Come Out and Play (2012) Horror Evil Children

Come Out and Play (2012) - This is a slow burn picture that sort of is inevitable in plot. I can't stress enough how much value I see in individuals making small independent films and appreciate the hard work in making it happen. (Single Name) Makinov pretty much did everything on this film, directed, was the DP, did the sound design, hell probably his own assistant. The mysterious figure from Belarus adapted a book by Juan Jose Plans and managed to get 30 or so child actors to do what he wanted which is a major feat in itself. The sound design is great and adds a nice sense of foreboding throughout the story. Still though the story just misses in the all important area of keeping an audiences attention.
  Francis (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Beth (Vinessa Shaw) are a couple expecting a child, like any day now. For some unknown reason they are traveling the Spanish speaking part of the world. Francis secures a boat so they can go to an Island for what reason is unclear. When they arrive and for the first half of the film really they are looking for people as the island is empty of adults. Slowly they end up seeing children only. The turn at the end of the first act is when one of the children beats an old man with his cane giggling the whole time. While Francis goes to find  supplies to care for him, having stopped the child, the old man is dragged off by a gang of children and killed. Francis witnesses and realizes that he and his very pregnant wife should really get out of dodge. Unfortunately they are distracted repeatedly, another man appears, who explains that the children all awoke at the same time the night before and began attacking the adults. He is around just long enough for that exposition before being lured to his death by his daughter. An old woman helps them but her demise is fast coming also.
  The second act is trying to get distance from the children without harming them. They are kids after all and it seems wrong to attack them. The problem is the action is stunted and  the elements designed not to show carnage. So it looks more like meandering around the island instead of immediately fleeing back to their boat. Padding the movies run time but not really adding too much tension as the full picture of how off kilter the children are. At this point i can't really say I like the characters mostly because they barely interact and are not developed enough to care about. Sure Beth being pregnant naturally lets you pull for her. Still, the overall development is missing and is needed.
 The third act has the couple barricaded in a house and figuring out how to get back to the boat.  I remind you this is something they could have done in act two but got side tracked. Unfortunately things do not go as plan with Beth as her pregnancy becomes more problematic. Francis makes plans, finds a gun and we are ready for the climax of the film. Adult on child violence is not something you see everyday in film and the camera work by Makinov does not flinch. Unfortunately there is not enough of this to save the movie and the lets get ready for a sequel ending was flat. More going for an ominous feel of an ending, but because the acts played the way they did you sort of knew it would follow that path making it more predictable. So I am really not loving this film and don't recommend it.