When talking about Asian cinema, conversation will inevitably turn to Chan-wook Park's Oldboy, the second part of the directors Vengeance trilogy. Beautifully shot and unrelentlessly brutal, the movie brought Park to the notice of main stream audiences (Spike Lee is currently shooting an American remake, starring Josh Brolin), setting in motion the events that bring Stoker, his first english language movie to the big screen. Written by Wentworth Miller, best known for having the worlds most elaborate tattoo's in T.V.'s Prison Break, it is an often strange and disturbing look at one girls coming of age, and what it takes for someone to embrace the worst of human nature.
On her eighteenth birthday, India Stoker's (Mia Wasikowska) father dies in a tragic car accident. At the funeral, her mysterious Uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode), a man India never knew existed, comes into the lives of her and her mother, Evelyn (Nicole Kidman). Both women become drawn to him, Evelyn in a romantic way, and India in a way she can't quite explain, leading to dark family secrets being revealed.
Watching Stoker is quite a surreal experience. Sound plays a big part here. India's hearing is heightened more than most people's, and some scenes will have certain sounds cranked higher than most, adding to the already unnerving atmosphere. Scenes intrude on each other, past and future events happening simultaneously, keeping you on your toes in terms of narrative. It is beautifully shot, each scene bearing Park's unique fingerprint, with some interesting shot compositions (India on a merry go-round being the one that sticks in my mind the most) and techniques. For fans of his work, this is Park at his most restrained, but don't think Stoker doesn't have it's fair share shocking and brutal moments. All I will say is, when showers and belts come into play, brace yourselves. But violence isn't what's important here, it's human nature and desires, and how quickly they can change someone, that is what Stoker is concerned with. The movie has a slow methodical pace to start off, building the mystery of Uncle Charlie very well, and this leads to some great pay-off's. But the story is weak in places also. While set up very well, the mystery isn't deep enough, and most people's initial theory about what is happening will more than likely be quite close to the truth. The ending doesn't feel big enough, fizzling out towards the end and becoming slightly predictable.
There is a very small group of actors here, and they play their parts wonderfully. Wasikowska carries the movie perfectly, completely selling India's shocking journey. Watching her change from the lost little girl we meet at the start to a woman completely in control of her emotions is mesmerising. Goode and Kidman offer solid support. Uncle Charlie is creepy and sauve in equal measure, and Goode portrays this without it feeling forced. But where he really impressed me is when he lets this veneer slip, showing how scared and vulnerable he really is, and how quickly he snaps back to his default mode. Kidman is slightly underused here, disappearing for long stretches at a time, but she puts in a wonderful performance, more restrained than Wasikowska and Goode, but still imbuing Evelyn with a wealth of character.
Stoker is pretty much the definition of a movie that is not for everyone. It is weird, it will take you out of your comfort zone, but it is gorgeous piece of cinema, oozing style and atmosphere. Highly recommended!
On her eighteenth birthday, India Stoker's (Mia Wasikowska) father dies in a tragic car accident. At the funeral, her mysterious Uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode), a man India never knew existed, comes into the lives of her and her mother, Evelyn (Nicole Kidman). Both women become drawn to him, Evelyn in a romantic way, and India in a way she can't quite explain, leading to dark family secrets being revealed.
Watching Stoker is quite a surreal experience. Sound plays a big part here. India's hearing is heightened more than most people's, and some scenes will have certain sounds cranked higher than most, adding to the already unnerving atmosphere. Scenes intrude on each other, past and future events happening simultaneously, keeping you on your toes in terms of narrative. It is beautifully shot, each scene bearing Park's unique fingerprint, with some interesting shot compositions (India on a merry go-round being the one that sticks in my mind the most) and techniques. For fans of his work, this is Park at his most restrained, but don't think Stoker doesn't have it's fair share shocking and brutal moments. All I will say is, when showers and belts come into play, brace yourselves. But violence isn't what's important here, it's human nature and desires, and how quickly they can change someone, that is what Stoker is concerned with. The movie has a slow methodical pace to start off, building the mystery of Uncle Charlie very well, and this leads to some great pay-off's. But the story is weak in places also. While set up very well, the mystery isn't deep enough, and most people's initial theory about what is happening will more than likely be quite close to the truth. The ending doesn't feel big enough, fizzling out towards the end and becoming slightly predictable.
There is a very small group of actors here, and they play their parts wonderfully. Wasikowska carries the movie perfectly, completely selling India's shocking journey. Watching her change from the lost little girl we meet at the start to a woman completely in control of her emotions is mesmerising. Goode and Kidman offer solid support. Uncle Charlie is creepy and sauve in equal measure, and Goode portrays this without it feeling forced. But where he really impressed me is when he lets this veneer slip, showing how scared and vulnerable he really is, and how quickly he snaps back to his default mode. Kidman is slightly underused here, disappearing for long stretches at a time, but she puts in a wonderful performance, more restrained than Wasikowska and Goode, but still imbuing Evelyn with a wealth of character.
Stoker is pretty much the definition of a movie that is not for everyone. It is weird, it will take you out of your comfort zone, but it is gorgeous piece of cinema, oozing style and atmosphere. Highly recommended!
