Protraph
Lack of good storyline.
Dynamixor
The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.
Celia
A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.
Neil Welch
A professor takes his class on a field trip to experiment with Chumash Indian drug-taking. When they get there, two demented brothers apply their serial killing skills to the group.There is some established talent here - Christian Slater, Wes Bentley, Stephen Dorff on screen, and the writer of Point Break scripting and behind the camera. It is with him that the blame lies, because a film which is, perhaps, hoping to be a bit clever (Slater has delirious dialogues with an animated sock. It's that kind of movie) is, in fact, stuffed with clichés while being semi-incoherent. Bentley's character wanders around in quasi-autistic isolation while Slater is even more wildly over the top than usual. And they are the established talent - imagine what we get from the unknowns. For a slasher, there is very little blood and, for a teen sex movie, well, there isn't any.The story as to how this film got made is many, many times more interesting than the film itself which is, frankly, downright poor. It is, however, very nicely lit and photographed. It is interesting to note that the reviews on IMDb break down broadly into two groups - those who are students at the university featured, live in and around the area where it was filmed, and attended the premiere, who all think it was pretty good, and everyone else, who don't. I'm one of everyone else. I don't think it was pretty good.
Reladamjod
This was a fun movie, Slater and his little imaginary buddy stole the show. The acting was very good, much better than most movies out there as compared to big budget productions and far superior to the goofy movies churned out on Chiller or SciFi networks. Worth the watch, especially knowing the background & history of how the film was made by two friends who met while in college, and then 30 years later finally got together to make this movie. It's something they can be proud of, I'm hoping more people will watch this film as word of mouth should raise an low, unfair IMDb rating. It's rare that I'm pleasantly surprised by an "unknown" horror genre film (my favorite category), this one is definitely worth the watch.
Ivan Portillo
For what it was meant to be, Rites of Passage did a good job. It focused more on entertaining the viewer than making a point, which isn't a bad thing. Don't come into this movie expecting some kind of Oscar winning, Inception-plot twisting type of film. The general plot is rather simple and the ending is pretty predictable. Not to give any spoilers but you can somewhat predict how the story plays out.As previously stated, the film was made with a specific demographic in mind. It's main demographic is college students. The movie included a lot of drinking, sex and that type of stuff, so the appeal for teenagers is there. It also helps that there was some real attractive girls in the film. I'm sure the female audience liked the guys, as well. Watch this movie if you're ever bored and just want to watch an entertaining film. It won't make you think very hard and it's just a fun movie to watch.
Nelly Nelson
This may contain SPOILERS please read with CAUTION!!! (SBCC student) Rites of Passage is a movie for the Isla Vista student community. I went to see this movie because I got the chance to meet the director before the premier. The movie was describe as a thriller with some connection to the Chumash culture. I have to say that for his first movie he directed he did a good job.The movie will not win any Oscars but it will win the hearts of the Santa Barbara student. I think in order to understand better the movie you have to be part of that community. Which the director did explain that it was intended for them. I give him 10 Stars for making the film for the I.V. Community (Film Student) Now I also believe that the movie could of been clean more. What I mean by that is that I notice some rough cuts with the editing. The characters need it to be develop more. There was no real connection with the audience and the characters. The main story wasn't explain clearly. For the Chumash culture it was more of people or in this case students who didn't understand the culture in its full. Therefore it was an interpretation of what they believe it meant. I give him 6 Stars for the movie in its self. But for his first film he directed in a low budget I say Good job!!
