MovieChat Forums > The Whistleblower (2011) Discussion > Terrible movie

Terrible movie

posted 14 years ago by The Guy-2
42 replies | jump to latest

I saw it earlier today at the AMC Empire in NYC. What a waste of time. From a technical standpoint, the movie was TERRIBLE. Some of the worst lighting, and cinematography I've ever seen in my life.

Some scenes you could barely see one of the actors, in any scene featuring 2 people talking. Other scenes, they show exterior shots of buildings, and you can't really see the building.

To top it off, you have Rachel Weisz and Monica Bellucci, 2 of the most beautiful women in the world, and the DP managed to make them look horrible. Exposing every blemish in their face, and using every unflattering angle imaginable.

The movie looks very amateurish.

As for the story, it had a been there done that feel to it, and I found it quite boring, poorly executed, especially the scene with Rachel Weisz and her daughter. It all felt really corny and tired within 30 minutes. This is a straight to DVD caliber film.

[–] john_loves_tennis 14 years ago

Just saw it tonight. Film looks great. The only flaw was the abrupt ending.

[–] The Guy-2 13 years ago

LMAO. You guys are hilarious. Don't hate. Appreciate! Been too busy with my chicks, to check on this thread until today. Since they're going back to school, I have a little free time now.

I stand by what I said. This movie sucked. It's a TV movie of the week. If you want to support a COMPETENTLY made independent film, check out THE DEVIL'S DOUBLE. That's a great film. Great acting, cinematography, direction, and a fascinating story.

[–] falcon83 13 years ago

I do want to check out the Devil's Double. I don't know what movies you've worked on, but they must certainly not be dark gritty movies in the stream of The Whistleblower. One scene I can think of that "wasn't lit properly" was when she saw the back room of the Florida Bar. There isn't much light in there, being a back room and all.

Also, maybe Kathryn wasn't a big makeup person. If I'm working in Bosnia for the UN, I wouldn't be putting on loads of makeup either.

I can't believe I have to explain this to you. Now I'm going to go back to my Dutch boyfriend who recently left his wife and has two boys. Ciao!

[–] garaiden 13 years ago

Still amazes me sometimes, reading lowlifes like you. Not only making anything worthwhile you had to say redundant but just embarrassing yourself. Just another scum.

[–] thewolfchild 13 years ago

pitbull uk "@The Guy-2' you are obviously referring to male models' right...

You're saying that Guy-2 dates male models half his age? (LOL)

Seriously, Guy-2, I can understand if you have issues with some of the production values of this film. I too had some issues, particularly with the sound. But that being said, to come here and bash it as a "stupid movie" because it didn't have the glitz and glamour of a large, fictional Hollywood blockbuster is just silly. This film is based on a true story, and it is an important story to tell. It likely had a very limited budget and being somewhat of a docu-drama, the emphasis should be more on the content than the presentation. Is it really important that they make Rachel and Monica look beautiful to try and tell the plight of the young victims? No.

Also, really, does claiming that you date young models and work in the film industry really help advance your point? Can you even prove these claims? These comments were really unneccessary and that's why everybody here is dumping on you.

Just my two cents...

Wolf

"I Drank What?!" - Socrates

[–] sapphrina 13 years ago

The movie was done in exactly the way it was meant to be done in-what were you looking for-bright lights in a fairytale setting? This is a movie based on the attrocities that were committed and not accounted for by any self-respecting agency or government. It was meant to be dark for all the darkness of underhandedness, corruption and lies that goes along with human trafficking. I expected nothing better than the way it was portrayed from the movie settings to the actors. I thought that it was a very good movie.

Sapph

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] mrblaze07 13 years ago

To respond to your comment:

"To top it off, you have Rachel Weisz and Monica Bellucci, 2 of the most beautiful women in the world, and the DP managed to make them look horrible. Exposing every blemish in their face, and using every unflattering angle imaginable."

This is not a porno, it is women in investigating sex crimes. It just happens that they are in a *beep* war torn country, where makeup is the last think on your *beep* mind.

You are a *beep* joke, *beep*

[–] poizen-ivy 13 years ago

LMAO at the OP.
Bahahahahaha

~ Seeing is believing, but feeling is the truth ~

[–] rajju077 12 years ago

Stop feeding the troll which is the OP.

[–] poizen-ivy 12 years ago

WTF...that reply was back in 2011, ya knob!

~ Seeing is believing, but feeling is the truth ~

[–] Ltrgman 13 years ago

Agree with some of what the OP said.

This movie on a technical level just isn't very good. It has an interesting story, which I wasn't familiar with beforehand, but it was poorly presented onscreen. It was disjointed (characters like Raya's mom, Monica Bellucci, the U.N. human resource guy, some of the trafficked girls, etc. weren't properly introduced), horribly edited (that poorly shot car crash involving the local cop who was helping Kathryn comes to mind), amateurish cinematography (hey, let's include a shot of a cop pulling out his black gun at night, in the dark and with poor lighting), awful sound editing (couldn't make out what was said in some scenes) and dodgy writing (the subplot with Kathryn and that boyfriend guy she met in Bosnia was pointless).

Also, I felt the cliche edge of your seat/intense music was overused. Too many scenes had that kind of music and often times nothing thrilling or interesting happened on screen to match it. There are other more effective ways to convey those kind of thrills and surprises to the audience; music isn't always the best method. Sometimes what isn't directly implied is better. Again, just amateurish and overall very shoddy work.

The only redeeming quality was Rachel Weisz's performance. 5/10.

-------
Breaking Bad, THE best show on tv!

[–] camansega 13 years ago

First of all,

Yes, the thing is that your standards are too high.. You worry about how everything is shown and not WHAT IS SHOWN! Better off, I am a jeweler and I CAN reap ignorants such as yourself by showing you a gorgeous jewel made of plain gold-coated brass and synthetic stones and passing it as real white gold, with authentic rubies and accent round diamonds. Sincerely, you lack perspective. From the point of view of THE OSCARS, I COULD NOT AGREE WITH YOU MORE!

But, the storyline is so dense, I think any effort into making it a MODIFIED THRILL version (what most US film directors do in order to create big hits and blockbusters) would simply throw this movie into another common action/ drama movie and would withdraw the other 50% of watcher's attention into Rachel's UNREAL beauty and Monica's UNREAL beauty.

Please, you never judge a movie for their scenery, the lighning, the shooting angles, the music, the thrill, the budget or the elements that make it... your view is systhematic... you must see it as a whole... from a systhemic point of view.. if you miss that, then you won't enjoy cinema!

The story is so dense and it captures your attention so much, that definetely to me is comparable to "The Shawshank Redemption" (rated No. 1 on this site) and The God Father (No. 2). It will never jump to top rank because A) It insults men and their infinite greed for power, and B) It was never launched with a 10 M USD budget in the Hollywood red carpet. Another "independent film" by Rachel Weisz and Monica Belluci. I love those women just by what they are and makes me feel OK about them! I love they way they are... and I hope they were not wearing any make up!

Yet again, we have failed as humans. Once somebody insults our beliefs and points of view, we immediately strike back in rage and anger. Sadly to know that such a long thread is about a discussion on the elements of a movie and how two HUMAN actresses are depicted in a DRAMA movie! what a waste of time, while we all should be discussing something meaningful such as how to help the sex slaves in Bosnia and other countries around the World, or World Peace!.. perhaps those in the US should write a letter to their Senator instead of writing stupid things and replying to other two or three people who have nothing better to do with their free time!

All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing! (I wont say whose line is it!)

Carlos Mosquera

[–] TheManInOil 12 years ago

Uh yeah. Because you know, the appropriate approach for this story would be to make glamour shots to hilight how pretty the actresses are...

Cinematography is the art of storytelling through lighting and camera position/movement. For a story like this, which concerns ugly, dreary events and places, you don't shoot it like a Crest commercial.

"I'll book you. I'll book you on something. I'll find something in the book to book you on."