Snow White, Rewritten in a Minor Key
Despite the film’s efforts to reframe its heroine with modern complexity, a certain emotional distance lingers.

Knowing that the relationship is about to end, two photographers with opposite styles decide to share one last photographic roll.
Despite the film’s efforts to reframe its heroine with modern complexity, a certain emotional distance lingers.
This is ambitious horror filmmaking, and in a lot of ways, I fully admire its ambitions. For me, the film’s sloppiness defines its overall quality.
With the theme of unemployment, it presents a family fantasy anecdote rather the a comment on social problems.
In addition to the cast being delightfully diverse this time around, the film was just loosely-plotted and action-packed enough to keep a casual fan like myself entertained. While I do agree that the writing of Cole left much to be desired for an original character thrust into a preconceived universe, none of the characters seemed particularly fleshed out in terms of personality; however, I think that's to be expected when you're watching a film literally inspired by a video game.
Spiral could easily spawn new sequels and will most likely churn a decent profit. Is it a good Saw film? Absolutely. Could it have been revolutionary though? Also yes.
In The Novelist's Film, Hong explores the meaningful things people share and inspire by virtue of simply engaging with one another.