User reviews

Blaze could have been so great. The concept sounds fantastic and Savage is doing a great job as the main. Most of the coming of age parts are actually really well done and the movie portrays the process of trauma management in a way that feels relatable.

However, the main hook of the movie is poorly executed. There is a huge disconnect between the style of the over the top candy colored visions of Blaze and the emotional minefield that its main characters navigate through.

Furthermore, these scenes are a one trick pony. Every single one of them blasts you with melodramatic pop songs with lyrics that are right in your face, there is no subtlety. There is no space to ponder about the meaning of what you're seeing because it screams it right at you. And quite frankly, it's annoying.

The moment I realized that each of these scenes will be like this was the most heart breaking moment of the movie. I don't say that to mock the people involved, I actually mean it. Because there is a ton of potential here, if these scenes were handled better this movie could have been one of this years best. But sadly it just screams: "look how childish, colorful, fantastic yet sad I am! Look at me! Look at me!" And boy, did that get on my nerves at some point.

Also, I don't think the make up and costumes are all that great in these scenes. The movie looks a bit cheesy and the dragon itself doesn't work as a character due to its design. It isn't emotional expressive which makes the movie fall apart in some scenes where it feels like Blaze had to actually say what the dragon is feeling.

These scenes rarely add something significant to the story. Some are outright pathetic (especially the ones near the end of the movie). And they felt out of place. Like they were tacked on as an afterthought.

In the end, this might have been the best time I had with such a flawed movie in a long time but it was so cringe inducing at times I couldn't fully enjoy the main story.

If you are more open minded about flashiness or if you don't feel the cringe with melodramatic contemporary songs featuring a howling singer than you might enjoy this movie way more than I did. But I don't think this was good enough to get a recommendation from me.

(Saw this at the Slash Filmfestival, Vienna)

Blaze is not a movie for everyone. And I'm still not sure if it was for me. The movie is about trauma and how people cope with it. But unlike what you would come to expect from a movie about such heavy topics, it puts a uniquely interesting spin on it with its gorgeous visual language and its dream-like vignettes.

The movie starts strong. The first act of the movie; where we are introduced to the conflict is excellently done. Actors Julia Savage and Simon Baker put up brilliant performances to communicate the movie's emotions the way the filmmaker would have wanted for it to be. There's so much subtelty to it that it had me excited for what's to come.

Unfortunately its novelty fades and the movie seemed to have exhausted itself the more it went on, in my opinion. It just never capitalized on it's excellent start and becomes a little too indulgent and a little too aimless. And by then end, you're left with the feeling that Blaze had the potential to be so much more.

All that aside, I still appreciate this movie for what it tries to do. It's definitely a unique and colorful cinematic experience and one that could inspire new avenues of storytelling.

After watching this movie, I felt like I came out of a private exhibition by an artist at an art museum This movie is almost done with the eyes of the main character. The movie unravels the inner side of this one girl in a way that cannot be written, but can only be done in a movie.

It was so beautiful that the movie followed the girl's emotions and unraveled them into beautiful works of art And the soundtrack of this movie was really good and Julia Savage's main character was really good

The story of this movie is simple, and it can be summarized in one sentence as a story about a girl who experiences and overcomes trauma, but the direction of the movie is easy. The main character's inner self is expressed in a surreal way, but you can't feel the emotion unless you watch the movie.

It's like French people on drugs made a movie. Good quality. Good acting. Poor script.

It's one of those films that you keep hoping will get better, but it never does.

It's one of those films where you want to cheer for the main character, but she's so screwed up in the head that there's never much to cheer for.

How would I describe this movie?

Dull, boring, with an ending that was equally dull and boring.

Mental illness is sad. Pretty sure most people understand that point. I don't think most people need, or want it smashed into their face the way this movie does it.

Rape, and murder are both disturbing, and bad - most people understand that too ; however this film could have been done better.

This film was potentially an interesting premise; unfortunately, there are too many flaws in the production to produce a Blaze. The film is more of a toaster-oven. The gradual psychological recovery of a young girl who witnesses a violent act probably takes place thousands of times a year in the US, so there is really nothing unique here. An examination of the adults and their characters might have been helpful, but those are missing from the film. The performance of the young girl playing Blaze is fine, and I am sure she has a future in film. The same cannot be said for the writers of the film, however.

To me this movie covers exactly how I used to cope with complex trauma for 20 years. It is insanely accurate, in terms of the psychedelic visions that a mind can create to self-soothe and in terms of healing both individually and as a family. Also, the touch on the need to tell the truth in a young, idealistic person is beautiful. Simon Baker broke my heart with his vulnerability and Julia Savage gave a pat on the shoulder to my inner tiger that sometimes forgets to breathe but could rule the world. I wish I had the chance to heal together my father, but we never found the words nor the emotional bridge to each other. This movie has helped go through it in the realm of fiction.

Honestly it's a bore and pain to watch this movie. It literally is juz time wasting. Who even directed this movie. It looked like a 2022 sub part teletubby movie with a pinch amusement park colors. I watched this movie because it was above 5.0 in rating. Pls next time add P 1 year old to it. This looks like a movie for a 1 year old baby that doesn't understand anything and is thrilled by visuals and colors. It's truly time wasting to watch a movie like this in 2022. I will recommend it to those finding it difficult to sleep since it will do the job of making you sleep very well as well as get you confused and angry at the same time.

The premise is one of how you interpret the visualization. To state too much of what it is about starts off the film and would be spoilers, so let's leave it at a young teen girl that stumbles upon a very traumatic situation that she isn't fully capable of understanding and how she compartmentalizes this event. The director uses surreal art quality scenes to show there was earlier trauma within the family dynamic that brought along her ability to deal with things by letting her mind go to an "otherwordly" head space. These scenes of where she takes her mind might not be for every viewer ability to grasp but that's what makes this unique. Reminiscent of another film from a couple of years ago, "I Kill Giants" which I also enjoyed because it showed another angle, grief from losing a mother ro cancer and how it was also dealt with internally, through the eyes and mind of a young girl.

That's also where the similarities end, as this not only deals with much heavier adult themes, it touches on how vulnerable a developing mind is, and how trauma can damage it, yes, even when A child loses a patent by divorce. Instead of the usual tropes to unpack these weighty psychological issues, this film goes for not so subtle visuals to show the trauma within and literally how she "slays" that metaphorical dragon that holds her back during the most challenging part of her ordeal.

Great acting. Solid script. Amazing visual content. Very memorable film, though yes, there is rough scene, that's some have alluded to and if you feel uncomfortable during this opening scene, than it did the film and writer justice ad it was handled in its rarest and brutal form without exploitation, but showing you why this sequence was as damaging as it should be for a child to witness.

This movie owes me several beers as I spit up several times while watching. Unintentionally hilarious. I have nothing good to say about it.

My friends and I turned this on based on the poster and not knowing anything about it. While it has several boring segments we were laughing at how bad it was several times.

I would not recommend it at all for any reason but on a bored night when you are stoned or drunk and accidentally click on it you may enjoy it.

So bad it's nearly good in some segments. Overall it was a mess though. The poster is the best part of this movie.

I only have 24 letters left.

It seems Australian moviemakers mistakenly believe they have to be controversially grim to be taken seriously. Back in the 70s and 80s, the world was singing the praises of Australia as being amongst the only countries producing quality entertainment for all-aged audiences. We were riding the crest of the wave in this field. Now we often tend to struggle to make ends meet with wall to wall social horror stories.

Blaze, while having moments of empathy, continually roller coasters its audience with either the super 'arty' or the super grim. When modern artists turn to making movies its inevitable it will be drowning in numerous forms of 'art'. The filmmaker, Del Kathryn Barton claims this story of a traumatised pre-teen following witnessing a rape/murder is not her personal biography but examines a similar thread of instances in her own life. She doesn't want to tell us just what happened to her and maybe we don't need to know.

Some of the 'dream like'sequences using stop-motion puppets are intriguing while others sequences more resemble a school kids installation in a gallery. Many of these are overlong, over-done, and heavy handed, most involve a creation that's half Luck Dragon and a glitter studded Mardi-grass float decoration.

Performances are fine-tuned, and the cinematography is stylish, but for a 99min movie this felt like over 2 Hrs. Those with a love of intense re-enacted studies of kids in trauma situations may appreciate this one, others may be reaching for the double speed remote. A little less art and more heart might have helped.

When I had first watched this movie, I was immediately moved by it. The visuals are arresting and the performances, especially by the lead (a child actress nonetheless) are top tier. It easily sky rocketed to my top favorite films of all time, without question.

About 4 months after discovering this film, an incident occurred to me that I reported to the police. This incident left me with severe emotional trauma and nightmares. The healing process regarding that event has taken me a long while to get over it but I'm slowly improving. I'm rewatching this movie tonight and it's painful and scary just how accurate the depiction of PTSD and guilt is. This is an astoundingly beautiful film that should be seen by art aficionados and healing minds alike.

An introverted, imaginative girl on the cusp of womanhood experiences a life-alteringly awful event and the film follows her path to healing as she simulataneously crashes through the safe cocooon of her childhood into the adolescent reality of an imperfect, unjust world. Boldly envisioned by leading Australian Artist Del Kathryn Barton, this dark, beautiful and powerful film from acclaimed producers Causeway Films - (The Babadook, Talk to Me) packs a massive cathartic punch if you immerse yourself in the emotional journey of its central character. Breathtaking visuals, superlative sound design, a killer soundtrack, strong performances all round and an oscar-worthy bravura turn from the then barely 13 year old young Australian actress Julia Savage make for a profoundly affecting viewing experience.