That doesn't mean they don't get a less appealing as the film goes on though and they start to freak out.

The best part of the film is the location. It was filmed in casemates on the Maginot Line and Fort Hestroff Frescoes.

Whoever did the subtitles was not on the ball.  My friend has some knowledge of the French language and said the subtitles didn't match what they were saying.  This was obvious at some points, such as when one character says "What's going on?" and the other one answers, "No!"  Way to phone it in, subtitle guy.


Ridiculous subtitles-

"So what? You are softened out?"

"There someone?"

No comments: