Review of The Pale Blue Eye (2022) by Danny1952 — 06 Jan 2023
II just saw The Pale Blue Eye and am still moved by Christian Bale's nuanced and captivating performance.
Yes, it's a fascinating "whodunnit", but for me, the linchpin of the film is the spirit of solidarity between two men united by the loss of a loved one and an investigation into a series of murders. It is almost a father-son relationship that develops between Landor and Poe.
Some critics have criticized the ending of the film, which corresponds perfectly to the ending of Louis Bayard's novel. What did they want the director to do, betray Bayard's novel on which the film is based? Others have said that Christian Bale "faded away" before Melling's stunning performance. These people fail to see the real talent, which is not in the mannerism or extravagance of speech and gesture, which suited Poe well, but in the simple, raw truth of the emotion visibly felt by Bale and evident in every expression on his face and in every vibrant word he speaks about Landor's missing daughter.
For me, this is a film to see again and again, which might help some people better understand what really happened there.
This review of The Pale Blue Eye (2022) was written by Danny1952 on 06 Jan 2023.
The Pale Blue Eye has generally received positive reviews.
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