Dave Made a Maze-Hot Take

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 Dave Made a Maze (2017 US) I don’t know what to say about this film except Dave Made a Maze. Well, actually a Labyrinth to be more exact and it's made of cardboard. Writer/Director Bill Waterson brings us this batshit crazy absurdist/surrealist/comedy/fantasy/horror. If this all sounds weird that’s because it is but I can almost guarantee you that this is the craziest film you have seen. Despite it’s premise at it’s core is an Odyssean tale which includes a Minotaur, Sirens and demonic cardboard vagina. Yes you read that right. I am in absolute awe of the production design and just how much imagination it took to put that together. The budget was $500 k which in Hollywood terms is a micro-budget. If you have been with me for awhile you will remember that I love indie filmmakers with a unique idea that can execute well and I really do think that they did that here.

Now let’s talk about the script. Waterson said in an interview that he did not want to make a statement with Dave Made a Maze and that he just wanted to tell a human story. Sorry, Dude that’s not how art works. You could be drawing stick figures on a college ruled notebook and still be expressing something. I have heard this before and I have little patience for that because the presumption is that the statement is political. No, that is not true. You could be expressing grief at the loss of a spouse or fear of growing old. The possibilities are endless. The trick is to realize what you want to express and stick to it otherwise it can be a bit of a mess. I think that’s exactly what happened here. The statement is extremely muddled with different ideas. However, I have seen worse and if you don’t think too hard you will enjoy the journey that Waterson takes you on. Find it on Peacock or for rent on most streaming.

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