Review of Stoker (2013) by Matthew L — 01 Aug 2013

"I'm a Stoker, I'm a smoker, I'm a midnight bloodsucker, I get my lovin' on the run!" That Steve Miller song is cheesy enough without the Dracula puns, and sadly, it's all for naught, because, believe it or not, this film actually isn't about Dracula, or any other kind of vampire, or even Bram Stoker for that matter. That's about as shocking as anything in this thriller, because, seriously, how common of a name is Stoker, anyways, Andy Growcott of Dexys Midnight Runners? Man, even the people who came up with this project expected it to have something to do with vampires, because it feels like a gothic vampire drama, is directed by the guy who most recently did "Thirst", and features Nicole Kidman, who kind of looks like a vampire at this point. Even most every poser looks like it's hiding Dracula around the corner, but really, once you actually see the film, the only horror film icon you're expecting to see around the corner is the ghost of Alfred Hitchcock... or at least the ghost of Tony Scott. I hate to sound morbid, but, speaking of supernatural activity, it would appear as though not even death can stop Tony Scott from producing somebody's film, because his and his brother's names are popping up in film credits as much as they ever have. Ridley might just be carrying his late brother's name around with him for sentimental purposes, which is good, because Tony Scott can now rest easy knowing that his last project was a good one, even though it's without a couple of disappointments that extend beyond the absence of vampires... other than Nicole Kidman (Seriously, what is up with that icy stare?).

Throughout this review, some form of the word "subtle" will be used on a number of occasions, but keep in mind that it will mostly be associated with the acting and direction, because even though there is plenty of subtlety to "Prison Break" star and newcoming screenwriter Wenterworth Miller's script that goes a long way, the lapses in subtlety are kind of hard to miss, with the handling of some secondary characters - particularly the trite bully ones - being particularly questionable, though not quite as recurring as some melodrama within the core story that is actually emphasized by the intensity within Park Chan-wook's direction. Chan-wook's atmosphere has to soak up the full range of the questionable areas in storytelling with the full range of the subtle depths, and that distances you from the characters, whose engagement value is hurt enough by a certain underdevelopment that is generally compensated for by inspired acting and direction, as well as effective areas in characterization, but is hard to completely disregard, possibly mostly because you can't help but get kind of annoyed with the fact that Miller will put only so much attention into immediate development, then proceed to bloat plotting with dragging, spawned from repetition and sparseness that often works for this very gothic psychological character thriller, but just as often leaves focus to meander, if not thin out. The film is kind of aimless, with focus issues that are challenging enough to your focus when not accompanied by an intentionally cold atmosphere, courtesy of Chan-wook, whose dryness is not simply not as dulling as I feared, but mostly proves to be effective in capturing this film's subtle intensity (That's five variations on "subtle" in this paragraph alone), until things get to be too dry for their own good. There are admittedly some bland spells in the film, maybe even dull moments, because storytelling is so reliant on quiet intensity that, after a while, it forgets to hold onto the intensity, thus reflecting the pacing issues of the film that are themselves reflective of this subject matter's kind of needing to be padded out. Reading this film's basic premise regarding gothic meditation upon some creepy dysfunctional family doing creepy dysfunctional things, all I kept doing was fearing that there would be too much minimalism for this drama's own good, so I'm relieved to find that there is enough juice to writing, and enough considerable inspiration to direction, for the final product to reward, but there's still only so much to this story, whose sense of consequence and dramatic weight are a bit more thin than they probably should be. The telling of this story is stronger than the story itself, and that's great and all, but Chan-wook's ambition ends up reminding you about how this film was never to be up the standard of its strongest aspects, which can try all they want, but cannot obscure the natural shortcomings that, alongside the occasional subtlety issue and many a pacing problem, hold the final product back a bit. Of course, where the thin story could have driven the film into underwhelmingness, the inspiration in storytelling firmly secures the final product as just as consistently rewarding as it is consistently pretty.

The film's visual style ends up being instrumental in the effectiveness of storytelling, but most of the effectiveness of the visual style is anchored by Park Chan-wook's efforts, as Chung Chung-hoon's (Man, I'm loving these Korean names) cinematography is all too often kind of plain, but for only so long, because even though it's Chan-wook's nifty plays with stylish framing that is most frequently impressive about the filming, when Chung-hoon delivers on particularly gritty coloring and haunting lighting, he really delivers. The film is beautiful, and while that's largely thanks the director's visual style, you cannot ignore what Chung-hoon does extremely well when he finally finds the opportunity to really flaunt his sharp photographic eye, so when it comes to visual storytelling, this film has nothing to worry about, though it does indeed have quite a bit to worry about when it comes to the story concept that is told so well, even on a visual level. That being said, while this film's story is too minimalist for its own good, it has potential, boasting very gothic sparseness and intriguing subtleties (Get ready, y'all, because that's not going to be the last time you see a form of "subtle" in this review) which are brought to life by what is done right in a flawed, but generally good script by Wentworth Miller that most notably meets every undercooked area in characterization with a well-drawn area that graces the characters with a certain mystery, brought to life by spot-on acting, one of the film's strongest aspects. Nailing a thoroughly charming, yet unnerving quietness that subtly brings out the creepy unpredictability of his Charlie Stoker character, when not the chillingly dark depths, Matthew Goode all but steals the show with what is sure to remain one of the better performances by a supporting actor of 2013, maybe even one of the best, but you cannot disregard the strength of the other lead performances, with Nicole Kidman being too unevenly used to be as excellent as her peers, but still very convincing as a widow looking for a way out of the trauma of losing her husband, while the pretty Mia Wasikowska impresses much more than you'd expect as our angsty lead India Stoker character, nailing an impeccable sober intensity that leaves Wasikowska to embody her role, whose compellingness is reinforced by some subtle layers that Wasikowska also nails through a subtly piercing dramatic range. There's plenty of acting material throughout the film, but it's generally very subtle, and such limitations in dramatic punch could have held back the performers, but the subtle commitment that backs this talented cast is so effortless that the performers transform into their characters with remarkable effective, augmented by the dramatic heights that help in shaping lead performances that are not simply unexpectedly excellent, but carry much of the film's weight with an inspiration that is perhaps matched only by the inspiration within the film's direction. As I said earlier, director Park Chan-wook's style is certainly as impressive as it always is, cleverly playing with nifty filming and Nicolas De Toh's outstanding editing in order to flavor up the film's artistic uniqueness, while also making brooding plays with Clint Mansell's chilling score and Chuck Michael's and John Morris' immersively stellar sound editing that add to the ominous sparseness of the film's atmosphere, and when it comes to the more dramatically thoughtful aspects of Chan-wook's storytelling, he's as strong as he can be with subject matter this minimalist, soaking up the subtle layers of this film's dark depths with an inspired grace that makes sure that this thriller is never less than thoroughly compelling. I wish I could say that this film's story is worthy of being told so well, but Chan-wook's effectiveness cannot be ignored, nor can the effectiveness of the striking visual style, mysterious characterization and outstanding acting, whose power may not be able to drive the final product's power too far, but still craft a consistently rewarding neo-gothic drama.

Overall, there's the occasional lapse in dramatic subtlety and expository depth, as well as dragging that eventually descends into aimlessness, made all the more glaring by atmospheric bland spells, as well as by a considerable minimalism to this film's subject matter that drives the final product short of being as strong as its storytelling, which still has enough compelling effectiveness, complimented by a strong visual style, well-drawn areas in writing, and excellent performances, - especially by Matthew Goode and Mia Wasikowska - and anchored by hauntingly stylish and dramatically piercing direction, for Park Chan-wook's "Stoker" to stand as an effective and rewarding, if somewhat held back dramatic thriller.

3/5 - Good.