Read Negative User Reviews for Project Almanac

1

MitchyJan 20, 2016

The concept was pretty neat, but the execution was pretty dumb.

Before I talk about this movie, I do need to have a little mini rant about how found footage is the movie equivalent of reality television. There was one point where it wasThe concept was pretty neat, but the execution was pretty dumb.

Before I talk about this movie, I do need to have a little mini rant about how found footage is the movie equivalent of reality television. There was one point where it was pretty cool concept and was used to make stuff that was critically acclaimed and became quick cult classics, but now it's essentially a tired and crappy concept that will never go away because "It's cheap", to the point where you get sick of it, and then you suddenly end up in a nightmare where everything becomes it. Much like how television had the horror of every show being reality TV because "Reality television isn't just for celebrities anymore", the world of cinema has the horror of every movie being found footage because "Found Footage isn't just for horror films anymore".

So after getting our found footage sci-fi movie (Chronicle), and found footage sci-fi family movie (Earth to Echo), we have our found footage time travel movie. The sad thing is that I feel that this movie could have been pretty alright if they just made it about adult scientists instead of just random teenagers, since I feel like the drama and comic relief portions really hurt the film. "Oh man, I need to ace this test, better use the time machine!" "I need to get a girl friend, better use the time machine!" "Let's use the time machine to go to a party!", it feels less like a plot to a movie and more like some lost plot of an episode of a crappy Disney Channel sitcom, but with random edge sprinkled everywhere just to target the MTV movie goer audience. Seriously, if it wasn't for the found footage elements, post production effects, guns and unknown actors, it could have probably passed as a dumb Disney Channel movie, which is kind ironic when this has similar elements from the just as crappy Minutemen movie, to the point where it seems like they just took the script of that movie and just changed a few things.

One thing that definitely ruins this movie are the characters, like any found footage movie, they're **** and like any movie with teenagers, you can only really relate with them if you're a teenager at the same exact time, too bad I'm not a teenager anymore. That is always the biggest issue with movies that cater directly towards teens, unless you have good writing and everything, it will be unappealing to anyone who isn't a teenager around this time, and after about a couple years until the new teenagers come, it will already be dated and unenjoyable.

So what's good about this movie? I guess parts of the story and concept were pretty cool, and there were some parts that make it look like it could have been a pretty nice film if you give it more effort, rewrote it and of course, didn't make it found footage, but other than that, it's wasted potential all because some one decided to make it found footage with teenagers.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

All this user's reviews

1

inaneswineNov 14, 2017

When done right, "found-footage" films can be very effective. Though it may be becoming a bit of a gimmick, films like Cloverfield, Paranormal Activity and Blair Witch are positive examples of the genre done right.

However, I went intoWhen done right, "found-footage" films can be very effective. Though it may be becoming a bit of a gimmick, films like Cloverfield, Paranormal Activity and Blair Witch are positive examples of the genre done right.

However, I went into Project Almanac knowing very little about the film or its plot. My heart did sink a little when I saw MTV's logo, not to mention Michael Bay's production company Platinum Dunes, pop up at the beginning, but I tried to give it a fair chance. And to confirm my anxiousness, Project Almanac appears to be an interesting but unoriginal concept disguised as a terrible, terrible film.

Within its fictional narrative, how kind it was of the people who found the footage to insert a dance-pop soundtrack, slow-motion effects and unsubtle promotional consideration from Red Bull and Nokia. As it turns out, instead of all the exploration and amazing experiences that time-travel could offer, this film thinks it is best used to attend festivals, become famous and garner Instagram and Facebook followers. We also feature the most hipster time-travel device in cinematic history controlled by an iPhone!

It's rare that a film is so bad it makes me angry, but I really wanted to put holes in the cinema screen on several occasions. Artless, stupid, disastrously structured and containing all the wit and intrigue of a WKD commercial, Project Almanac is the worst "found-footage" film ever made.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

All this user's reviews

1

MaeWardNov 17, 2016

Thoroughly un-enjoyable, the shaky camera style made it unbearable and confusing to watch, leave it in paranormal activity. Also plot-holes, supposedly he was attractive but my eyes beg to differ. The only mildly enjoyable part was watchingThoroughly un-enjoyable, the shaky camera style made it unbearable and confusing to watch, leave it in paranormal activity. Also plot-holes, supposedly he was attractive but my eyes beg to differ. The only mildly enjoyable part was watching the protagonists life fall apart as he finally got what he deserved, for wasting my time and hard-earned money on this so called 'movie'.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

All this user's reviews

1

SophieWNov 17, 2016

One word: Awful. There was no plot throughout instead, it was about a group of teenagers who struggled to use a simple camera and the shaky experience was more irritating than enjoyable. The nightmare continued when the protagonists also hadOne word: Awful. There was no plot throughout instead, it was about a group of teenagers who struggled to use a simple camera and the shaky experience was more irritating than enjoyable. The nightmare continued when the protagonists also had no idea what was happening, similarly to the audience. The only enjoyable aspect of the film was when the credits appeared and the torment had finally come to an end.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

All this user's reviews

3

JLuis_001Sep 6, 2017

If you are 10 to 15 years old maybe you will enjoy this, because you can feel related in some way, after all who has not wanted to travel in time?, but honestly this is just a weak work.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

All this user's reviews

3

duncan1964Mar 23, 2015

A group of college students build a time machine and use it for things so petty and pointless you worry they have no imagination whatsoever. Stealing from every time travel movie ever made and falling short of all of them this will onlyA group of college students build a time machine and use it for things so petty and pointless you worry they have no imagination whatsoever. Stealing from every time travel movie ever made and falling short of all of them this will only appeal to 18 year old drunk kids on a Saturday night. The found footage concept is so badly utilised here that you start to think the filmmakers had given up on it half way through… Expand

6 of 7 users found this helpful61

All this user's reviews

0

TugboatMay 16, 2015

Project Almanac is angsty technobabble for the first 40 minutes. The rest of the movie is a poorly written crap. The whole "amateur found footage shaky cam" thing is just annoying and beyond played out. The visual effects are boring whenProject Almanac is angsty technobabble for the first 40 minutes. The rest of the movie is a poorly written crap. The whole "amateur found footage shaky cam" thing is just annoying and beyond played out. The visual effects are boring when there are any. I am not left not caring about anyone in this movie.

The only people who could possibly enjoy this are millennials with ADHD.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

All this user's reviews

0

evearcherMar 28, 2015

No visual effects in this movie. The movie is boring. Feels like an anti sci fi film...the story is lame and predictable. The trailer is much better than the film. These kids do nothing interesting with their time travel technology onlyNo visual effects in this movie. The movie is boring. Feels like an anti sci fi film...the story is lame and predictable. The trailer is much better than the film. These kids do nothing interesting with their time travel technology only really lame, super lame things.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

All this user's reviews

0

marc5477Jan 23, 2016

Kiddie movie about time travel with teenagers who cant do anything right. Its completely uninteresting. No humor, no action, really bad plot, and a horrible premise. This is yet another dumb genius movie brought to us by a clueless writer andKiddie movie about time travel with teenagers who cant do anything right. Its completely uninteresting. No humor, no action, really bad plot, and a horrible premise. This is yet another dumb genius movie brought to us by a clueless writer and director. At some point they need to realize just how insulting such characterizations are to real smart people and that nailing this into the minds of the young and uneducated is absolutely not good for society. At the very least, make this a comedy like Back to the Future but no... this is just a monotonous mess. Teens discover a way to time travel... and like any brain dead moron, what do they do? Send themselves despite many failed experiments that proved how dangerous the attempt is to make. And what do they do with the time travel? Well of course... the most important thing in life is to go back to high school and humiliate a bully who picked on you... and go watch a decade old concert.

Stupid movie all around for people with very low to no intelligence to speak of.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

All this user's reviews

3

ozymandias79May 25, 2015

Didn't realize this was found footage. Lost all hope when MTV films appeared at the start. Pointless highlighting everything wrong with this movie. The sister who was mostly behind the camera was way under used. They should should have hadDidn't realize this was found footage. Lost all hope when MTV films appeared at the start. Pointless highlighting everything wrong with this movie. The sister who was mostly behind the camera was way under used. They should should have had someone less easy on the eye behind the camera (like one of the friends). The science speak is completely nonsensical. They string together big sciencey sounding words with the hope of making it sound credible. Super predicable too. Thank a poor script for that. Acting was also sub-par. Laughed every time they almost cut each other off between lines. Stay away from this one.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

All this user's reviews

2

NerdConsultantFeb 18, 2015

this movie is wretched. it has bland uninteresting characters, a week plot that has a million plot holes and has no reason to be a found footage movie. this story was so boring nothing happens and i couldn't have cared less about thethis movie is wretched. it has bland uninteresting characters, a week plot that has a million plot holes and has no reason to be a found footage movie. this story was so boring nothing happens and i couldn't have cared less about the characters and the ending was so bad i can't believe that there wasn't a rewrite. the only good point was the acting wasn't too bad but that's about it… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

All this user's reviews

0

Idiota150May 13, 2015

Kids on crack (i.e. "brilliant" American high-school students) jumps around like monkeys and builds a time machine basically by invention of connecting cables between a device, a battery and hydrogen. Way to intelligent for most people toKids on crack (i.e. "brilliant" American high-school students) jumps around like monkeys and builds a time machine basically by invention of connecting cables between a device, a battery and hydrogen. Way to intelligent for most people to understand, you need at least triple PhD in physics. Silly uninspired love story makes everything go to hell, not the other changes to the past. Annoying footage as hell. If you missed it between the lines, stupid garbage.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

All this user's reviews

3

GundamMarsJun 9, 2015

I gave this movie a chance since I like time traveling movies. But the second a love story pop up I knew how the rest of the movie was gonna flow. They could of done something sweet with this college kids stumble on time travel concept, butI gave this movie a chance since I like time traveling movies. But the second a love story pop up I knew how the rest of the movie was gonna flow. They could of done something sweet with this college kids stumble on time travel concept, but it devolves into the standard teenage love story, only with time travel. If you want something on in the background while you're doing something else this is your movie.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

All this user's reviews

1

ThegodfathersonJan 30, 2015

Project Almanac had an unsatisfying payoff, camera shots that are ripped straight out of Blair Witch Project and horrible acting. It's a badder version of Chronicle. The effects are good though.

2 of 7 users found this helpful25

All this user's reviews

1

culver_eaglesFeb 7, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Project Almanac was a captivating movie. The casting was good. However, there were many major flaws. The filming was terrible with the camera shaking the whole movie. It was also very predictable, with foreshadowing every major event. The major reason why I disliked this movie is because of a huuuuge flaw in logic. In the last ten minutes of the movie, the protagonist uses the time machine to go back in time. While in the past, the protagonist meets his father and DESTROYS THE TIME MACHINE. A normal person watched this and thinks the whole problem is over. However, this creates a time paradox. With the time machine destroyed before the protagonist can discover it, the protagonist never finds the time machine. With him never finding the time machine, he never goes back in time to destroy the time machine. With the time machine not being destroyed, the protagonist finds the machine, follows the story line, and destroys the time machine.… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

All this user's reviews

3

nahtan1244Mar 2, 2016

This film is not only full of plot holes but is also one of the worst of 2015. A awful love story and below average acting meets found footage format which as we have seen in many movie's the who found footage thing never works out. The plotThis film is not only full of plot holes but is also one of the worst of 2015. A awful love story and below average acting meets found footage format which as we have seen in many movie's the who found footage thing never works out. The plot is so cliche but what these kids were good at doing is acting like how normal teenagers would if they found out about a time travel device. There is a bunch of awful dialogue in the movie and a concert scene that goes on for far too long. I had low hopes going into this movie but I walked out disappointed. Such a shame… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

1

kuristuFeb 3, 2020

If you are a teenager who desires girls and a technically unrealistic type of movie. You will like it.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews