Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Suspense thriller guaranteed to make you speechless!, 16 Oct 2003
It's a shame that "Mute Witness" never got the attention it deserved. When I first saw it, it scared the bejeezus out of me, and I am usually the first to be blase about horror/thrillers. The story is set in a an old Russian factory that's being used to make (funnily enough) a horror movie. The heroine Billy Hughes is the mute special effects artist who is also working on the film. However, she finds herself locked in the factory by accident, and in trying to get out, sees a snuff movie being made. What follows is some of the most gripping, suspenseful filmmaking since Alfred Hitchcock. From the dramatic, disorientating, and humorous scene that isntroduces the film, right through to the many rapid-fire plot twists at the end. Of course, having the heroine play as a mute does provide several opportunities for the plotline's development, which are all used, perhaps to the point of nausea, and some of the acting can be a bit hammy, (the Director was definitely played for comic relief) but overall is effective when it counts! The humour is, fortunately, mostly subtle, and doesn't turn the film into a farce. Mute Witness is the perfect film to watch on Halloween. It combines subtle humour with pure suspense, has a very twisted plot, without being over-elaborate, has a good bit of blood and gore for those who would prefer ('Jason vs. Freddy' over 'Psycho'), and has a hell of a pace to it, just try not to scream too loud....
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
being scared has never been so much fun, 11 Nov 2000
When I saw the video Mute Witness, I couldn't believe that I missed this movie when it came out in the theatre. Apparently Seven overshadowed it, but Mute Witness is scarier and much, much more fun. It is one of the best-made thrillers I have ever seen and one of the rare movies with an international cast where the acting is really excellent. You could say that one of the main 'characters' is in fact the décor, the old Moscow film studios. As the movie starts with the filming of a bad horror movie, where the director shows us in detail how a murder scene is done (with phoney blood, knives etc.), you would expect that this would undermine the horror-effects of the so called 'real murders'. But on the contrary, it makes them all the scarier. The scene where Billy Hughes (Sudina) stumbles on the making of a snuff movie is one of the most horrible I have ever seen, although nothing is shown directly. The movie is very convincing thanks to the excellent and convincing acting, especially from the (Russian) actors performing minor roles (for instance the porn actress who gets slaughtered, or the Russian actress performing the 'victim' in the beginning of the movie, both marvellous performances). The surprising cameo role of Alec Guinness gives the movie an extra charm. Furthermore, 'Mute Witness' is a film with a very clever plot and subplot. For instance: you never know if the Russian undercover police officer is a 'good guy' or a 'bad guy', until the very last minute. It is a scary movie with a lot of humour (sometimes a bit overdone in my opinion); otherwise the suspense would be unbearable. Perfect entertainment the whole way through. A must see for every thriller fan.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Out of 10, this movie deserves 11, 29 Sep 2004
I first saw 'Mute Witness' at the Dublin International film festival several years ago. It was a ticket bought at the last minute and really to fill in time between two other movies I wanted to see. It was the best decision I ever made! Anthony Waller (the director) is a genius. This movie is Hitchcockian in suspence with rolling in the aisles comedy at the most inopportune moments. There is one scene that probably everyone will find distasteful but after that it is suspence and thrills all the way. Note the chase in the hallway where the claustrophobic atmosphere is maintained by outstanding camerawork which makes it look like the room is spinning.
This is my all time favourite movie, straight in at no. 1.
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