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DVD Wake Wood
 Run time: 90 min Rating: 5.5 Genres: Drama | Horror | Thriller Director: David Keating Writers: Brendan McCarthy, Brendan McCarthy Stars: Aidan Gillen, Eva Birthistle, Timothy Spall |
| Storyline Still grieving the death of nine-year-old Alice – their only child – at the jaws of a crazed dog, vet Patrick and pharmacist Louise relocate to the remote town of Wake Wood where they learn of a pagan ritual that will allow them three more days with Alice. The couple find the idea disturbing and exciting in equal measure, but once they agree terms with Arthur, the village’s leader, a far bigger question looms – what will they do when it’s time for Alice to go back? Written by Bloody-Disgusting.com |
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| Plot Keywords: ritual, pagan, british horror, hammer horror, supernatural | |
| Details: Country: Ireland, UK Release Date: 25 March 2011 (UK) |
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4 comments
I found the story line original, or at least something I haven't seen in the past 10 years, because it's nearly all been done by now. The story moves at a good pace, showing you mysterious things along the way, teasing you a little before revealing what exactly is happening.
I would describe Wake Wood as a mix between the Exorcist and The Wicker Man. While it never reaches the brilliance of the previously mentioned films Wake Wood is a solid film, with good acting, particularly from the ever excellent Aidan Gillen. The cinematography is hardly groundbreaking but suits the mood of the film well.
Any fan of supernatural horror should be satisfied with what Wake Wood has to offer.
Patrick (Gillen) and Louise (Birthistle) are a happy couple with a daughter named Alice (Connolly). One morning, on her way to school, she stops by her dad's office (her father is a veterinarian) and is viciously attacked by a dog, killing her. Marriage strained, Patrick and Louise move away — to a town called Wakewood. It's a nice enough town… Patrick finds work in the veterinary field via Arthur (Spall) and Louise opens her own drugstore in town. You can tell that they are both unhappy, though — it's the price you pay when you suffer such tragedy, I suppose. Sick of it all, Patrick drives Louise to the station so she can run away on her own, but their car breaks down, so they hoof it to Arthur's house and stumble upon some strange Pagan ritual. All of this happens within the first 5 minutes of screen time and that's where the movie begins…
Seems there is more than meets the eye to Arthur and his cronies. They apparently can bring a loved one back from the dead… but only for three days. Isn't that always the way? When will science discover a more permanent solution to this silly little thing called death? As always with Pagan rituals and weird Irish townsfolk, there are certain rules and stipulations that must be followed to the 't'. Patrick and Louise don't really care too much about rules… they just want to see their daughter again. Who could blame them? I think the townspeople of Wakewood might have something to say about that.
The movie was filmed in Ireland and the town, scenery and cast just add to the overall creepiness. No single performance is better or worse than one another, even the newcomer Ella Connolly as Alice did a nice job. She didn't overdo her part and wasn't very annoying at all, which surprised me.
Sure, the story isn't that original once you get right down to it. Hollywood has had many movies where someone dies and gets resurrected and then complications set in, some more comical than others, sure, but you see what I'm saying. However, Wake Wood does it in such a way that it's not cheesy or over-the-top and it keeps you interested enough that you'll want to find out how it all ends. It's a very satisfying film with a nifty little twist at the end that makes use of foreshadowing, which seems to be a lost art these days. More reviews at http://www.soveryterry.com Final Grade: B-
Following the unnecessary, yet excellent remake 'Let me In' Hammer returns with Wake Wood a supernatural chiller in which a child is brought back from the dead to comfort her parents for three days. But she's not quite the angelic child she was.
Eva Birthistle plays the grieving mother Louise and Twelve Rounds (2009) bad guy Adian Gillen is exceptional as the deceased child's father. Reliable Timothy Spall and the child actress are notable and the supporting cast are solid.
There's some effective bloody gore, grizzly births, severed spines, dog attacks and killings. Some supernatural elements take place out of shot to avoid the use of CGI, which adds to the believability and saves the budget.
Wake Wood is dark, damp and dreary just as it should be. Nevertheless, it is slightly stifled by a filmed for TV look. That aside, with a small budget director David Keating keeps the blood flowing and the pace going. It benefits from plausibility and atmosphere with an on location shoot. There's plenty of shadows, eerie music, sharp editing and a grounded screen-play (by Brendan McCarthy) to keep you watching with a grin that Hammer may have a place in this century.
With elements of Don't Look Now, Case 39, Carrie, The Wicker Man and Pet Cemetery to name a few you could argue it's all be done before and better. However, Wake Wood's great ending debatably leaves you thinking sometimes less is more.
And I am utterly delighted to say this is exactly the sort of movie I hoped Hammer would produce when it rose from the ashes. Last week, I laid into The Resident which was hopelessly feeble. This is anything but. A gory, edge-of-the-seat cracker which also has a fabulous psychological edge. From the start it grabbed me. Which is not too surprising because in the first three minutes a young couple's daughter is torn to death by an angry Alsatian. This inspires the pair, Patrick (Aidan Gillen) and Louise (Eva Birthistle) to start a new life, deep in the Irish countryside, at a village called Wake Wood (what a great name). Louise senses there is something a little odd about the locals, who are led by a squire, played with perfect gravitas by Timothy Spall. Many other reviews have given the game away at this point. I am going to avoid doing that and just suggest supernatural jiggery pokery. Patrick and Louise get involved and the consequences are bloody but rather brilliant. I have read that Wake Wood has echoes of the Whicker Man and I sort of understand this thinking. Certainly, the villagers share a secret and are involved in behaviour which outsiders are unlikely to understand. Gillen and Birtwistle are rather splendid as the fraught interlopers. They succeed where Hilary Swank failed so hopelessly in The Resident. And then there is Spall. I've been enthralled by Spall, so to speak, since the days of Auf Widersehen Pet. He gets better with age. But the real hero is director David Keating who was also on the writing team. With a limited budget he has created a movie with levels of horror and suspense which would make the heroes of Hammer proud.