This work is no exception. The Pyramid tells the story of a group of archaeologists who discover a strange pyramid with only three sides, buried in the sand for thousands of years. The leader of the group is Dr. Holden (Denis O’Hare) from a prestigious American university, along with his daughter – Nora (Ashley Hinshaw), her boyfriend and a documentary filmmaker. They are drawn into the mysteries in the pyramid and must trade their hearts to discover a horrifying truth.
To increase the drama and the real feeling of a chase, director Grégory Levasseur used handheld camera shooting for most of the film. The entire expedition of the archaeological team was recorded by a camera worn around the neck of each member. Viewers will feel like they are watching a documentary on Discovery . The shaky, jerky or lost signal in the middle; the black screen not only contributes to the drama of the film, but also attracts viewers to participate in the exploration of the labyrinth of death.
The three-sided pyramid model that does not actually exist has been reconstructed quite elaborately and magnificently. Other elements that foretell the unusual and strange such as poisonous gas pouring out of the tunnel, a parasitic fungus that causes skin infections or stone carvings telling stories from thousands of years ago are also included as challenging invitations for those who are curious about adventure and exploration.
The highlight of the film is the curse of the god Abinus – the god who guards the dead and the journey to the afterlife, famous in ancient Egyptian culture. Legend has it that after each person dies, Abinus will cut open their chest, take out their heart and put it on a scale. If the heart is pure and holy enough, that person will be reincarnated into heaven. If the heart is full of sins and evil, that person will be sent to hell. The “weighing the heart” ritual was simulated by the director quite horribly and specifically in the film. The scene of Dr. Holden being “executed” by Abinus right in front of his relatives is one of the most chilling scenes of the film.
The director invested quite a lot in the makeup. The god of darkness – Abinus with a human body and a dog’s head, hideous and monstrous in some close-up shots, could not help but startle the audience. In addition, the strange creatures, half cat, half rat, skin and bones, squirming and crawling in deep caves, waiting to eat people, also brought another creepy feeling.
Denis O’Hare gave a lackluster performance as the film’s male lead. After last year’s impressive Dallas Buyers Club , it seems that the script and direction of The Pyramid this time were not strong enough for Denis O’Hare to make a breakthrough. The other characters also fell into a similar state when they did not possess a clear personality and none of them really became the soul leading the story.
Although the script is quite promising in terms of ideas when exploiting the themes of tombs, ancient culture and the world of gods, The Pyramid still cannot avoid some regrettable points. The shallow plot and the narrative style will hardly satisfy audiences who are addicted to horror and adventure films. Besides, some details such as the wild cat monsters suddenly attacking the god Abinus so that the character can seize the opportunity to escape will also make viewers ask the question: “Why?”.
