Careful of the water what is dark, now.
You hear me?
I've seen a few films lately that I haven't yet got round to reviewing. The first one was a couple of week ago now, just before going off on my hols.
Dark Water is the American remake of a Japanese horror movie. Ordinarily I tend to watch the original foreign-language version of a film rather than the Hollywood version. However, I have been underwhelmed, generally speaking, with Japanese horror, and Wife has sworn off it completely (along with swearing off of David Lynch). So if I want to have some movie-watching downtime with the missus, I need to avoid J-horror, as it's apparently now known.
Another reason for watching this version over the Japanese version is that it has Jennifer Connelly in it. (Can I get a "hubba-hubba"?) And, finally, it clearly had some potential over and above the average US mainstream fare by virtue of being directed by Walter Salles, the man behind the quite wonderful Cental Station.
Well, the intention -- partly because it's a while since I saw the movie -- was for this to be a brief review leading into a longer one of the film I watched on Saturday night, but I seem already to have written more than I had expected. Oops. Guess I'll do two separate posts...
Okay, synopsis. Recently separated mother needs to move to affordable housing with daughter. Finds a flat with charming landlord (the inimitable John C Reilly) and creepy doorman/super (the ubiquitous Pete Postlethwaite). Daughter begins having imaginary friend. Mother starts seeing strange shit. Flat floods with water from room above. Supernatural stuff. Yada yada. I could say more, but I'm not keen to give spoilers.
The verdict: Actually pretty good. Somewhat predictable if you've seen as many films as I have over the years. But better than recent US so-called horror classics such as The Sixth Sense. Couple of moments that make you jump in your seat a little. The acting is generally very good. And the direction is good too. Good ending. A word of warning, though: This film co-stars the worst actor in the entire world, the absolutely beyond-appalling, not even so-bad-he's-good Dougray Scott. Fucking hell, he's shit.
The score: I'm still refining my scoring system, but I'm trying to stay true to the scores I've previously given. As such, Dark Water gets 66 out of 100.
Next up for review: Thumbsucker, Man On Fire, and Sympathy For Mr Vengeance.
Dark Water is the American remake of a Japanese horror movie. Ordinarily I tend to watch the original foreign-language version of a film rather than the Hollywood version. However, I have been underwhelmed, generally speaking, with Japanese horror, and Wife has sworn off it completely (along with swearing off of David Lynch). So if I want to have some movie-watching downtime with the missus, I need to avoid J-horror, as it's apparently now known.Another reason for watching this version over the Japanese version is that it has Jennifer Connelly in it. (Can I get a "hubba-hubba"?) And, finally, it clearly had some potential over and above the average US mainstream fare by virtue of being directed by Walter Salles, the man behind the quite wonderful Cental Station.
Well, the intention -- partly because it's a while since I saw the movie -- was for this to be a brief review leading into a longer one of the film I watched on Saturday night, but I seem already to have written more than I had expected. Oops. Guess I'll do two separate posts...
Okay, synopsis. Recently separated mother needs to move to affordable housing with daughter. Finds a flat with charming landlord (the inimitable John C Reilly) and creepy doorman/super (the ubiquitous Pete Postlethwaite). Daughter begins having imaginary friend. Mother starts seeing strange shit. Flat floods with water from room above. Supernatural stuff. Yada yada. I could say more, but I'm not keen to give spoilers.
The verdict: Actually pretty good. Somewhat predictable if you've seen as many films as I have over the years. But better than recent US so-called horror classics such as The Sixth Sense. Couple of moments that make you jump in your seat a little. The acting is generally very good. And the direction is good too. Good ending. A word of warning, though: This film co-stars the worst actor in the entire world, the absolutely beyond-appalling, not even so-bad-he's-good Dougray Scott. Fucking hell, he's shit.
The score: I'm still refining my scoring system, but I'm trying to stay true to the scores I've previously given. As such, Dark Water gets 66 out of 100.
Next up for review: Thumbsucker, Man On Fire, and Sympathy For Mr Vengeance.
Labels: david lynch, film reviews
permalink posted by * (asterisk) at 12:30 PM
13 Comments:
Thanks for the tip. I did see The Ring and The Ring 2 (original Japanese and both at around 1am - Jesus what was I thinking). Then I saw the American version of The Grudge and figured it was rubbish. Haven't seen the J version yet, but I bet is surpasses the A version. J horror, thought, has a quality all its own.
Thumbsucker? There's a film called Thumbsucker? OK I'll watch it if Johnny Depp's in it. Is he? My favourite actor after David Niven is Depp. 'N of course he's still alive n all.
Sounds pretty good. Sounds a bit like a supernatural Panic Room.
Thumbsucker is great - which Man on Fire are u watching? the 1987 one or the 2004 one?
Tony Scott + Denzel Washington + Dakota Fanning = awesome.
Asterisk, I may have to give this one a try, if not for the story line, for Jennifer Connelly. She looks hot!
i'm glad you reviewed this one... i'd heard pretty bad things about it, but i often disagree with negativity when it comes to horror movies. granted, they're very often bad... but this one looked intriguing, so i imagine people didn't like it because it wasn't slasher, naked screaming girl horror.
anyway, i'm excited to see it now :)
Of your coming reviews I loved Thumbsucker and Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance.
Dark water was a 'meh;. japanese adaptations of horror films rarely work for me and much is lost in the translation
I thoroughly enjoyed The Ring, but thought Ring 2 paled in comparison. I had heard somewhere that Dark Water was also a remake, but never saw the originals of any of them.
All I can say is those Japanese have some serious inner demons.:)
Love Japanese horror, its so bleak, and everyone invariably dies. Much more satisfying.
Dark water lacked the suspense of the orignal. Still a good film, very different to your usual american shite.
I am going to watch man on fire tomorrow night, I will post a review on Wednesday.
heres your "hubba hubba", and i will throw in a free "awooga", "fnaarr", "dip your bread" and "fill ya boots" too!
all these comments and i am the first to pick up on that? says a lot for MY mentality i suppose.
Tanya: You're welcome. I've seen both versions of (The) Ring but no sequels. Didn't think that much of them. I saw the J version of The Grudge. Didn't think that much of it. I do like some Japanese movies, though. I'll have to do an update post...
4D: No Johnny Depp; though I'm with you on the fact that I'll watch almost anything with him in it. Thumbsucker does star the kid from Green Day's Jesus of Suburbia video, though...
Candy: Hmm, not so much. But there is some supernatural stuff and some panic and a room...
Adam: The Denzel one, natch.
Suze: I know! (Although she doesn't look like that in the film...)
Martha: Horror has a love-it-or-hate-it thing going on, for sure. I'm no über fan, but I do like good horror, just like I like good films in any genre. It's the "good" bit that's subjective, though...
Shamash: I won't give anything away re my review of Thumbsucker yet, just as I haven't of Man On Fire yet, but I've watched both already. Mr Vengeance is still waiting for me, but I loved Oldboy, so I have high hopes.
Janet: Those Japanese have got something going on, that's for sure!
RD: The bleakness is definitely appealing, and there must be something that often brings me back to J-horror, hoping to see what the world is gushing about... Looking forward to reading your Man On Fire review.
Cappy: I was wondering where all the hubbas were! Some people, huh?
Well, *, I guess that will teach me for watching stuff at 1am.
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