Ava

The editing throughout is also quite assured, with a rhythm being found early on. The structure of the memories and the doctor’s present-day plans allow for both a sense of weight and intrigue to exist at the same time. As such, Ava is intense, scary, dramatic, and humorous, in (almost) equal measure for the duration of its 100-minute runtime.

On the more negative side, is the dialogue. It is a little too hammy or on the nose at times. Not always, mind you, but it often sounds like scripted as opposed to striking a realistic conversationally rhythm. As such, moments sound rather rehearsed rather than a natural part extension of these characters. Take, for example, when Ava asks the doctor why he quotes old movies. He explains that he is a cinephile and then has her guess a few quotes he rattles off.

“…Westwood delivers a dedicated, at times, heartbreaking performance.”

First off, the quotes are some of the most obvious and cliched, which is a letdown. Given the style and subject of the movie, one might expect Re-Animator, In The Mouth Of Madness, or Videodrome quotes. But no, we get Gone With The Wind and Apocalypse Now, which really is a disappointment. They don’t tie-in thematically, which the films I previously named, would have.

But, I digress. More importantly, the back-and-forth the two rings hollow, given what the doctor is preparing to do to Ava. Mind you, she is fully aware of what he is up to, just not the why. So, having a lighthearted moment sucks out the intensity and atmosphere. Luckily, when the film zeroes in on the plot, not the characters, the dialogue feels more organic to the situation at hand.

Ava has some writing problems, specifically when it comes to the dialogue. But the plot is original, the actors are dynamite, and the visuals are breathtaking. Thematically, what Lamont has to say about grieving and blaming oneself for trauma, deserved or not, is weighty and engaging. Uneven but fascinating and intense.