VIEWED: STOKER

After almost three months hiatus, Beerbohmtastic is back.  Less relevant - if ever really relevant at all, but back nonetheless. Oh, and Happy New Year!

It seems fitting that my last review, the American remake of Chan Wook Park's Oldboy, is followed by Chan Wook Park's first American film.

Here's what I said about the trailer:

"Watching the trailer was like catching brief glimpses of lives descending into darkness with the final scene of the trailer showing dirt shovelled into an open grave... The trailer provides images and clues of the darkness but no answers, which made the visuals of the trailer that much more disturbing.  This is exactly what a trailer is supposed to do, tease, and it did so very well... I was sucked in immediately; this is one of the best trailers I've seen in a while."

Chan Wook Park is an interesting director.  According to IMDB, he turned down the offer to remake The Evil Dead - which would have been his first American film.

As the opening credits appear and the first few scenes melt into each other, one thought occurred me: Is he going to try harder because this is an American film or will he be himself?  I believe he remained true to himself and Stoker is classic Park.

Park himself says, "I don't feel enjoyment watching films that evoke passivity. If you need that kind of comfort, I don't understand why you wouldn't go to a spa."

There is no passivity in Stoker.  It's a dark and disturbing complex story told simply and as each plot layer becomes clearer, the dark and disturbing become magnified.  His characters place blame on other because they refuse to take on the blame themselves (like driving in Western Quebec - but I digress).

It's well cast, Kidman, Goode and Mia W. are strong and believable.  The self absorbed nature of each character is chilling. And the Stoker family gene even more so, and to address the trailer review: these characters did not descend into darkness, they were already there.

Yes, this is classic Park.  And I really enjoyed it.