Review of Stoker (2013) by John M — 22 Oct 2013

Dark, sordid and right up my alley. So this is about a young girl named India (Mia Wasikowska) whose father suddenly passes. At the funeral, her estranged Uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode) shows up out of the blue and starts living in the house with her and her mother (Nicole Kidman).

This is the English language debut from Chan-Wook Park, who is best known for directing Oldboy, a film I am personally not a big fan of; I have issues with that movie in the story department, but I do recognize the talent of the director.

I had no expectations going in, and I am so glad that I took the time to watch this. The cinematography is really something special; you can't help but notice it as early as the opening credits, and this is easily the best shot movie I have seen this year so far.

Really, I can't praise the camerawork enough; there are so many unnerving, disorienting camera angles/tricks, and because they are present throughout, it really helps add to the atmosphere of the story.

It is a mystery with horror elements, and it starts off as something that would be akin to a Tim Burton movie, except there's also this weird sexual element to it that is not prevalent in his style.

The narrative is twisty and always holds your attention, and there is also a pair of quality performances from a couple of actors that I have not been overly impressed with in the past (Wasikowska and Goode).

This is definitely not for everybody, but if you like your stories dark, and get enjoyment from witnessing top-of-the-line filmmaking, you are in for a real treat.