Watcher

One of this century’s most arresting tales of female anxiety.

Unimprovably brisk at 91 minutes, Watcher is not messing around – and probably won’t hang around long in cinemas with starry awards fare in the offing. But a few more of these nifty diversions, and the multiplexes might once again be a viable night out.

Writer-director Chloe Okuno has a remarkably sure hand for mood-building in her feature debut, using the winding alleys and tree-lined boulevards of Bucharest to woozy, enveloping affect. But she gives her star so few specific contours that Julia mostly comes off as a beautiful cipher and an increasingly maddening protagonist to root for, seemingly both paranoid and obtuse.

Okuno is certainly not showing us anything we haven't seen before, indeed these stories are all too familiar, unfortunately. But the skill is not making the horror indulgent. Julia's dread is something we feel distinctly. Monroe, someone familiar with the horror genre, is perfect as our hero who is equal parts determined and terrified.

Eventually the film's subtlety gives way to a more straightforward conclusion. But Okuno and Monroe still make Watcher worth watching.

Without spoiling, this is one movie where it’d be extremely interesting to know what happens five minutes after the final scene. But while the subsequent events may be up for vigorous debate, the film’s message is crystal clear: Screw you if you ever doubted a woman afraid for her safety.

Monroe does a lot to sustain what tension there is during the more perfunctory moments, delivering a seemingly effortless performance as a dejected young woman who approaches both her confusing new circumstances and the mystery that occupies her thoughts with calm and pragmatic patience, as well as curiosity.

I felt that Watcher was a fantastic movie. As a man, I felt that it was easy to relate to the female protagonist’s sense of doom and unease. This is a good example of “show — don’t tell”. The director did not beat the viewer over the head with quasi-feminist/anti-patriarchal rhetoric and didn’t rely on any kind of hamfisted symbolism to get a point across. The film was truly subtle and I felt very connected with the characters, even if I can’t relate necessarily to their anxieties. People who may be looking for cheap thrills and action could call this approach “boring” — but I disagree. I was on edge the entire time.

If not for the slow start, setting the stage for a successful plot; eventually enveloping the watcher into either mania or psychosis keeping watcher on the edge of their seat with an ever increasing build. Concluding with an expected unexpected twist, witha brilliantly sick final 15 minutes. Whens’t the railway ensues, buckle your seatbelt. Although forever setting the foreshadowing unfolding of events, when the subway takes off; you aren’t sure if she’s going manic or not. The movie could’ve went either way. A real life scenario plagues thereafter; as close to a real life scenario as one could expect from a serial film production - showing just how quickly a mentally ill situation can escalate when prey. Could debatably be a 7. If not, high 6’s.

It went to slow it needed more action happening I'm a fan of Malika Monroe so I'll give it a 6

2022 thriller movie. The couple, who are American, move to Romania as a result of the appointment of the man. They are holding a house. For some reason they don't have curtains. At the first stage, they don't care much. Then a woman is killed in the neighborhood. In the news (which is the news of Kanal D), it is said that the woman was followed before. The female of our curtainless couple sees someone watching from a flat opposite. Then she realizes that the same man is watching her outside. Everyone, including her husband, diagnoses the woman with paranoia. There is a love scene at the beginning of the movie. No sex or nudity afterwards. Average thriller.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]