You won't be disappointed!

Why so much hype?

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

I made the mistake of reading a bunch of reviews of this movie, both here and at Netflix. Despite the (mostly) negative reviews, I watched it anyway. I'm glad I did.Most reviewers bashed the movie with the exception of the "twist" at the end. For me, I saw the "twist" coming very, very early in the movie—and found it the least enjoyable part of the movie— though the way it played-out still surprised me.This flick was well acted, suspenseful and completely entertaining if you ask me.

I love John Cusack. Not romantically, but I really enjoy seeing him on the screen. For me, he makes even weak films watchable. That is the also case with "The Factory".This is a B-grade thriller with an uninspired script, cardboard-cutout characters and a twist.I don't usually have problems with movies in which you know everything about the plot before the main characters do, because a movie can be predictable and solid at the same time, but here it's all over the place. I felt no tension, no suspense whatsoever. The movie tried to force it on me at times but didn't succeed.Almost every character, every line of the dialogue and every scene felt very familiar. I have seen them all a hundred times before. Tired, clichéd and pretty much boring. Yes, one character was made bland on purpose probably to BETTER SUIT THE HORRIFYING TWIST SO YOU WOULDN'T SEE IT COMING, but you still a) see it coming and b) know it's lazy writing.I never was a fan of Jennifer Carpenter, and this film certainly doesn't help. I can't blame her acting as much as I'd probably like, because her lines are so badly written I wanted to punch my TV for more than a few times. I thought her character was simply bad.The bad guy's (Dallas Roberts) plan is...well, interesting at the very least. It would've been more exciting if I could've suspended my disbelief more. I just couldn't believe the whole arrangement and especially the transformation of his victims. Writer/director Morgan O'Neill probably wanted to create something shocking and surreal, but no. This is not how you do it. It felt silly and I didn't believe it for one second. Again, I can't blame the actors that much (even if I will blame them a little), the writing and directing just...it's so mediocre that it shows in everything.That said, I did watch it to the end and I got to see some John Cusack. He's not going to win any awards for this one but he's decent enough for me not to feel too angry about this movie. Caught in on TV anyway, didn't have to pay for this. That's what I recommend for others too: see it on TV or borrow it from a friend/library if you really have to see this, but don't blindly pay any money for it.(edit: Oh! I liked some of the snowy winter scenery too. Does that help? No.)

The Factory is a retread of many other serial killer films you've probably seen in your life. There is nothing really original about it (Aside from a twist ending that I didn't care about) and to be honest it isn't all that interesting in the whole scheme of things. Let's go over the complaints, since there isn't much to praise. Abby (Mae Whitman) is one of the most annoying victims I've ever seen. She's supposed to be somebody we sympathize with due to the torturous things she goes through, but I couldn't stand her whiny performance. She's insolent, disrespectful, and not very likable. Yet we are supposed to care for her? I was also disappointed by the lack of chemistry between Cusack & Charisma Carpenter. They just didn't click as partners, and I didn't really buy Carpenter in her role, either. Despite its gritty feel, I didn't really feel much intensity at all. The film throws a lame twist ending our way. Maybe it was because I just didn't care anymore by the time it happened, but it didn't really affect me as much as it probably should have. Cusack is one of my favorite actors, but there is not much he can do here. He tries his hardest, but succumbs to a crappy script. Charisma Carpenter is nice to look at, but that's about it, and I've already expressed my disdain for Mae Whitman as Abby.Final Thoughts: Be my guest if you wanna see this one, but there are many other flicks in this genre that is much better suited for you. It lacks suspense, thrills, and proper pacing. I didn't care for it all4/10

So I went into The Factory based solely on the facts that a) it was available on Netflix and b) John Cusack is in it (can't go wrong with a Cusack flick right?). For the majority of the movie it plays like your standard abduction/cat-and-mouse film. Cop chases bad guy, bad guy hides really well and, of course, there's the obligatory moment where the cop has to get personally involved because of the abduction of a family member. All of these are pretty standard pieces of the genre. Now, the issue that everyone seems to have with this movie is the ending which, I'll admit, is reaching quite a bit to be something that it just wasn't set up to be. Although about 75% of the way through the film most smart fans should be able to pick out what's going to happen. In short, it's an entertaining film if you're bored and have nothing else to check out. If you're looking for hyper intelligent film making, skip it, look elsewhere, but for a night at the house with some popcorn, it's worth the 1 1/2 hour or so investment.