Review of Stoker (2013) by Carl M — 17 Jun 2013

India is left to her own dark devices after the death of her father, but her self-imposed seclusion is interrupted by the arrival of her Uncle Charlie, who is invited to stay at the house at her mother's request. Despite his charm, India feels an instant sense of unease around her uncle, but the darkness hiding beneath his perfect exterior slowly draws the two of them together. Park Chan-wook, the master of modern suspense, weaves this Stygian drama with all of the style and grace of the great Alfred Hitchcock, after whose films STOKER kindly takes homage. There is no SHADOW OF A DOUBT where its influence lies, but that is besides the point. Park is able to take the clinically-clean surroundings of high society and entrap them in a supremely sinister mood. STOKER plays on societal taboos from the very start, causing the audience to cringe during scenes of forbidden lust and desire. The constant sense of sexual tension is unyielding, and is broken only by the frequent bouts of black comedy. Park is a tactile director, and arouses each of the senses directly through the screen. Our heroine, India, steps right out of the pages of classic literature as she embarks on her journey in to womanhood, however unconventional the means may be. With a winning cast and strongly-driven suspense, STOKER holds a certain appeal to the mystery seekers and purveyors of more traditional Hitchcockian thrillers.

-Carl Manes.

I Like Horror Movies.