StokerThere is a proverb: "Blood is thicker than water." This means that the ties that bind family together are stronger because nature dictates it to be so--it is a part of us, inescapable. In psychology, there is an age old argument about which determines one's personality--"nature" or "nurture"; are people molded by their environment, or is there something genetic which predisposes us to our ways? And in one scene in Stoker--preceding an act of alarming violence--a nature program is playing in the background, about predators. We are not shocked when one species hunts another; this is not so when the predator and prey are of the same family.
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Stoker is a fascinating psychological thriller, following India Stoker (Mia Wasikowska), and the sudden arrival of her long-absent uncle, Charlie (Matthew Goode). His appearance stirs something in India that resonates at an instinctual level; and though his charming demeanor captivates the widow Evelyn (Nicole Kidman), his past eventually bleeds through, exposing his true nature--and exhuming something terrifying deep within India. Throughout the film, India develops from timid teenager into a confident young adult--from prey to predator. India is a little awkward, a little quiet...different, and yet natural; and that is what is unsettling: her nature. And something is similarly unsettling about Uncle Charlie from the start, evidenced by his natural charisma at the wake for India's father and his brother, Richard (Dermot Mulroney), and the fact that he's the only one not wearing black. Stoker wears its influences on its sleeve; while set in the affluent vista of rural Connecticut, the setting might very well mirror Elsinore, as uncle Charlie's appearance as the consoling brother of the late Richard Stoker resembles Claudius in Shakespeare's Hamlet--especially in light of India's initial repulsion at her uncle's encroachment into her life. And like the aloof Prince of Denmark, India is hurt by her mother's apparent dismissal of her father, and resists Charlie's presence in the household in light of her mother's lack of reluctance to allow another man to offer her companionship. Another similar story is a movie by the "Master of Suspense", Alfred Hitchcock, in his film of familial angst and murder, Shadow of a Doubt. Here, another "Uncle Charlie", played by Joseph Cotton, intrudes into his family's halcyon home under the pretense of a family reunion, both intimidating and subtly seducing his niece. At an instinctive level, India and Charlie speak the same language. The two share a piano duet that is revealing about both of their personalities. India is resisting the dangerous allure which Charlie stirs in her, and Charlie is again confirmed as a sociopathic liar; he had previously indicated that he could not play. It is a scene with music by Philip Glass that comes across as a mix of coy seduction and a dueling of personae between these two enigmatic characters. Through Stoker's Charlie, the film follows the beat of other psychological thrillers before it, where an affable newcomer ingratiates himself into the household, but over time and through the insight of another, is revealed to be not what he seems. But India is both a counterpoint and comrade, as she intrinsically feels a connection to Charlie--whether she likes it or not--and is drawn into his gyre, but knows the inner deadliness in him, because it is in her blood.
India is established as an artist at school, but this is a facade; deep down, she is a hunter, and enjoyed her hunting trips with her father, even if her father only seemed interested in spending time with her during their excursions. India learned how to hunt her prey, how to observe and capitalize on her keen senses. As a predator, India instinctively knows what Charlie is, even if her rational mind cannot cope with the implications at first. One night, after watching her uncle kissing her mother, India goes out to meet a boy she likes from school, Whip (Alden Ehrenreich). When India tells him an analogy about how she feels, what it's like to see a photograph of yourself when you didn't know you were being photographed--seeing an "angle" of yourself you didn't know existed--she is talking about seeing herself in Charlie, however Whip presumes she is exploring her sexuality by meeting him late at night at a bar, then taking him into the woods; misunderstandings like that prove to be costly. The aftermath of this night, in a way, does evoke something primal in India; but not because of Whip per se, but because of Charlie exposing her to a predatory side that is her awakening maturity and her truer self, which she also mistakes for sexuality to an extent. Stoker is directed by Park Chan-wook, with cinematography by Chung Chung-hoon; and while set in New England, the film embodies many visual flourishes often found in Asian arthouse cinema, such as a playful titles, vibrant lighting, and a contrast between the beautiful and the bloody. The pacing of the film is deliberate and careful, not attempting to trick the audience with misinformation, but create an atmosphere that mirrors India's state of mind. A clever way to put us into her head is by accentuating otherwise inaudible bits of dialogue--or intensifying music--in a way that reflects India's (and presumably Charlie's) unique ability to hear things that other people might not hear. It's refreshing to see (and hear) this kind of subtlety in a movie, and it keeps you guessing as to the characters' true motives.
Recommended for: Fans of a psychological thriller looking for an enjoyably unnerving tale of a young woman's bizarre "awakening" to the predatory instincts buried, deeper in some than others.
India is established as an artist at school, but this is a facade; deep down, she is a hunter, and enjoyed her hunting trips with her father, even if her father only seemed interested in spending time with her during their excursions. India learned how to hunt her prey, how to observe and capitalize on her keen senses. As a predator, India instinctively knows what Charlie is, even if her rational mind cannot cope with the implications at first. One night, after watching her uncle kissing her mother, India goes out to meet a boy she likes from school, Whip (Alden Ehrenreich). When India tells him an analogy about how she feels, what it's like to see a photograph of yourself when you didn't know you were being photographed--seeing an "angle" of yourself you didn't know existed--she is talking about seeing herself in Charlie, however Whip presumes she is exploring her sexuality by meeting him late at night at a bar, then taking him into the woods; misunderstandings like that prove to be costly. The aftermath of this night, in a way, does evoke something primal in India; but not because of Whip per se, but because of Charlie exposing her to a predatory side that is her awakening maturity and her truer self, which she also mistakes for sexuality to an extent. Stoker is directed by Park Chan-wook, with cinematography by Chung Chung-hoon; and while set in New England, the film embodies many visual flourishes often found in Asian arthouse cinema, such as a playful titles, vibrant lighting, and a contrast between the beautiful and the bloody. The pacing of the film is deliberate and careful, not attempting to trick the audience with misinformation, but create an atmosphere that mirrors India's state of mind. A clever way to put us into her head is by accentuating otherwise inaudible bits of dialogue--or intensifying music--in a way that reflects India's (and presumably Charlie's) unique ability to hear things that other people might not hear. It's refreshing to see (and hear) this kind of subtlety in a movie, and it keeps you guessing as to the characters' true motives.
Recommended for: Fans of a psychological thriller looking for an enjoyably unnerving tale of a young woman's bizarre "awakening" to the predatory instincts buried, deeper in some than others.