Review of Stoker (2013) by Colton D — 02 Jul 2013

I went into this movie not knowing what to expect, seeing as the trailer gave me no details and my lack of viewing the South Korean director Park Chan-wook. I can honestly say, however, that this is the best way to go into watching this beautifully disturbing tale of lust, mystery, and betrayal.

We start with a socially awkward and plain teen, India Stoker, who is equally treated as an outcast at school by her male counterparts as she is by her own mother at her often campishly creepy Victorian house.

After the inevitable death of her father, her unknown Uncle Charlie (much unlike the booze drinking, soliciting uncle from the beloved sitcom) moves in with her and her unstable mother. As the fiendishly eerie tale unravels, disturbing truths of the uncles past are brought to the surface, testing Indias hidden lust and infatuation with him.

After viewing this deliciously creepy mystery I must admit, I'm anxious to see more of this brutally poetic director. The setting and style of this offbeat movie is largely the winning factor. His style is so elegant yet disturbing, its hard to find a director that can balance the two so well.

The performances from Goode, Kidman, and especially Wasikowska (if thats how you spell it) are top notch. Completely believable and creepy from all three of them. The fault, however, is that of unoriginality.

While the style and beautiful storytelling is one of a kind, the story is quite obvious and not well thought out. This is due to the ending mostly, while it was great, is in no way surprising. I wasnt trying to guess the ending, but if I was I would have automatically gotten it.

Aside from this disappointment, the movie is a gorgeous depiction of a classic mystery tale that keeps you enthralled, disturbed, and all around creeped out. One of the most artistic films to come out thus far this year.