User reviews

Michael (Peter Cilella) is committed to getting his best friend Chris (Vinny Curran) to sober up and get his life back on track. But what begins as an attempt to save his friend's life quickly takes an unexpected turn as the two friends confront personal demons, the consequences of past actions, and forces beyond their control. Expertly balancing dark humor with genuine thrills and unexpected pathos, Resolution is an utterly unique cinematic experience that defies genre classification.

Resolution was an utterly mind-blowing experience that has a fantastic twist to the horror genre. To be honest it's more of a trippy suspense/drama with quaint and small horror elements thrown in the mix. The story is completely involving with two lead characters that you can connect to, making the mysterious and creepy going ons all the more effective. The film starts off pretty slow with an anti climatic ending, and doesn't have that much if any action, but the unique outcome, engaging and riveting characters and plot twist, make the viewing semi worth it.

The performances from Vinny Curran and Peter Cilella were breakthrough and organic and you believe their story and friendship. Peter plays Michael Danube, a soon to be dad who decides to take one last trip to visit and help his drug addicted friend Chris Daniels played by Vinny, who isolated himself in a remote shack. Michael decides to show some tough love when Chris refuses to go to rehab and soon after handcuffs Chris to a metal bar to force him to detoxify. Michael starts to then experience strange and unexplained happenings when he discovers some reel playback footage. From there on it's a trippy ride and it's the type of film that you probably need multiple viewings to figure it all out, but the scenario is so refreshing from the norm that this genre usually brings us.

Director, Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead have crafted a one of a kind, surreal suspense flick. A real breakthrough effort from them that will have you scratching your head, spooked and anxious to see how it will turn out. Unfortunately the conclusion just didn't really pay off for me and just ended way too soon just when things started to get really good. For first time directors though, I think they are exciting and brilliant new talent and can't wait to see what they have in store for us next.

Overall, Resolution was different, freaky and has two likable leads and I was intrigue through most of it but the ending just didn't sit well with me. Recommended if you enjoy films like Cookers, or just want to watch something different from the genre for a change. 6.5 out of 10

A deeply oddball, and pretty entertaining low budget mash-up of character study, humor, and metaphysical horror. It's not like anything you've seen before, but it achieves that effect by taking a LOT of elements you've seen before, and having fun combining them in novel ways.

A young guy - Michael - who seems to have his life pretty together goes out to try and save his depressed, meth-head, gun loving friend – Chris – who is living alone in the middle of the woods. The unanswered question of who took the video of this Chris acting so crazy sets the tone for this film full of unexplained weirdness that creates a generally tense and creepy atmosphere despite any clear resolution to many of the questions (that's only one of several meanings the pun-laden title seems to have).

Much of the film is the relationship between these two men, and how Chris reacts to being forced to go cold turkey after Michael handcuffs him to a wall pipe. Both the acting and dialogue wavers between fun, honest, touching and a touch amateurish. Chris has one of the easier, least believable sudden withdrawals from serious addition I can remember seeing on film. But this film doesn't seem too worried about being real. It seems far more interested in being entertaining and leaving you wondering just what things mean; that old, creepy photo, the escapee from a local loony bin who knocks on the window at night, the fact that they are on Indian lands with a bad history. Do these things mean anything? Or do we just assume they do from a lifetime of horror and suspense films? The film-makers aren't always saying, they want us to wonder for ourselves… and to smile while we shiver just a bit. I'll be curious to watch this again. It seems like a repeat viewing will either reveal its shallowness or uncover hidden depths

If you're a Benson/Moorhead fan, its best to watch this film first. I watched the duo's latest film 'The Endless' before this film, but the two interlink (although The Endless is not a sequel). They share the same universe, and the characters from 'The Endless' interact with characters from 'Resolution'. It might sound confusing, but I assure you it is not. I did, however, feel 'The Endless' was a huge improvement on this film, and see it more as a remake with a lot more detail, and a much clearer view of what is actually going on. 'Resolution' is much less detailed but and leaves a lot to your imagination, but be warned, this film also has some very freaky moments!

For the people who wanted some resolution Look up a film title The Endless that just released, its the sequel to this film

I watched this film before I read the reviews for it and I was very pleased with it. The acting was good and the background of the story opens up the imagination of just what exactly is out there. Im not sure I would put this film in the horror genre since there was not much of that. Its more of a drama/thriller. Im a horror movie junkie and I wish there had been a bit more scares. What I really enjoyed about this film was the musical score! There was none! Except for the credits. Musical scores are a cheap way to create the mood in a film but in Resolution the entire mood is created by the acting and camera work. If you are on the fence about watching this film you should totally go for it. Overall I gave this movie a 7 out of 10. Definitely worth a peek.

About 5 minutes in and I went "this weirdly reminds me of "The Endless"... I feel like I have seen this before". Obviously, now I know why. If you haven't seen it yet, watch this and then immediately go watch "The Endless" 2017 right after.

Something about this style of filmmaking and storytelling feels so unique and fresh. A slow pace but still engaging, down to earth characters with natural and relatable dialogue, a spooky atmosphere without relying on jump scares. Stand out performances from both main characters, great acting.

The story was intriguing but I don't know if it made the most sense in the world as a stand alone. They definitely do not spoon feed you an explanation and you have to watch "The Endless" to have a full appreciation for this. So, if you are not planning on watching it, not into a bit of ambiguity or a true low budget independent film... this might not be for you. Otherwise, I would definitely recommend. As a stand alone I give it a 6, but with "The Endless" I give it a 7.

This is more accurately described as a drama or buddy comedy than a legitimate horror movie. 90% of it is funny conversations and the lead walking around the hills finding clues and silently staring at them. The ending is creative and begs the viewer to rewatch with a fresh take. But sadly so much of the movie is boring there is no way that's happening. I love slow burn horror but there isn't even anything burning here. It's just a slow drama with a meaningless death or two and some funny dialogue.

Lastly, depending on how you feel about the ending... It might trivialize the entire movie. For me personally it did. Obviously can't explain without spoilers, but you've been warned. Also, if you hate ambiguous endings that require googling the explanation... Stay away.

For the incredibly stupid front page reviewer here (it's not even a review really, just whining with no substance by somebody who doesn't seem to like or recognize horror.), I'm not affiliated with the film in any way, feel free to look at my other reviews. I'm just a horror junky that thought he had seen every horror movie worth watching, and now that i've seen this, maybe I have.

This movie is really creative. Without giving away too much it definitely broaches other themes that have been covered by other movies, it reminded me a bit of Inland Empire and 13B, in theme only, not content and while it's a somewhat familiar theme it goes in a very different direction with it. It's very well paced and does absolutely amazing jobs of foreshadowing and just piling on the atmosphere and dread so well that at one point I almost didn't want to see what was going to happen, the ending completely took me by surprise.

It's clearly a zero budget indie movie but you would hardly know it to watch it, it's well shot and the cinematography is really good. My only issue is a script one, I thought the main characters dialog and decisions dealing with the crazy events of the film were oddly nonchalant and downright frustrating at times but then again it would have made the movie impossible if he had done what most sensible people would as a reaction to some of the events which is to call the cops lol.

This is absolutely fantastic psychological horror. Bravo to the directors and everybody involved with this. I rarely gush like this in these reviews but there's a reason Resolution has gotten so much hype from horror specific movie sites. It's THAT good.

Since there's no plot synopsis, i'll give a brief one. A man is invited by his ex best friend to his cabin out in the boonies. He knows his best friend is pretty much a rock bottom meth addict and he's rebuffed all his attempts prior to get him into rehab so he shows up with a stun gun and a pair of handcuffs, chains him to a pipe in the dilapidated shack he lives in and is going to stay with him while he detoxes. Strange people live around there and every day he feels he's being lead to strange things like records, books, journals and old film. Things get more weird from there.

indie films are what provide the world of film it's building blocks into great storytelling. they flourish with a story put together with flawed and/or raw talent and approach. Resolution is a perfect example of that.

this movie could easily be remade as a Hollywood blockbuster. but the true intentions and techniques wouldn't be there. the story would either be stripped of independent risks, or changed with seasoned money making tactics.

Resolution is a great movie when it comes to unexpected roads in storytelling. it's what makes a good story from the start, escalate into a great movie by the end. if you're looking to watch a movie where you can pick apart every single aspect of indie filmmaking, i suggest finding a mailing list of like minded people who are going to the next foreign film festival to later sit and compare notes on who found the most flaws with a film that's cool enough to see, and knowingly not like.

watch Resolution if for no other reason you just want to satisfy the need for a story where the path to the outcome is unknown, and yet satisfying.

Resolution was getting a lot of comparisons to one of my favourite horror films, The Cabin in the Woods. Critics and audiences were calling it unpredictable, genre-bending and unlike anything that we've seen before. The DVD has quotes like, "The movie The Cabin in the Woods should have been." One quote even compares it to Sinister, which I find bizarre given that Sinister didn't get great reviews (not my opinion by the way, I think that Sinister is brilliant) so of course I was very excited to give Resolution a watch. We all know that the majority of modern horror films are tired, so to get something unpredictable is a rarity. Unfortunately, Resolution didn't live up to the hype.

The film has an interesting premise. A man chaining his drug-addicted friend to a pipe in an abandoned cabin, in a bid to make him go cold turkey. Unfortunately, this premise isn't quite enough to sustain a feature length film. The majority of the film is the two characters chatting and arguing, which is fine for 45 minutes. In fact, the most entertaining scenes are between the two thanks to the chemistry of the actors and the funny dialogue, "I met this dog! She's awesome. We're writing a book together!" However, this becomes pretty boring once we hit the one hour mark.

The whole film is just like waiting for something to happen, but nothing really does happen until the last 15 minutes, and even then it's still dull. It's frustrating too because the idea is very clever it's just not done well, in my opinion. The Cabin in the Woods used a similar postmodern meta-narrative however, it was incredibly entertaining throughout, whilst still being intelligent. Resolution is clever, but dull.

A lot of the film is one character walking about and coming across various peculiar encounters. There's a man in a cave, some shifty religious nuts and a mental patient tapping on the cabin's window, however none of these have anything to do with the plot itself. I understand that these are supposed to represent various ways in which the narrative could unfold, but is there any need for this to fill out the majority of the actual film? The Cabin in the Woods played with a similar idea in one short scene in the basement.

If you're after an unpredictable and self-aware horror film, then I'd stick to The Cabin in the Woods or Funny Games. Resolution offers tedium more than anything. It does have a fairly engaging first half, but the second half quickly runs out of steam. I appreciate its ideas, however it ultimately feels flat.

Read more weird and dazzling reviews at www.asdaman.wordpress.com

I really, really liked 'Resolution.' It's not an easy film, and it doesn't provide easy answers. I will take strange/atmospheric/well acted/creeping dread over cookie-cutter Hollywood horror crapfest any day of the week. 'Resolution' seems to be about two guys who are at the mercy of a storyteller that wants a story to be told. Where is the story coming from? Is it on their minds? Is there a puppetmaster behind it all? Or is it just some freaky meth-withdrawal side effect kind of thing? I don't know, and I actually really appreciate the fact that this movie doesn't tell you in clear cut answers. In a way it reminded me of 'Upstream Color' in that there is a lot to think and wonder and imagine about in this film. After I've done that for a few days I'll watch 'Resolution' again. I hope this writer/director gives us more.

Every year, around this time I get bit by the horror bug and I binge on all sorts of Horror/scifi/mystery movies that have been created and overlooked by myself over the decade... which, is why I am so late to watch this particular movie and I am not really expecting anyone to read this either. I had a chance to watch this movie a long while back, it was a highly rated Indie breakthrough as my searches suggested but I could only tolerate it for 30 mins before I turned it off and looked for something else. I never came back around to it. Back then "Indie" generally meant that the main theme would just be a backdrop and large portions of a movie would just focus on characters and interpersonal relationship and the "scifi" aspect would just be quick flash before the ending credits. Resolution focused more on their (fairly likable) characters but that's not what I was looking for at the time or am even now.

Its the last month of 2018 and I have been bit by the horror bug once again. I came upon another movie called The Endless, which actually hurt my brain by the end of it. It was a pretty interesting twist but a lot of holes left in the answer. After going thorough some discussions boards, a few kept claiming that its loosely linked to Resolution and watching both might offer a better sense of closure than they would individually. Well I just finished watching Resolution a few mins ago and I can definitely confirm that my original definition of "indie" was dead on the money. Not only does the movie just plainly focuses on the relationship between two best friends, it also doesn't provide you with any real answers to the mystery. The end was abrupt and unfulfilling but then I had already watched The Endless that seemed to fill in some of the gaps and give a complete picture.

There are no spoilers here, just a warning that if you are looking for some mystery that will be revealed in timely fashion you won't find it in this movie but it does provide a lot of details and context that you wouldn't realize otherwise when watching The Endless. Together its a fairly trippy ride but still has some flaws. I will say that things do get really interesting by the latter half but only the sequel attempts at giving some explanation.

Acting and story started off well but bumbled along, kept you watching and waiting for a very disappointing end. Don't waste your time watching.

Mike Danube (Peter Cilella) decides to perform an extreme intervention on his longtime, drug-addicted friend, Chris Daniels (Vinny Curran). Mike soon learns that drugs just might be the least of Chris' problems. As events become increasingly bizarre, Mike appears to be being led on a quest through unearthly means. Mystery and terror result.

Intriguing and clever, RESOLUTION is the sort of horror film that restores one's faith in micro-budget moviemaking. It also has a heavy dose of humor and realistic dialogue. With a cavalcade of weird characters, it's the relationship between Mike and Chris that makes it all work. Highly recommended for those who crave something different...

It's a very cool and original movie! You come for the scares and stay for the bromance. The chemistry between the guys is so strong, and most importantly 'natural', that after the first act I was like 'ok, not what I expected but I'm in anyways'. The silly 'supernatural' plot point is riding that Spinal Tap 'fine line between stupid and clever' and the ending, which I'm sure lots of people will hate, is that kind of 'open' ending that lets you baffled, confused but at least in my case NOT disappointed. It makes your brain cogs move and tick to find your explanations and interpretations, which I think is good and lets the movie stick with you for a while. Pretty good acting, the two leads are believable and likable. Yes, even meth-addict f-up Chris is a lovable a-hole. Very well shot, has an independent look (low contrast and saturation, old film look) that is serving well the story. You don't want crispy 4k crap for a movie like this. Nice tension overall, a couple of jumpy but legitimate scares, tone shifts in an awkward, bumpy way sometimes but nothing too annoying. Give it a try if you are sick of paranormal activities, annabelles and devils inside.

Resolution is an independent horror movie with supernatural elements. It transcends various genre tropes and portrays a look into the inner fabric of horror narratives, exposing the viewer's voyeuristic tendencies regarding the fate of the onscreen characters. It does so with a very modest budget - however, the drawbacks regarding actor's performances and the technical production never compromise the movie's suspenseful mystery. The ending might be polarizing, however, it also makes the movie open for discussion, which is more than one can say about most horror movies.

Overall 7/10 Full review on movie-discourse.blogspot.de

Wow... this was definitely very different. I personally found the concept EXTREMELY intriguing and quite clever. As noted by some in the reviews here, many can easily be left feeling a strong sense of vagueness and confusion about whatever is truly happening. If that kind of thing really drives you up a wall, then this movie is definitely not for you.

I was surprised to learn that they used a Red One digital camera. Normally that camera captures an extremely sharp, detailed image, but not here... I'm sure that there must have been some deliberate manipulation involved to make it look more 'Realistic'

I REALLY liked the movie very much. That I can say with complete certainty. However, I'm finding it quite difficult to write a review for it in such a way that I HOPE actually HELPS others get a sense of what kind of film it is and hopefully help them determine whether they want to spend their time watching it. This is a tough one. I WILL say that there is a DEFINITE Indie feel to the film. You probably would really have to like Indie films in general to enjoy this one. Now, to try to make that more clear... Overall, the movie has a sense of something odd happening. The SEEMING premise of one friend helping another friend to get off of drugs is really only a backdrop or a setting for the different strange phenomena that is going on around them. The good news is that while all this weird, inexplicable stuff is happening, there are a number of truly excellent dialog exchanges that I found quite amusing and interesting. To me, the film makers CLEARLY have a strong grasp on writing a film and the dialog. I guess other than the odd stuff going on around them, I would have to say that the dialog and interaction between the two main characters is probably the strongest part of the film. BUT... with that said, still... I REALLY dug the creepy vibe and TOTALLY unexplainable things that were happening to them. There was nothing really horrific or overt, but what I liked myself was how they interjected these tiny, little teases at the audience to give them vague, and I mean VAGUE ideas as to the possibilities of what was going on. I REALLY liked the French guy in the trailer; I was ABSOLUTELY fascinated with his performance and manner. I don't want to say too much, but I did find the little, teasing tidbits and ESPECIALLY the mention of a particular famous and significant name in a 'research' journal that they found (in French at that, but you STILL recognize the name) along with other odd possible angles presented throughout the story, truly fascinating...

I just found the whole bloody thing INTRIGUING. I absolutely LOVE when clever thought and imagination goes into stories like this, particularly in 'Horror' films. And I REALLY like movies the either bend 'Reality' or your mind, whichever happens to be the case. I freak'n LOVE ones like that! ('SESSION 9' anyone...?)

So, for me personally, this was completely and totally my kind of film. BUT... I can fully understand how many here just found it boring, bland, vague, inexplicable, and stated that 'Nothing really happens' But in this movie, the 'vague' & 'inexplicable' part is kind of the point...

This is a ***VERY*** difficult film to review (not meaning to give myself an excuse if my review happens to suck :) but, I really think that in order to be able to enjoy this movie, you HAVE to be the kind of person who, number one, REALLY is grabbed by a Mystery, no matter how vague or unexplained it is, AND... I think you have to be the kind of person who can appreciate a 'Horror' film where really not much Horror actually happens, but where a decidedly Creepy and Unsettling WTF mood is definitely the main part of the story.

Michael has decided to handcuff his best friend and meth/crack addict, Chris, to what looks like an easy-to-break pipe for 10 days in order to convince him to go into rehab. This is easily one of the dumbest ideas a character, especially one who acts as smart as Michael, has ever tried to do in a movie and it works, for the most part. RESOLUTION takes place over 10 days in an unfinished house as Chris goes through withdrawal and Michael tries to solve a mystery that challenges his sanity.

Being such a low-budget indie film, many things can be over-looked. The performances seem lazy, except from Vinny Curran as Chris, who comes off like he was keeping the laughs going on-set, improvising many of his lines. The pacing was off but the film holds a very real presence of danger. Between the stories Michael begins to find lying around in the area and some jump scares provided by the creepy neighbors, Resolution keeps you watching.

As things spiral out of control, there are some great mind-bending moments and though the films touches on some really interesting subjects and topics, the conclusion is a yawn. Resolution can not decide whether it wants to be a buddy comedy or a surreal horror and doesn't deliver in either genre, making the film easily forgettable.

Caught Resolution at a film festival. This is a movie that you have to see, as there is no way to really describe it. It doesn't fit into any sub-genre within Horror, but it definitely belongs in the family. The film is one of the most creative and unique I've seen in a while. It's thoroughly entertaining, moves at a good pace and keeps you guessing the entire time (and after its conclusion for some. Personally, I can't wait to get a second view of this film.) The two leads put on very good performances which is essential for a film with an isolated setting.

This may end up being one of those films that people either love or hate. I loved it, and speaking with fellow audience members I did not find any one who really disliked it. Even if you don't end up "loving" the film, you'll no doubt be entertained. Plus it will provide for some interesting conversation with fellow fans. I think most viewers, like myself, will find it refreshing and unique. (And those are two qualities that are getting harder and harder to come by in modern horror.)

See this film! You won't regret it.

8 1/2 stars

For a movie where not a great deal happens, I found Resolution an engaging effort. The acting from the main protagonists is compelling, the ambiance suitably unsettling, and odd characters come and go a la "Twin Peaks". Creating a claustrophobic and surreal environment, there was perhaps potential for something rather more than was realised.

In truth this is not a horror movie in the modern, conventional sense. There is no gore, no monster, no torture porn. Yet there are moments that are genuinely creepy, and you do at least care about the characters unlike in most horrors of the stalk-and-slash variety.

The ending will divide opinion, and nothing is given away here about the somewhat unsatisfying final scenes. Perhaps all will be resolved in a sequel ...

I can only surmise that the positive reviews were written by those somehow attached to this film. There is no tension, hardly any story and I felt like I was sitting through a three hour movie instead of one half as long. What a disappointment!! I was fooled by the other reviews and the relatively high rating.

Now I don't mind if I differ from other reviewers, but if there review does not honestly describe the film, I get upset, which is the case with this film. Tell me where's the suspense? Why would this be categorized as a horror or mystery film? Where exactly is the horror? Oh, I know, the horror was sitting through this film. For the majority of the film you have two friends talking and that describes this mess. Other bizarre characters come and go for short periods, adding very little to the overall plot (or lack thereof).

Save yourself from an unrewarding experience and pass on this one!

As the other reviewer already stated, this is different. I had no idea what it would be (didn't read the synopsis, the movie was part of a Festival), but I was really pleasantly surprised. A little movie that could. It's not without flaws mind you, but you can feel it tries hard and there is a real connection between the two main characters, which is very important to the movie.

If you don't mind a few bumps along the ride you will definitely enjoy this movie too. You have to remember, that while it has some light moments, it's not a fast paced movie. It moves along slowly, but it never felt like a drag (to me at least). If you're a fan of independent cinema, you will probably wanna check this out

Just found this little piece of a movie and didn't know what to except. Nice that I watched.

Pretty low motion movie with some weird twists, very much funny moments. Beginning is mostly hilarious, lot's of some terrific scenes.

There might be too much dialog in this movie, that made it little boring sometimes even though they were good ones.

I didn't actually understood the "horror", there wasn't any of it in my opinion. But yeah there were mystery to be solved and such things. Nice to follow it, sadly it doesn't explain a lot in movie even in the ending part. But liked this one a lot.

Stays on its feet, well done and I really couldn't compare this to any movie, that makes it so interesting I think.

Give it a go if you don't need gore or explosions and all. Good for a evening movie.

7/10

There is absolutely no reason for a rating above a 3 for this film. The entire thing is a snoozefest. The ending was horrible and so was the hour and 30 mins before that. Poor film quality, boring storyline, boring acting and everything boring in between. It's absolutely a waste of my life I'm never getting back. Please save your hour and a half of life by not watching this slow burner with no redemption.