Review Detail

The original of this movie was a good movie and delivered a very human and emotionally motivated movie (a common trait of movies involving Brit Marling). The original movie I would hesitate on calling great however, mostly because the movie is so quickly laid out at the beginning that it can feel like it drags slightly in the middle where the story and the characters do not develop as fast (also a common trait of movies involving Brit Marling, I think). I feel this fan edit mostly affects this aspect of the movie and is mostly an improvement as a result.

This edit incrementally develops the plot within the movie, keeping interest and intrigue throughout it until the end. I also feel this heightens the cathartic effect at the culmination of the film - catharsis being something I personally value in a movie to great limits.

To say the edit keeps intrigue throughout the movie isn't intended to make you think it makes it needlessly complicated or conceptual however. The original movie had its meaning and subject matter quite out in the open (funnily enough, it is *literally* spelled out within the movie), and this edit doesn't remove anything that detracts from that clear understanding allowed in the first place. In fact I think it had mostly removed parts that didn't pertain to the notion of forgiveness.

The only part I'm not sure on was (and this may get slightly SPOILERy from here on) the editor's addition of the voice-over at the beginning referencing forgiveness of the self - not only from another - and removal of an ending from the original film of her meeting her other self which I think implied a facing of oneself and forgiving oneself. I feel a small minute or two after the climax to address that could have been warranted but then I understand wanting to leave it at that high point. The scene may have been deemed unnecessary now that I think of it due the final shot of the protagonist and her general happiness. I may be nitpicking needlessly here. (end of /SPOILERy-ness).

I fear I may have gotten a bit pretentious there so I'll finish only by talking of objective quality in editing both in visuals and audio. I'll say that I never felt that I was watching an amateur edit. I never noticed any uncomfortable transitions or low quality sound effects. You have nothing to fear in this area.