Review of The Keep (1983) by Rosco B — 25 Mar 2013

I think there's a great film in The Keep trying to get out. It's biggest problem is it's lack of coherence. Characters do things with little motivation. The romance between Scott Glenn and Alberta Watson, for example, happens absurdly quickly.

We never really do find out who Glenn's character is, or what the creature is. The guardians of the keep seem to disappear almost immediately. Byrne's SS officer is cartoonish. It's a silly, disjointed film.

It rarely makes any sense. But, there are many positives which allowed me to overlook its many limitations. The Romanian villagers seem to come straight from a 1960s Hammer movies, which is obviously fantastic! The premise is interesting, as is the notion that the greater evil might be outside the keep.

Prochnow gives a decent performance as the 'good German', while McKellen hams it up wonderfully. Most importantly, it's suitably atmospheric for large parts of the film. So, despite its many many flaws, I can't help but like it for the film it could have been.