"Nicolas Winding Refn evokes grief as a Lynchian put-on." - Ed Gonzalez

It's not that this is a particularly bad movie, it's just that there isn't a whole lot of it. I really enjoyed the first hour, but the slooow buildup of tension doesn't really go anywhere and once the credits roll it's soon forgotten. A shame, because this definitely had a nice David Lynch atmosphere going and I was hoping for it to explore some interesting concepts.

Not perfect, but underrated Lynch-ian thriller by Refn.

A modernist piece about a man searching for something that may, may not be there. In the end it opts for Lynch weirdness, which sadly only helps to establish the fact, that there's only one Lynch out there. It does have a great atmosphere, and a very mesmerizing beginning.

Albeit it's not a perfect movie, its torturing and thrilling atmosphere is worth sitting through. A mystery movie in every sense.

The plot (from Hubert Selby, no less) is pure gibberish. But taut--indeed, hypnotic--direction and writing. And a wonderful movie to look at. Stupendously lurid interiors and glistening landscapes (the DP is a true genius bro). The look of it reminded me in places of The Shining. Turturro as always is fun--like Buscemi, he somehow combines goofy and dangerous. And the music by Eno is also cool.

Atmospheric. The ending, however, lets the movie down and one can't shake the feeling that Refn wanted to be David Lynch. And, obviously, he isn't. Meditation is key, Nicolas.

Underrated.

While I love the mood the film creates at the end I felt robbed. I felt that there should've been more. While I certainly appreciate open ended movies I thought that this simply didn't give enough for one to even make up their own ending. Sad to have the film leave a disappointing (not bad) taste in the mouth because up to the final 15 minutes or so it's quite, quite good.