Coherence is the first movie I’ve ever watched where I sat through the whole thing clapping like a circus seal, minus the ‘arfing’ of course. The whole movie I was clapping my hands together every five minutes and texting people about how good it is. I’m not saying this because I’m a Nicholas Brendon super-fan. I’m not saying this because I interviewed the director, James Ward Byrkit. I’m saying this because it’s true. Coherence is, without a single doubt, the best movie release of 2014.
Coherence is written and directed by James Ward Byrkit (Pirates of the Caribbean, Rango) with Alex Manugian. Cast members include Nicholas Brendon (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Criminal Minds”, Maury Sterling (Behind Enemy Lines, The A-Team), Emily Baldoni (Killer Pad, Grizzly Park), Elizabeth Gracen (“Highlander”), Alex Manugian (Rango), Lauren Maher (Pirates of the Caribbean), Hugo Armstrong (“NCIS”), and Lorene Scafaria (“Ben & Kate”).
“On the night of an astronomical anomaly, eight friends at a dinner party experience a troubling chain of reality bending events. Part cerebral sci-fi and part relationship drama, COHERENCE is a tightly focused, intimately shot film that quickly ratchets up with tension and mystery.” – IMDB
Oh, gosh, this is going to be such a hard review to write without revealing any spoilers. But, with that said, it gives me a definite place to start with my review.
I am simply blown away by the expert level of continuity showcased in Coherence. It’s sadly one of the most overlooked areas of production, both in story and with actual items the characters can hold in their hands. If you’ve seen a movie where a wine glass is on one side of the table and it flips to the other side without being moved – that’s a continuity error. It’s a painstaking process, making sure everything fits its original spot just right, and it’s simply a miracle that Coherence got it all correct. Sure, we’ll never know how many takes it took to get all the objects situated just right, but the final product is perfect. There’s a lot of materials that are constantly getting moved – pictures, medicine jars, rings, markers, glow sticks, even ping pong paddles. Because of the captivating and intense storyline, you have to keep an eye on all these things. So, I’m extremely impressed with the crew members who worked to make sure continuity was withheld – again, both in story and physical objects – and it shows a huge dedication to the movie and an even bigger level of professionalism.
Speaking of the plot, I’ve said in all my other Coherence coverage that it bares a resemblance to the iconic “Twilight Zone” episode Monsters Are Due on Maple Street. While this is true, only the briefest of beginning moments have a correlation. Once the comet is overhead, that’s when Coherence takes its own turn and becomes a completely original, standalone movie…one you’ve never seen before. The plot begins as simply as any other horror film, or science fiction film, or thriller would begin. Yes, it bares a slight resemblance to other material, but I think maybe ten minutes into the movie any semblance of relation will drift away. I’ve never seen a film tackle the idea behind Coherence before and I don’t think it’ll ever be done as articulately in the future. It reels you in with something familiar, and then it bends your senses with something so mind blowing. What a great, thought provoking device this movie was!
Thinking about the plot reminds me to go back even further and touch upon the hard work that went into producing Coherence. One thing, the informative backing, was particularly interesting. There’s a lot of factual knowledge thrown around the movie – facts about comets, natural disasters, quantum theory, psychological disorders, and a whole list of other hot topics. Whether they’re real facts or just ones made up for the movie – I’m a sarcastic bastard from the New Jersey, I never really understand much – I can’t be sure, but they sounded good! If they are real, then it lends more credibility to the script and to the amount of effort put into the behind-the-scenes work and even more credibility to the fact that – Hell, maybe even parts of this movie can really happen. That’s one of the best parts of this movie. That the theories pursued within could be a reality in our world. Did I mention mind bending already? This movie is off the hook, all sorts of crazy!
Now, as a horror website, I need to address the horror elements in this title. I do need to clarify that these elements are either attached to science fiction or mystery. There’s no blood splatters or throat cuts here. Gallons of blood aren’t pouring out of an axe wound to the chest. There’s not even a little bit of nudity, either. I think, if you’re going to find any part of this movie creepy, you’re going to really have to put yourself in the same place as the characters. Imagine losing touch with your loved ones, objects breaking on their own, hearing unexpected noises outside, seeing figures you can’t explain, and worse – knowing these aren’t the afflictions of a haunting or possession. Knowing that these things are happening because a naturally occurring phenomenon, one you have no control over. As the plot of the movie thickened, I felt this tightening in my stomach. A nervous, almost paranoid feeling. If you allow yourself to accept this movie for what it really is, and fully embrace the concept, this movie is going to both intrigue and rattle you. It’s going to shake your senses, I guarantee that, and it’s going to freak you out in a non-threatening way you’ve never experienced before. It’s a great feeling of confusion and apprehension, really.
As I mentioned at the very beginning, I love Nicholas Brendon. I think he’s a fantastic human being and a great actor. I’ve followed his work all the way from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” to his current roles in 2014. He was the main reason why I discovered Coherence in the first place. The other cast members, I hadn’t been introduced to their bodies of work before and Coherence is the first time I’m seeing them on screen. The best way I can describe them in this movie…is like opening your presents on Christmas Day. Each gift/actor is such a pleasant surprise and you can find something inviting and something to love about each of them. I’m so in awe of the talents of Emily Baldoni, Maury Sterling, Elizabeth Gracen, Alex Manugian, Lauren Maher, Hugo Armstrong, Lorene Scafaria, and of course, Nicholas Brendon. Each of them play a unique, but well rounded character that fans are going to enjoy. Unlike most movies, there aren’t any throw away characters or people you want to see go through a hard time. They’re cooky, relatable, and a lot of fun. Acted to perfection. And the fact that the vast majority of the script is actually adlib and improvisation lends itself more to their awesome talents as performers. So good. There’s just no other way to say it but they’re just so, so good at what they do.
The only critique I have is that some of the camera work was a little shotty. Some strange angles. Some blurring and haziness. And the lighting outside left a lot to be desired. However, this could be a reflection of the characters’ struggles and the distortion of reality. Or it could be from a shoe string budget on a quick schedule. I don’t know. It certainly didn’t affect my viewing at all, but I did need to note the camera work was sometimes not at 100%.
There’s not much I can say without going into spoiler territory, and I really don’t want to ruin it for you. James Ward Byrkit has crafted an absolute masterpiece and a real triumph for independent filmmaking. He is, I’m not ashamed to say this, a genius and one of the best emerging directors of the year. Along with the outline he wrote with Manugian, an All-star cast, and the right ‘umph’ in all the right places… Coherence is a magical experience. One that will shock you, mystify you, and put your brain through gymnastics. It’s the best movie I have seen yet in 2014 and is easily going into my top 10 films of all time. This needs to be out on DVD now. People need to see this. I need to own this. It just needs to happen. I’ve never given a film a perfect score before so this will be a first. Coherence is getting an 11 out of 10 rating. I’m so passionate about this movie. I still can’t get over how good it was. Oh, my god…
