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Hammer Films’ comeback enjoys a two-pronged boost this month, thanks to Wake Wood and this dread-soaked if derivative chiller about love, obsession and carpentry.
Hilary Swank toplines as Juliet, an ER surgeon living in New York. Discovering her long-time boyfriend Jack (Pushing Daisies’ lee Pace) has had an affair, she moves out of their apartment.
Searching for a new place to live – and perhaps a new life – she meets max (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) who runs an old, stately apartment building with his grandfather august (Christopher Lee).
Juliet moves in and, after a few fumbling run-ins, a sweet but awkward bond between her and max grows, nicely played by the leads. Alas, Max is from the Norman Bates school of landlords, spying on Juliet while she sleeps; it’s only a matter of time before a murderous game of cat-and-mouse kicks off.
Finnish director Antti Jokinen (making his feature debut) is mostly known for glitzy pop promos, so his decision to let the tension build for a good hour before exploding into gory violence comes as a welcome surprise.
Likewise, Swank and Morgan bring enough shading to the relationship drama that it almost seems a pity when the film lurches inevitably into scream-gorged slasher territory for the finale.
It also strains credibility more than a bit to cast the handsome, dashing Morgan as a sweaty, craven creep who drills peepholes into residents’ walls.
Still, the film serves as a fine example of Hammer’s classic horror film aesthetic – wonderfully ripe dialogue, fog-thick atmosphere, a talented, up-for-it cast (it’s a rare pleasure to see the studio’s signature star, lee, return home), a smattering of skin (Swank takes more showers then she needs to) and a few healthy dollops of grue.
Expect anything more and you’ll be let down; expect a serviceable genre piece and you won’t be moaning to the management.
Ken McIntyre is a freelance writer who has spent years covering music and film. You'll find Ken in the pages of Total Film and here on GamesRadar, using his experience and expertise to dive into the history of cinema and review the latest films. You'll also find him writing features and columns for other Future Plc brands, such as Metal Hammer and Classic Rock magazine.
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