Proxy

I quite enjoyed the first half of the film (a disturbing opening and a perfect scene in the middle, which I’m sure will become iconic one day), but unfortunately the twist in the second half didn't suit me very well and the film dragged on after that, losing the charm of the first half. The two-hour running time for such a film is simply unacceptable. Long, slow, not very shocking and above all more drama than horror. This isn't my cup of tea, one gore scene won't make me happy. 3* reluctantly. (26/04/2014)

This film is mainly commanded by the first half, which constantly surprises with twists, revelations, and the true faces of the main characters. During the initial violent scene, I was unpleasantly surprised and expected a rough ride. However, I didn't end up getting it at all. It doesn't have much in common with horror. Everything is mainly based on the psyche of the characters, emotions, and sad life fates. Exactly halfway through, the tables turn and I stop enjoying the film. When an unsympathetic character suddenly takes over the main role and the plot revolves only around them, Proxy becomes a rather boring, meaningless drama, which essentially has a lot of inconsistencies. In the end, I realized that I should have just let myself be carried away by the desperate atmosphere and not worry so much about certain deceits that occurred in the film. But I am a nitpicker, so Proxy simply wasn't a satisfying piece for me. I give it three stars, mainly for the first half. (25/08/2014)

Proxy is not lacking in ambition and skill, but perhaps it was a bit too big a bite for a not very experienced director – some of the insecurities and the lack of grounding can be noticed clearly. But it’s still interesting to watch and it didn’t bore me, despite its fairly long run. Thematically, it’s a bold thriller/drama/horror mindfuck that pushes the envelope of what is commonly shown in films (violence against pregnant women and children), and the hardly predictable twists help it to surprise in places where you wouldn’t expect after the first 30 minutes and a read of the synopsis. Its message about the PC environment is also quite controversial and Proxy is not likely to make women and girls jump in joy. Swanberg is cool, though in such company almost anyone would be :-D … 7/10 (22/04/2014)