The Oregonian Review: Survival in a Shifted Reality
| Tweet | |
|
|
In The Oregonian one lone woman frantically travels rural regions of Oregon after a freak accident leaves two dead, but the visions that follow her are anything but pleasant.
Written by Matt Molgaard
January 21, 2012
Release: January 17, 2012 (U.S. VOD)
Written and Directed by: Calvin Reeder
Starring:
Lindsay Pulsipher as The Oregonian
Robert Longstreet as Herb
Matt Olsen as Blond Stranger
Lynne Compton as Red Stranger
Roger M. Mayer as Omelette Man
It takes a lot to really baffle me. David Lynch at his most extreme, that baffles me; Matt Stone, Trey Parker after 10 too many beers, that’s baffling. Calvin Reeder’s The Oregonian… oh yes, this one definitely, definitely baffles me. After two viewings, I’m still weighing out the unorthodox visuals displayed in this feature, and truth be told, this review will not be an easy task. I’m just at such a loss for words.
Before I even launch into the gist of The Oregonian, or what I can decipher for that matter, allow me to speak on the film’s strengths. First and foremost, I love the purity of the picture; the Super 16 film works wonderfully at creating a grimy realism and throwback essence. The film’s score works well for a few very different reasons; underuse, and eerie impact. When the keys come in to signal harrowing moments, they mesh with the visuals surprisingly well, the audible crescendo works effectively time and again. In stark contrast lie many moments in which the viewer fully anticipates some eerie chords to shatter the silence, but Reeder will pull back, and allow silence to carry the tension. It’s a fine technique that stands as one of the film’s finest qualities.
Now, as for the story itself… well, I’m not
completely sure of how to summarize The Oregonian. To be
completely honest, it feels as though there isn’t really much of a tale
to tell, rather, a series of awkward visuals delivered with the intent
of stirring the senses. A few work, most don’t. Initially, it seems as
though the picture’s conflict stems from a car accident that leaves a
man and his child on the side of the road lifeless; it quickly becomes
apparent that this is not the project’s focal conflict, it’s just
another piece of a puzzle that seems unbelievably incomplete and
completely sporadic. The setup lacks pronunciation (with the exception
of a sudden burst of light that signals a strange shift in reality
directly following the car accident… though this avenue is never given
the breathing room required to build to something tangible); the
conflict is never clearly defined, and the subsequent insanity lacks
any form of coherent core. Given the glaring flaws of the first two
acts, it should come as no surprise when I inform you that the “climax”
isn’t very climactic. It’s dull, awkward and completely fails to
resolve what questions viewers are even able to formulate (other than
the massive WTF aimed at just about every moment of the film).
The film’s lone protagonist (I think), is The Oregonian
herself, played by young talent, Lindsay Pulsipher. Pulsipher does the
best job one could ask for considering the content she’s been assigned
to deal with. Sadly, 
that’s about the extent of praise I can issue here, as,
quite literally, there are no other defined personalities in the
picture. There’s a boyfriend… who surfaces two or three times in the
picture in incredibly brief sequences; a creepy old lady who…
materializes shall we say, every time a “frightening” sequence is keyed
up for firing; a weird looking blonde fellow with a nasty sexual habit
and a few random gentlemen who like to toss out brief one liners that
make about as much sense as the local 7-11 panhandler (no offense
intended, I understand some have been dealt some nasty hands!). All in
all, there isn’t enough power in the on screen appearances to leave any
form of positive impression, and that certainly doesn’t help the
picture.
Now, I do not have any form of filmmaking degree whatsoever, and my college education, to be honest, is minimal, or shall we say… incomplete. However, I pride myself in being able to identify symbolism and genuinely believe that I possess a sound ability to identify technical pros and cons. But The Oregonian left me completely confounded. Reeder sets up these shots that feel as though they’re about to deliver a message of some sort, be it visual, audible or just uniquely psychological; but the delivery never arrives. There are numerous occasions in which it seems Reeder is about to exercise oft used color allegories, but those alignments derail as well. There may very well be something I’m missing here, I’ll be the first to admit that, but if I’m missing the payoffs then I’m certain a slew of others will as well.
The Oregonian is just a really strange, strange viewing experience that may have worked a bit better in a 40-60 minute run slot (and marketed as more of an “acid trip” type of film): at 80 minutes, the film is too drawn out… there just isn’t enough engaging material to grasp one’s attention. Ultimately, as promising as this movie may sound, it’s a sound miss on nearly every level.
Questions or comments about The Oregonian? Discuss it on The Ossuary Forums!
Take me to Horror Movie Reviews!
Movie Trailer:
Horror Movie Freaks is the FREE eZine from Best-Horror-Movies.com that will give you the new horror releases, the new horror news and the new horror reviews that you CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT!!
Subscribing is easy, painless and free.
Do it NOW!!
