Well this was a disappointment. I was expecting a good movie, the story seemed interesting, and to be honest it had a lot of potential, but the execution was really poor. I don't know what writer/director Christopher Soren Kelly was thinking whilst making this movie but it was for sure not going to be pleasant to watch for a lot of people. The dialogues are highly irritating, most of the time it's just gibberish, a language nobody "normal" speaks. I think he wanted to come over as fancy and innovative and it boomeranged right in his face. Because the plot was promising, I'm sure you could make a good sci-fi movie with that story, but it's just not The Tangle. The cast was also not very convincing in their roles. Again I'm sure they could do much better, but now it looked like they rehearsed their lines without understanding anything they're talking about. The moments of poetry were also very annoying to watch. The cinematography wasn't that great either. I'm searching to write anything good about this movie but beside a promising story I can't see anything. Don't waste your time with this one.
59 Reviews
Same old same old
ikcaj9 April 2021
Warning: Spoilers
If you've ever seen a film in which the main character is also the writer, director, producer, etc., you've probably seen this one. If you've ever seen a film by such a person that has a handful of characters with an extremely inflated sense of self-importance in one location, doing nothing but talking the entire time, then you have definitely seen this one.
I wanted to like this. The backstory (spoilers ahead) could've made an awesome movie: a group of friends/co-workers create an artificial intelligence that releases nanobots on the public, infecting everyone with the ability to be constantly connected to everyone else. The bots also control the physical body when needed in order to prevent harm, such as avoiding accidents and including being unable to commit violence against other people. We're told this group are the only remaining people not infected or connected to the AI.
I would love to have seen that story. Instead we get a convoluted, confusing mess of flashbacks and unreliable narrators focusing primarily on a love triangle related murder.
We're never told enough about this people to particularly care about them. We're told they are the ones that authorized the infection but not who they are to have had that power in the first place. Why did these people think it was okay to allow AI to take over the world? We're never told. Why are they trying to stop her now is equally a mystery. Instead of explanations we get a guy randomly spouting poetry and a woman with major anger issues.
It's obvious the film maker had something to say, unfortunately whatever it may have been is indecipherable.
I wanted to like this. The backstory (spoilers ahead) could've made an awesome movie: a group of friends/co-workers create an artificial intelligence that releases nanobots on the public, infecting everyone with the ability to be constantly connected to everyone else. The bots also control the physical body when needed in order to prevent harm, such as avoiding accidents and including being unable to commit violence against other people. We're told this group are the only remaining people not infected or connected to the AI.
I would love to have seen that story. Instead we get a convoluted, confusing mess of flashbacks and unreliable narrators focusing primarily on a love triangle related murder.
We're never told enough about this people to particularly care about them. We're told they are the ones that authorized the infection but not who they are to have had that power in the first place. Why did these people think it was okay to allow AI to take over the world? We're never told. Why are they trying to stop her now is equally a mystery. Instead of explanations we get a guy randomly spouting poetry and a woman with major anger issues.
It's obvious the film maker had something to say, unfortunately whatever it may have been is indecipherable.
A fascinating innovative movie with a disappointing ending
Snootz16 March 2022
This film goes in my box of "What a shame" flicks-- movies that had great potential but the writer / director just blew it by one single but major flaw. In the case of this one, it was the very disappointing "hang in the air" ending. No spoilers, but it spoiled the movie for me.
To be clear: unlike a lot of reviewers, I didn't mind the "scripted, stilted" language. This is a movie set in the future. If there is anything history has shown us, language changes drastically over time. To expect them to speak the same manner in which we speak would be unrealistic. The problem however was the delivery: lines and phases spoken too quickly and without emotion, as if being read off a teleprompter. That's poor directing and acting both.
The story presents a very unique concept. How does one commit a murder in a world where absolutely every detail is recorded, every nanosecond of the day?
Contrary to some vapid claims here, this movie is nothing like The Matrix.. Viewers need to get used to the fact that there are going to be more and more movies about virtual reality... because that field of science is becoming less fictional. Not every movie about virtual worlds is a "rip off" of The Matrix. How many movies have been made about two people falling in love? Yet we still watch romance movies. The entire atmosphere of this movie is different: noir, most of it set in a single room, most of it relying on observation rather than special effects. It's different enough to be interesting... if one can keep up with the Tommy-gun dialog.
What this is... is a pretty decent murder mystery. Plot, mystery, clues, reasonable acting (especially by the primary suspect). What it doesn't have is a well-thought-out ending... and for that inexcusable blunder I give it 4 stars. There's little more that I hate in a movie that for it to string people along for the entire film, then drop the plot on their laps, leaving them to design their own conclusion. Makes one want to taser the director in the tenders, it does.
If someone wishes to watch this, I'd recommend doing so simply for the unusual style of the film. You'll possibly enjoy 99.5% of the film... right down to the last blundering minute. Then maybe not so much. That's the smack, Jack.
To be clear: unlike a lot of reviewers, I didn't mind the "scripted, stilted" language. This is a movie set in the future. If there is anything history has shown us, language changes drastically over time. To expect them to speak the same manner in which we speak would be unrealistic. The problem however was the delivery: lines and phases spoken too quickly and without emotion, as if being read off a teleprompter. That's poor directing and acting both.
The story presents a very unique concept. How does one commit a murder in a world where absolutely every detail is recorded, every nanosecond of the day?
Contrary to some vapid claims here, this movie is nothing like The Matrix.. Viewers need to get used to the fact that there are going to be more and more movies about virtual reality... because that field of science is becoming less fictional. Not every movie about virtual worlds is a "rip off" of The Matrix. How many movies have been made about two people falling in love? Yet we still watch romance movies. The entire atmosphere of this movie is different: noir, most of it set in a single room, most of it relying on observation rather than special effects. It's different enough to be interesting... if one can keep up with the Tommy-gun dialog.
What this is... is a pretty decent murder mystery. Plot, mystery, clues, reasonable acting (especially by the primary suspect). What it doesn't have is a well-thought-out ending... and for that inexcusable blunder I give it 4 stars. There's little more that I hate in a movie that for it to string people along for the entire film, then drop the plot on their laps, leaving them to design their own conclusion. Makes one want to taser the director in the tenders, it does.
If someone wishes to watch this, I'd recommend doing so simply for the unusual style of the film. You'll possibly enjoy 99.5% of the film... right down to the last blundering minute. Then maybe not so much. That's the smack, Jack.
Tangled up in Pomposity
jason-1650323 September 2021
Pretentious romantic murder mystery attempting to fuse classic private dick style Sam Spade interrogation with nanobot technology, pseudo intellectual poetry readings, and a freaky looking woman's head in a snow globe that allows the elite 'untangled' to measure eye movements remotely and see every movement of their suspect except during the murder because there are safe spaces which the technology can't penetrate. It's as if they changed the technology each time it contradicted the premise of the story. Acting was fine but story just average and ruined by their attempt to make it appear the movie is an intellectual art film for only the most discerning of idiot savants.
C-. Sorry
Homer_Ate223 March 2021
Big fan of Christopher Soren Kelly and was really anticipating this movie. This is a dialogue heavy movie but you start out with very little understanding going in. Sure there's explanations in the characters interactions but as good as the writing is, it doesn't feel natural. For example a suspcet is explaning how the Tangle works, to the people who created it. And the conversations are so quick you don't get a chance to absorb exactly what's going on.
Utter rubbish, don't waste your time.
Boristhemoggy7 April 2021
A man is shackled to a table and has a very quickfire interrogation by a man and a woman about an event in a park.
Then he's accused of a murder but a telephone call from someone that we don't know and don't hear brings a halt to the interrogation.
25 minutes later the man is now on a telephone repeating non-understandable prose like a modern day Denis Leary.
2 minutes after that I lose patience and turn this crap off.
Then he's accused of a murder but a telephone call from someone that we don't know and don't hear brings a halt to the interrogation.
25 minutes later the man is now on a telephone repeating non-understandable prose like a modern day Denis Leary.
2 minutes after that I lose patience and turn this crap off.
Great idea ruined by a script that just tries too hard
kirsticlaymore31 July 2021
The premise looked interesting, but within the first 5 minutes I was annoyed by the dialogue and the pretentiousness of the acting. Within about 15 minutes I had solved the murder mystery. Then I got bored with the poetry that served no purpose in the plot and I fell asleep and woke up towards end, just in time for some more poetry and the revelation the the murder was indeed just as I had predicted 15 minutes in.
The three stars are for the idea and the acting of the guy who plays Carter. The rest of it is a big nope.
That said, my husband liked it, so like always, it comes down to taste.
The three stars are for the idea and the acting of the guy who plays Carter. The rest of it is a big nope.
That said, my husband liked it, so like always, it comes down to taste.
Deeply dissapointing
eltoca216 April 2021
Reading the IMDB description got me excited to watch this movie. But that was to be the the most exciting thing about it. The viewer is invited to imagine the purported future through long boring self indulgent soliloquys, and that is about the extent of it. There are very few scenes which take place outside one room. Do not expect any high octane action thrills and stunts or green screen special effects. The movie is stilted and turgid and brings a whole new meaning to tedium. If you fall asleep rest assured your time will have been better spent.
I enjoyed the screenplay!
panta-427 March 2021
Low budget lyrical futuristic mystery was directed by Christopher Soren Kelly as well as it could be with all the limitations imposed during the production, and the main reason for that success is the bravery of the director and the Agatha Christie type screenplay (written and acted by the same guy who directed it) which was moving with a perfect pace unwinding the story.
I noticed the low scores for it, but I guess this is from people who are watching movies to relax... this is definitely not a film for that type of audience! If you are kind of a philosopher, you love theatre and want to discuss films after watching it, I will recommend it wholeheartedly.
I noticed the low scores for it, but I guess this is from people who are watching movies to relax... this is definitely not a film for that type of audience! If you are kind of a philosopher, you love theatre and want to discuss films after watching it, I will recommend it wholeheartedly.
What?!
justahunch-7054910 July 2022
I've seen Christopher Soren Kelly before and I know he can act, but based upon this he cannot write or direct anywhere near as well. His acting is not great here either, but he's the only actor who seems like a professional. The others try, but they all seem like amateurs. I thought I had some idea what this was about, but it ends up being just gibberish with long soliloquies of incomprehensible dialogue with a lot of very big words. If they have some meaning, count me out. I only give this 2 stars due to it being an interesting idea to begin with before it gets lost.
a post singularity love story
TomV19611228 March 2021
This movie does with dialog what other sci-fi movies try (and mostly fail) to do with CGI. Of all the post singularity movies this is the most successful in fleshing out a believable world and then telling a story within that universe.
Don't watch when you are tired as this will grab your full attention.
Don't watch when you are tired as this will grab your full attention.
Hilariously Weird Shortbus Fire Of A Movie
qualitycartoons15 November 2021
No point trying to follow what's going on in this glorious mess, Just enjoy the painful wannabe Tarantino chit-chat and have some snacks. There are definitely some highlights but in general relatively low expectations will be well met, perhaps even exceeded.
Low budget bore-fest
andypike-228593 April 2021
I'll start by saying I love thought-provoking intelligent sci-fi. However this is not that. It is only dressed up as that. It's pretentious, cheap and boring. I honestly can't think of anything positive to say about this film other than the noir detective element is nice. Everything else was a waste of my time.
Couldn't go on after even 10 minutes....
lolly678 August 2021
Maybe the people who like this show, no insult intended, are just smarter than me. For me, though, it was so incomprehensible during the first scene and dialogue, I wanted to smack the guy in the suit and tell him to shut up. I know...but it, for me, was the only show I have ever tried to watch that I could just turned me off so quickly. Don't misunderstand me, I love all kinds of movies, especially science fiction, so I was pretty excited to watch this. I would not recommend this.
It could have been better
karimnn27 July 2021
The concept is great, acting is good, but the dialog is way over the top, a dialog which keep circling round and round around the same subject, and after a few circles, it becomes truly annoying. I stopped watching after 10 minutes. Maybe better editing would have rendered this movie more attractive.
Dumb movie
jaapeelman23 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Ok, let's keep it short: at the time of writing this review there are five other reviews : a 3, a 9 and three times a 10.
The only honest review is the 3 as this is a dumb movie with an unclear storyline.
It is about the tangle, a system of nanobots, invented by a single person, controlling the whole world. Yeah, right.... Then there is a murder and a very dangerous man who in the end is more or less the good guy. WTF?
I understand that due to Covid there is no release of a blockbuster like James Bond but having to watch an absolute dumb movie like this, even for a sci-fi fan like me, is almost worse than getting Covid.... Do not waste your time and money on this ridiculous movie....
The only honest review is the 3 as this is a dumb movie with an unclear storyline.
It is about the tangle, a system of nanobots, invented by a single person, controlling the whole world. Yeah, right.... Then there is a murder and a very dangerous man who in the end is more or less the good guy. WTF?
I understand that due to Covid there is no release of a blockbuster like James Bond but having to watch an absolute dumb movie like this, even for a sci-fi fan like me, is almost worse than getting Covid.... Do not waste your time and money on this ridiculous movie....
So Noir!
bemyfriend-4018410 May 2021
Different take on the A.I theme
Quigonjay24 March 2021
Wasnt sure what to expect going in to this, from the reviews it seems it is one of those films that you either love or hate, as it is, I quite enjoyed it. Very small cast with most of the film taking place in one room but think it was a well told story with some good performances.
It had potential
castlecw17 October 2021
I enjoyed watching Christopher Soren Kelly, in Infinity Chamber. And I do enjoy watching a good movie that makes me think. This movie did give that to me, to a point. And it had the potential to be a great movie. But it dropped the ball. And seem to make a couple of attempted to recover, but then it would shoot itself in the foot again.
First and foremost. There was too much explaining of what the tangle was and does. When it could have been covered by either a star wars style crawl text. Or a brief video lead up, of the creation and release of the tangle. Showing all the creators rejoicing over it. With a lead up like that, it could have helped show some of the emotional turmoil that Edward was going through. Instead we see Edward wiping something out of his eyes.
When it came to the acting, you either got the film version on a monotone. Or you get the equivalent of a drama queen. So over the top and unnecessary. With Christopher Soren Kelly and Jessica Graham, staring in a number of projects together. You would have expect a much better onscreen chemistry. But it felt similar to a 6th grade play. Where no one wanted to touch a person of the opposite sex.
It is not a completely horrible movie. But it is definitely a film that I will only watch once.
First and foremost. There was too much explaining of what the tangle was and does. When it could have been covered by either a star wars style crawl text. Or a brief video lead up, of the creation and release of the tangle. Showing all the creators rejoicing over it. With a lead up like that, it could have helped show some of the emotional turmoil that Edward was going through. Instead we see Edward wiping something out of his eyes.
When it came to the acting, you either got the film version on a monotone. Or you get the equivalent of a drama queen. So over the top and unnecessary. With Christopher Soren Kelly and Jessica Graham, staring in a number of projects together. You would have expect a much better onscreen chemistry. But it felt similar to a 6th grade play. Where no one wanted to touch a person of the opposite sex.
It is not a completely horrible movie. But it is definitely a film that I will only watch once.
Don't read the words, get the idea
agakure-169-21242526 March 2021
As my friend the Captain Obvious likes to say : The Tangle is not for everyone. So maybe it's not for you either. But guess what ? I don't care, because I'm a selfish person (I'm french, by the way, this explains a lot) and I trully loved this movie from the beginning to the end. I wish from the bottom of my heart that you'll be able to enjoy it as much as I do. But if you don't, don't blame the movie, because it's up to you and you alone to love it or hate it. Or, simply, admit it's good, but not for you.
If you can stand the idea of a frontal collision between film noir and poetry, Sci-Fi and retro vibe, nanobots and anachronism, sweet talk, loud talk, coffee black and a cloud of milk ; if you are able to embrace novelty without question, or rejection, or reluctance, you may love the Tangle, because the movie is so much more than the sum of its parts. It's something like Philip K. Dick trying to write an experimental play (he would have loved it, sure thing).
Actors are brilliants, dialogues are so great they get surreal at times, story is full of twists and turns, but that's not really the point because humanity prevails in all its splendor and shame.
Sure, they speak really, really quick. But hey ! If a froggy like me managed to understand the movie without subtitles, you sure have nothing to complain about.
Yes, there are no gunfights. No car chase. No martials arts. No flying super heroes. No weird camera moves.
But there's much more than that.
There's this tiny miraculous thing my people call "Grand Cinéma".
If you can stand the idea of a frontal collision between film noir and poetry, Sci-Fi and retro vibe, nanobots and anachronism, sweet talk, loud talk, coffee black and a cloud of milk ; if you are able to embrace novelty without question, or rejection, or reluctance, you may love the Tangle, because the movie is so much more than the sum of its parts. It's something like Philip K. Dick trying to write an experimental play (he would have loved it, sure thing).
Actors are brilliants, dialogues are so great they get surreal at times, story is full of twists and turns, but that's not really the point because humanity prevails in all its splendor and shame.
Sure, they speak really, really quick. But hey ! If a froggy like me managed to understand the movie without subtitles, you sure have nothing to complain about.
Yes, there are no gunfights. No car chase. No martials arts. No flying super heroes. No weird camera moves.
But there's much more than that.
There's this tiny miraculous thing my people call "Grand Cinéma".
Great ideas
BandSAboutMovies31 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Written, directed by and starring Christopher Soren Kelly, The Tangle is the story of what happens beyond the internet. The film is all about a secret government agency that watches over the Tangle, which is packed with nanobots and microdrones that make up the air, the water and the blood of human beings. Now, there is no way to keep a secret, as every thought is made up by the S. O. L. (Secure OnTangle Line), made up of quantum encrypted hard drives implanted in the brains of its users, which is everyone.
A secret government agency called the A. S. P. (Army of Simply Purity) watches over the Tangle from within technology safe rooms, safe from being, well, entangled inside the internet reality that has taken over the world. When a field agent is murdered in one of those rooms - the first murder in three years - the Tangle may be compromised.
The main suspect is Carter Carmine, a private detective who was one of the people who helped to create the Tangle. He's had the hard drive removed from his brain, but he already somehow figured out how to keep hidden from the Tangle. So what is he hiding?
It turns out that the tools that can fix the Tangle and solve the murder are ones that existed before technology took over. Can reality be saved?
This is Kelly's first full-length film and it's already a winner. I'm looking forward to what comes next, because this film is filled with unexpected moments and ideas.
A secret government agency called the A. S. P. (Army of Simply Purity) watches over the Tangle from within technology safe rooms, safe from being, well, entangled inside the internet reality that has taken over the world. When a field agent is murdered in one of those rooms - the first murder in three years - the Tangle may be compromised.
The main suspect is Carter Carmine, a private detective who was one of the people who helped to create the Tangle. He's had the hard drive removed from his brain, but he already somehow figured out how to keep hidden from the Tangle. So what is he hiding?
It turns out that the tools that can fix the Tangle and solve the murder are ones that existed before technology took over. Can reality be saved?
This is Kelly's first full-length film and it's already a winner. I'm looking forward to what comes next, because this film is filled with unexpected moments and ideas.
Try hard writing
abadbatman11 May 2021
Utter garbage
jamie-4215 September 2021
This movie is painful to watch. Sure, it's in the future so I can understand if they want to add some strange future language that we don't understand because we aren't from that timeframe. But come on! The entire movie is just people babbling nonsense to each other. It's unwatchable.
Trying to hard to be original!
backyardspaandleisure21 September 2021
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