Review of Burke & Hare (2010) by Sam C — 04 Nov 2010

Many movies turn out to be more than the sum of parts. Alas, Burke and Hare turns out to be even less. All the ingredients are there to make this a classic and entertaining movie experience, a grim and interesting setting (Scotland in 1828), a quiry and unusual storyline (grave robbers) and a stellar cast, including Simon Pegg, Andy Serkis, Bill Bailey, Ronnie Corbet, Christopher Lee, Tom Wilkinson, Tim Curry and Ray Harryhausen (Yes, THE Ray Harryhausen !).

Still, watching a John Landis movie in 2010, arguably a few centuries after his heyday is an oddly anachronistic experiences. The film's humour, which should have been black as horse's bottom is goody and relies on slapstick effects more than anything else. Sure, some seens are soo grizzly, the are almost farcial but most of the time, the gags are just dull and stupid. Round this up with some in-your face direction, lacking any subtlety or finesse and you have yourself Burke and Hare. The cast, like I stated earlier, sounds very good on paper, but the direction and script is so lacklustre, the film looks and feels like an HBO christmas special, gaps with nothing happening, oddly disconnected dialogue lines etc. Andy Serkis could not convince me in his role. Simon Pegg however added lots of warmth to his role and he saved the movie for me, especially in regards to the on-screen chemistry between him and the beautiful Isla Fisher.

I can see what Landis tried to create, another American Werwolf, jumping back and forth between the fine line that seperates the comedy from the gore, but it does not really pay out this time and the two parts feel oddly disconnected. I never laughed out once during the film, was never interested in the characters and the story or shocked by what was going on, in other words, the movie did not touch me.

Sure, I did enjoy the peripheral stuff. The sets, the language (Scottish & Irish most of the time), the basic idea of the film, the cast etc. and this is why I enjyoed the film. But like I said, apart from the sum of its ingredients, there is nothing to read or see between the lines.

HX.