June 29, 2013 | 0 Comments

Stoker (2013) – Review

Synopsis

After the death of both her father and best friend Richard in a tragic car crash, India Stoker (Wasikowska) and her mother Evelyn (Kidman) are left alone in their secluded and solitary family estate. India’s loss is soon beset however by the arrival of her enigmatic Uncle Charlie (G00de), whom she had never met or even heard about before. As their relationship develops with Charlie filling the void in India’s life, it soon becomes apparent that the mysterious stranger has ulterior motives veiled beneath his undeniable charisma. Although trusting her estranged uncle is the last thing she should do, India can’t help but come increasingly infatuated him as her life takes a darker turn.

Review

Park Chan-wook is the most visually gifted director working today. It’s a bold statement to make, but with titles like Oldboy and Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance to his name, the Korean auteur’s blend of visceral brutality and stunning cinematography go a long way to echo its sentiments. The prospect of an English-language debut was always going to be met with a level of scepticism, but the overwhelming amount of craft poured into Stoker makes it instantly apparent that its going to take more than language barriers to stop Park Chan-wook.

Stoker is a film which Alfred Hitchcock would have been proud to call his own, featuring a stunning fusion of both substance and style. The amount of suppressed sexuality, psychological warfare and intrinsic brutality which Chan-wook incorporates into the film is matched perfectly by the gorgeous cinematography and sinister performances, which drive the complex narrative forward. Stoker doesn’t quite replicate the master strokes behind Oldboy, but the intoxicating visuals and astonishing attention to detail are incredibly immersive. A foreboding piano duet between India and Uncle Charlie serves as one of Stoker’s many highlights, underlining the uncompromising realms of depravity Chan-wook is only too willing to explore.

Chan-wook also transcends both genre conventions and audience expectations, by mischievously sabotaging the structure of individual scenes by foreshadowing false climaxes, utilising unorthodox timing to deliver revelations, and employing artistically experimental cinematography. Stoker is an esoteric work of pure imagination and creativity which proves to be an exceptionally rewarding experience for those familiar or partial to the works of Park Chan-wook. The closing 2o minutes in particular are a joy to experience, as over an hour of slow burn tension reaches boiling point, with the film accelerating into a thunderously defiant and unforgettable finale.

The stunning performances also contribute largely to the poetically dark atmosphere Chan-wook creates, with Wasikowska, Goode and Kidman all bringing sumptuous elements of mystery and intrigue to their respective characters. Their chemistry is laced with explosive sexual tension which is again reminiscent of Hitchcockian plot devices, with the talented cast exploring the taboos and perversions with a breathtaking lack of compromise. As long as Wasikowska continues to produce performances like this and populate her filmography with titles like Stoker, her path to stardom is practically assured.

Wentworth Miller also proves he has other talents aside from springing his wrongly imprisoned brother from maximum security penitentiaries, crafting an equally dark and intelligent script which has Park Chan-wook’s name written all over it. The gothic influences from Bran Stoker’s Dracula and borrowed Hitchcockian devices combine to create a film which operates well as an unsettling horror and psychological thriller. The future is certainly bright for Miller should he choose to continue with screenwriting, however his inexperience is partially evident, as the script does lack the puissance and emotional depth of its darker cousin Oldboy.

Summary

If there were any concerns about Park Chan-wook’s cinematic mastery transferring to English-language cinema, then Stoker has tucked them safely in bed, suffocated them with a pillow and calmly buried their lifeless bodies in the back garden. Heavily influenced by the works of Hitchcock, Stoker is darkly charming and mysteriously melodic piece of cinema, which transcends both genre conventions and audience expectation. Chan-wook continues to shatter every taboo under the sun, putting his talented actors through their paces as they become embroiled within their respective character’s depravities and perversions, creating a proactive film which is as dark as the night but as beautiful the day.