Poison

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TheMovieSearch R Poison, the short film starring Benedict Cumberbatch, has been met with plenty of praise, but personally, it didn’t resonate with me at all. For a film that tries so hard to be meaningful, it ends up feeling hollow, overly stylized, and far less compelling than it wants to be. The performances are solid on a technical level — Cumberbatch is, as always, committed — but the story itself never gives him or the audience much to hold onto. From the start, the film feels disconnected. There’s an immediate sense that it’s striving for intensity without earning it, relying on atmosphere and tension instead of genuine emotion or storytelling depth. The result is a short that looks impressive on the surface but lacks substance beneath. It’s as though the filmmakers were more focused on creating something that seems profound rather than something that truly is. The screenplay doesn’t help either. It jumps between tones and ideas without ever landing on a cohesive direction. Instead of pulling viewers in, it pushes them away with dialogue and pacing that feel self-important rather than impactful. By the end, there’s no emotional payoff — just the feeling that you’ve been led through a stylistic exercise with little meaning behind it. Cumberbatch does what he can, but even his talent can’t save a film that’s so thin in narrative and heart. The supporting cast feels underused, the tension never builds in a natural way, and the short’s conclusion lands with a thud instead of a punch. Overall, Poison is the kind of short film that seems designed to impress critics rather than connect with audiences. It’s technically competent, yes, but it’s emotionally empty. For me, it’s not the profound artistic statement many claim it to be — just an overhyped, underwhelming piece that fails to leave a lasting impression. Rated 1.5/5 Stars •  Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 10/24/25 Full Review Julian Rex M Brimming with Wes Anderson's signature wit and blatant disregard for conventional filmmaking, Poison is a surprisingly tense, thoroughly entertaining Roald Dahl romp whose sole flaw is its unfortunately abbreviated runtime. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/01/25 Full Review Joe W Ridiculous and unsatisfying. Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 06/28/24 Full Review Keizi C Great adaptation of the story. With Hitchcock already bringing it to life before, Wes infuses something knew into a story that's already been told with his cinematography, set design, fast paced dialogue, and outstanding performances! Simple and sweet! Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/14/24 Full Review Lee S Fantastic. If movies weren't a base cash pursuit, this is the kind of art we'd be treated to more often Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/31/24 Full Review Cameron C Another amazing Wes Anderson Dahl interpretation for the history books. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/16/24 Full Review Read all reviews

Poison

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