Eli: Movie Review

"Eli" pulls the rug under you when you least expect it and it's one of those rare films that left us guessing until the last minute. As a horror film, it needed a lot more to be substantial. As a mystery film, we admittedly loved it.

Eli (Charlie Shotwell) has a rare disease that makes him vulnerable to any pathogen that gets into contact with him. Desperate for a cure, his parents contact Doctor Isabella Horn (Lili Taylor) who has promised to cure Eli with a costly procedure she has specifically designed to combat the disease. But as each procedure is taken by Eli, he seems to be feeling worse and his visions of mysterious entities ramp up. Is Eli really being cured or being killed?

"Eli" finds a way to balance out two major genres to feel fresh but still familiar territory. The film's strongest asset was easily it's narrative specifically how it made us guess from start to finish. In fact, the payoff definitely felt like it came from out of nowhere. Even with that, the film was able to integrate well with what transpired in the first hour or so. What we didn't like about "Eli" was the acting. It was stiff and robotic. Even Lili Taylor seemed like she didn't want to do the film. And Sadie Sink's character felt like she was totally unnecessary. While "Eli" had its moments of chills and thrills, the horror eventually sputters and completely non-existent in the last hour. Overall, "Eli" will leave you shocked with its unconventional twist. It's an enjoyable film stifled by uninspired acting.

Rating: 3 and a half reels





Why you should watch it:
- this will leave you guessing from start to finish

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- the acting was uninspired

"Eli" is currently available on Netflix.