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darkeningscorn's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
I saw the movie yesterday and loved it very much! So I was eager to read this - most of the dialogue in the story were depicted straight into the film, only the film expanded much more on everything, basically. Makes sense for it being a short story, but I found the movie a lot more compelling with the details, I don't think the fast pace and lack of details here quite worked for it. For example, Finney only has one phone call in the story (from Bruce, same as the first call in the film) where he's given the advice of using the receiver as a weapon straight away, so the phone feels less significant somehow, despite the title. Also, Bruce tells him he's survived the longest, yet it doesn't really feel that way, since we don't see/get told about the different ways he tries to break out like in the film, he doesn't even have as much communication with the captor, either. Once again the short story format is still fine and has a good pace, but I think the story became much more creepy and nasty in the feature film length, like the elaboration on how twisted the grabber really is. The audience also gets more time with Finney prior to his kidnapping and to form a connection with him, get to know him and his sister, and his relations to the other victims compared to the written story.
Btw, I've lost count of how many times "fat" is used in this, the story points this out about the grabber (also compares him to a hippo) as if that makes him more disgusting, and not the fact that he, you know, kidnaps and murders young boys. Not a fan of that at all, very weird and unnecessary.
Btw, I've lost count of how many times "fat" is used in this, the story points this out about the grabber (also compares him to a hippo) as if that makes him more disgusting, and not the fact that he, you know, kidnaps and murders young boys. Not a fan of that at all, very weird and unnecessary.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping and Murder
ewwniamh's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
i’m going to watch the movie soon v excited
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping, Murder, and Pedophilia
connorjdaley's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
After seeing this movie two weeks ago, I immediately ordered the short story collection for my fiancé and I. We wanted to see how similar or different it was due to the fact that it’s a full length movie. So far I’ve only read just this story, but I’ll definitely be going back for the others at some point.
Honestly the author does a pretty good job of getting right into it. With only twenty-something pages how can you not really, but still. It starts with the abduction, and everything that follows is very fast paced. It would be surprising to lose my interest in just 20 pages, but still the author does a great job of making it feel heightened and intense.
The biggest change in this from page to screen is that the kidnapper is a part-time clown in the story. Which of course they were afraid would read too much like an IT rip because of who the author is. Meanwhile the story itself is very John Wayne Gacy itself, so a clown was unfortunately spot on. Anyway, in the movie he’s a part-time magician to compensate. The stuff they expounded upon was entirely from the short story itself. The baseball scene, other abductions, the sister’s sense. The dialogue is mostly entirely from the story itself. They did a pretty fantastic job adapting honestly.
Honestly the author does a pretty good job of getting right into it. With only twenty-something pages how can you not really, but still. It starts with the abduction, and everything that follows is very fast paced. It would be surprising to lose my interest in just 20 pages, but still the author does a great job of making it feel heightened and intense.
The biggest change in this from page to screen is that the kidnapper is a part-time clown in the story. Which of course they were afraid would read too much like an IT rip because of who the author is. Meanwhile the story itself is very John Wayne Gacy itself, so a clown was unfortunately spot on. Anyway, in the movie he’s a part-time magician to compensate. The stuff they expounded upon was entirely from the short story itself. The baseball scene, other abductions, the sister’s sense. The dialogue is mostly entirely from the story itself. They did a pretty fantastic job adapting honestly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Violence, Murder, Stalking, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, and Kidnapping
pingotoyopongo's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I can see the inspiration of John Wayne Gacey whenever the Grabber is mentioned.
Finney kinda a bad bitch tho.
Finney kinda a bad bitch tho.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Child abuse, Kidnapping, and Murder
Minor: Sexual assault
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