Stoker Review

2nd Mar 2013

On her 18^th birthday, India Stoker’s father dies. Withdrawn already from life, India (Mia Wasikowska) finds her lonely journey interrupted by the arrival of an uncle she never knew she had (Mathew Goode) who imposes himself in her life along with her mother (Nicole Kidman). The three then act as a very unstable unit, Uncle Charlie bringing a large amount of tension between the two lonesome women. But there is also a lot of shadows that seem to follow Charlie around, and it isn’t long before India starts to cotton on to what and who her uncle really is, despite being drawn to him.

Quite simply put: The cast are all magnificent. Kidman remains in the background, but portrays Evelyn Stoker a woman who was wasted a life living it from home. Goode, with his penetrating stares and airbrushed skin floats in and out of scenes adding to the air of mystery surrounding his character. Wasikowska is phenomenal in the lead role of India. It’s a layered role that plays off on events with some truly nerve shattering twists along the way.

Scholars will spend hours picking apart the sexual awakening within India, be it encounters with her family, boys at school or just hanging out with mother-nature herself.

A large part of why the film works so well is down to its director park Chan-wook. No moment has gone to waste in this beautifully shot masterpiece, all edited to perfection. An early scene at the India’s father’s wake has the camera following back and forth between characters as India is first starting to follow her uncle, and then he her.

Although this could be classed as a horror; it isn’t out to frighten or terrify for shock value. He film slowly burns away relying more on getting under the skin. The sound design is also key to the film’s success, with India’s acute senses being a large part of who she is.

Anyone afraid of canted angles, sustained shots, use of flashback and various other art film sensibilities should still bare through with this one as even the most simple of scenes are given nice tweaks to them. The camera never lingers, always telling the story and unveiling the characters. A large part of the charm of the film is how cleverly and calmly it unfolds each mystery and each dramatic beat – letting the audience assume one thing and then be given revelatory information that twists it further.

An easy early contender for cult classic of the year, Stoker is seductive, dark and simply brilliant.