Open Windows (2014)

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Released in the same year as 'Unfriended', though not as widely seen, 90% of the action here likewise takes place on a single laptop screen with the camera darting between various open windows (hence the title), including a webcam of the protagonist. It is a very well paced movie and one that offers further proof of the ability of a single laptop screen to create a riveting thrill ride. Little can be revealed of the plot without ruining a fresh experience, but suffice it to say that it focuses on a nebbish who receives an invitation to spy on a famous actress through his laptop and then has trouble preventing a planned kidnapping without convicting himself. As such, 'Open Windows' plays into some interesting dilemmas faced by computer users in the voyeuristic era in which we live. At the same time though, the film mounts such a series of ludicrous twists (especially in the final fifteen minutes) that the convoluted nature of the plot detracts from the novel laptop screen format. And in terms of the laptop screen format, 'Unfriended' plays better into the anxieties that we all face when the internet or our computers do not work properly, however 'Open Windows' certainly puts a new spin on clicking on links from non-trusted sources. It is a decent enough thriller, but it is easy to see why the tighter scripted 'Unfriended' has found a larger audience over time.

In yet another case of filmmaking coincidence, "Open Windows" shares the same idea as another movie made around the same time ("Unfriended") - that idea being a "live" (or "real time") movie seen almost entirely through computer screens. This effort goes a step further by eventually getting the characters out and moving around, which I admit does help prevent the movie from getting tedious. There are certainly some creepy and suspenseful moments, though I have to admit I found them mostly in the first half of the movie. Eventually, the movie gets really hard to swallow, with some really unbelievable revelations and actions by the various characters. And when you start to think about the movie after watching it, you'll be able to realize some additional plot holes. Also, the French accents of several characters are so thick that their dialogue is really hard to make up at times. Despite these problems, I admit that I was never bored by the movie, but all the same I felt unsatisfied at its end. "Unfriended" did it better despite being cheaper and less elaborate.

First off... ignore all these pious, jaded Numbnut reviewers who arrogantly diss this film ('Found Footage'...? Really? WHERE the hell do they dig up these 'people'?) Sorry... just my honest reaction after seeing several of these shallow, illiterate reviews...Going into this film, I really did NOT expect to like it very much. Actually, I kind of put off seeing it, fully expecting it to be a very shallow and 'Gimmicky' film (a word that another reviewer apparently felt necessary to repeat 3 times in his Summary) So, it was with genuine reluctance that I watched this movie. Surprisingly, within the first few moments, the film had already grabbed me and seriously snagged my full attention (I'm watching this thinking, 'What the HELL...???) After reading about the premise, I was expecting that this probably would be a boring movie where we would just be looking at a some guy watching his computer screen the whole time. BUT... when I started to understand why Elijah Wood was there and what was happening to him, before I even fully realized it, the film had literally seized me by the nuts in an iron grip, and would NOT let go until it has slapped me around and fully had it's way with me.That is just about the most concise way I can sum up my impression of the movie...What makes it work, of course, is the truly clever thought that the director has put into just exactly HOW to portray this movie in a way that will involve the audience. My guess would be that there must be a MILLION ways that he could have screwed this up and ruined it, but I can only surmise that he must have been up for it, because I can honestly say that it not only held me captive for the entire length of the film, but REALLY had me wondering at every turn just what the HELL was going to happen next.Once you get used to the format and style of the movie, really the ONLY thing that could possibly keep your interest is the story itself. And WHAT a story indeed...! Let me just say one thing. If you DO find the movie interesting, make bloody SURE that you watch it to the very end because there are some very nice twists and turns that really add to the effectiveness of the film. One thing I will say, without giving too much away, is that when the French guys first appeared, I thought that it was frigg'n hilarious. 'Are you Nevada...?'My humble suggestion is, please DON'T allow these know-it-all, pompous, Dickweed reviewers put you off by their arrogantly dismissive Summaries of 'Gimmicky' or 'Poorly written'... NOTHING could possibly be farther from the truth in my lowly and wretched opinion. YES, you might say that the format is very unique and uses a method that a very SHALLOW person could quickly leap to saying is a 'Gimmick' if they wanted to appear to be the 'Oh-So-Cool' reviewer. But, 'Gimmicks' are what William Castle used in his films, and they had NOTHING at all to do with the story and were just Cheeeeezy stunts to shock the audience. Here, the director chose a format that I personally think would be a HUGE challenge to do correctly in order for it to come across in just the right way to keep the audience's attention and to tell the story effectively. One Lame@ss reviewer actually states in his Summary something like 'Brilliant and inventive, ruined by Science Fiction' WHAT...?!! That's like saying in the original Star Trek, that just because some of the technology was pushing it a bit with Proton beams, Graviton fields, and of course the Transporters, that that made it total $hit...? Uh huh, right... How about having a little frigg'n IMAGINATION, Dumb@ss...?Sorry... just REALLY chaps my Willie...So, I would say that if you really don't like computers or computer-related stories / movies, then you might want to give this one a pass. BUT... if you have a really naive and sensitive imagination like I do and IF you can easily suspend disbelief (mainly with the technology used in the film) and if you like Computer / Cyber-centric Thrillers at all, then I think that there is a good chance that you will really enjoy this very clever and entertaining film...

The title is very attractive, but in my opinion the end product is just a mix of concepts that don't complement each other. "Open Windows" is easy to visualize because it involves suspense and plays with technology such as our everyday devices. The problem is that it doesn't go further into the themes it presents.Once all the action inside the hotel come to an end, the rest seems to go out wildly. Nacho Vigalondo imposes a breakneck pace ... the problem is that history doesn't keep up. At one point, I had to go back a few minutes to see if there was a logical thread connecting everything. I don't consider that the problem is on the technical side but in the text. The concepts are good, but the rest ...It is unfortunate that "Open Windows" waste the potential that its beginning promised.