The concept is straightforward yet effective, it’s a very classic Hitchcockian style idea that is almost timeless and really could have been made in any era of cinema
Elijah Wood is our star who is engaging and he nails the stage fright element, complete with the panic and anxiety, then eventually building the courage to the point of taking no more crap
John Cusack is solid and threatening in his voice acting
The remainder of the cast do quite a fine job and play their parts nicely
Alex Winter as the lackey I couldn’t quite take serious as evil, but his moments of sassy attitude give him personality, and it’s there where he seems natural
There’s a little bit of comic relief there too, and it’s surprisingly well done
The cinematography is incredible with so many techniques applied, it looks stunning and flows flawlessly
Snappy, fast editing keeps a strong pace and amplifies the intensity when it needs to
The actual music itself is great and the performances on that front are commendable
There’s a lack of suspense in the reveal of the villain because Cusack is credited up front and there’s no doubt whatsoever that it’s him, plus there’s virtually no backstory to Cusack so his arc seems empty and as a result, the ending falls flat
