Directed by Denis Villeneuve
by Sandy DeVito

A preface to my review (please read this, thanks): at the beginning and the end of the screener I attended, me and my fellow critics in attendance were read a statement by director Villenueve (at the beginning) and a list (at the end) of things he requested we not discuss in our reviews about the inner workings of this film, namely, virtually every major plot point. If I recall correctly, his reasoning was he wished all moviegoers to see this organically, without knowing the details, the way he says he intended it to be seen. Between the time I saw the film and now, writing this review (about 18 hours later or so), I've thought carefully about how I want to proceed with it. Since many of my issues with this film have to do with the inner workings of the plot that Villeneuve seems so intent on safeguarding, I feel I'm at an impasse. I can't write an honest review of this film without bringing up those plot points and their problems - therefore, I will do what I can to be respectful to the filmmakers' wishes without compromising my own objectives by writing this warning. If you don't want to be spoiled - if you want to go into this film not knowing anything about the plot, the characters, or the exposition, please, do not read my review. It will spoil some things for you. It will take away some surprises and secrets that Villeneuve seems so desperate to maintain. Why would he ask this of us, a group of film critics, two days before the wide release of this film? I have no idea. It seemed anticlimactic and excessive to me, if I'm being totally honest. He's within his rights to ask this, but I'm also within mine to talk about the film as honestly as I feel I need to. So there. That's that. Read my review if you want to. Don't read it if you are avoiding spoilers. But I need to write the review that is true to my feelings.