Pod (2015) Reviews

• More than one hour of constant bickering.

  quincytheodore2015-08-30

  Family reunion can be awkward, but these siblings take it to the next level. Nearly the entire script consists of bantering and screaming. It's quite the shame since the premise shows a glimpse of isolation that could've been better utilized for sci-fi or horror, instead we are presented an exhausting spectacle of dysfunctional family more than the actual mystery. This is a small cast, with only three leads. Marty is the secluded brother and his siblings are worried about him. This leads to a long verbal standoff, arguing whether Marty is delusional or not. There's a lot of yelling and cursing involved, and one can't help but wonder if they could resolve the issue with better communication skill and whether the excessive shouting is merely padding to prolong the already short runtime. After a while the loud screaming becomes numbing, and the thriller aspect doesn't get going until much later. It displays the hint of eerie atmosphere, although it doesn't manifest seamlessly and as usual shaky cam is expected. If it had more refined screenplay that focused on the mystery rather than family squabble as though they were in a cheap reality show, it could've been decent. Scarce on the thrill and heavy on the cursing, Pod is a much tiresome and less horrifying affair than it could've been.

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• Pretty Good!

  tonto_mbopo2015-09-20

  Well, call me odd but I enjoyed Pod very much. On reading the other reviews for this film I realise that leaves me in the minority but I like what I like. As others have pointed out the first half of this short-ish movie (76 minutes run time) is primarily conflict and dialogue between three siblings, each of which have their own baggage. However, while some may find that to be a drag and want to get straight to the beastie the film is named for, I lapped it up. Until said beastie hits the screen Pod plays out like a psychological drama. Martin, an ex soldier with a history of emotional illness and delusions, appears to have gone completely over the edge when he insists he has captured a murderous alien creature and locked it in his basement. Older brother Ed, a psychologist, and Lyla, the vulnerable younger sister show up to try and coax Martin into getting some much needed help. Considering the subject matter and the circumstances the tension between these three characters is, to me, believable and well crafted. The characters have depth, the dialogue was terrific and while the shadowy Smith, who shows up toward the end of the film is perhaps, deliberately bland, being some kind of military spook, I really enjoyed the family members and their dynamics. Brian Morvant and Lauren Ashley Carter's performances were both stand outs. As for Pod himself, well.. he was pretty cool though we've seen his ilk before on the X Files and elsewhere. Nonetheless, i don't believe this movie was intended to be just a horror/sci-fi flick. That may well be why many reviewers got bored with the it; too much angst and talk and not enough CGI and gore. For a suspense/horror flick with some intelligence you could do a lot worse than Pod.

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• Not Bad At All

  HorrorOverEverything2015-09-03

  I didn't know much about this at all going in other than the story- line (which I thought sounded intriguing), I decided to bypass the trailer and the reviews and just pop this in with an open mind. I'm glad I did, because this was an entertaining flick. The movie kicks off with a lot of dialogue and I think this is one of the main things that through people off, but personally I enjoyed it. The actors did a really good job at capturing exactly what sibling dialogue sounds like. I'm sure some people found their bickering annoying but for it just made the movie more realistic, I started to really feel like the actors were actually brother and sister. The dialogue eventually leads up to a pretty thrilling last 20 minutes that had me tense right up to the end credits. This isn't an amazing movie, it's not super original and it's not going to win any awards, but it entertained me for the entire length of its short run time and in the end that is really all I ask for from horror movies. Go in with realistic expectations and there is a pretty good chance you will enjoy this one. 6/10

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• stereotypical silliness

  redcodex4532015-09-03

  Like every other typical creature film the Pod fails in the first 20 minutes itself. Nothing about this movie is a plus. The character of the sister was highly irritating. She kept screaming needlessly. All the film does it move towards a failed suspense towards a creature. preferably an alien who is locked up in the basement. Warned by the lunatic brother talking gibberish all the time. The alien whose presence we witness for about 2 minutes is basically a deforming skeletal body.....so its not really an alien?. AND WE DO NOT SEE ANY SORT OF POD in the movie only a bunch of people screaming their lungs out. I truly wish I had avoided this.

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• Solid indie thriller

  zrammedia2016-09-11

  I seem to be in the minority here, but I really enjoyed Pod and I don't quite understand its low IMDb rating. Most of the negative reviews criticize the film for its lengthy scenes of dialog and lack of action or horror. I think the problem is expecting Pod to be a horror or sci-fi film that it isn't trying to be, possibly due to its trailer. The lengthy scenes of dialog and conflict were precisely what I enjoyed most about the movie. It's a solid script willing to take its time establishing the dynamics between all three siblings. Once brother and sister Lyla and Ed meet with their brother Martin, Pod unfolds as a psychological thriller. The tension grows until all hell breaks loose in the final act. Lauren Ashley Carter delivers a superb performance as Lyla, portraying a young woman in conflict with her family, yet conveying a real emotional connection to her siblings. When the action comes late in the film, Carter reaffirms my belief that she is THE Scream Queen of modern indie film. Brian Morvant also delivers a strong performance as the mentally unstable Martin. Is he schizophrenic or are his ramblings actually true? Morvant plays these scenes with conviction and believably. I was fascinated by the story and very anxious watching and wondering how it would unfold. Pod takes risks with its main characters in a way most big-budget films won't dare. Don't watch this movie expecting a sci-fi or horror film that plays out as you would expect, but rather take the time to enjoy the dialog and appreciate the performances.

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