DVD Corner

Stoker Blu-ray Review

“Stoker” is worth sticking through.

“Stoker” (the first English language film from cult director Park Chan-Wook of the Vengeance trilogy fame) is a Hitchcockian psychological thriller about family, truth, lies, the past, secrets, and death. The film mainly revolves a young, eccentric, morbid girl (India) who is mourning the loss of her father. Not only is she having trouble with the loss of her father, but she’s also having trouble being stuck with her mother (Evelyn). The family dynamic begins to change, however, when a mysterious uncle (Charles) appears in their home. From the get go, something seems off about the creepy Charles and yet both Evelyn and India begin to grow closer to him. To say anything more would be entering spoiler territory, but, suffice to say, the mystery of Charles is integral to the overall story.

For the first 35 minutes, “Stoker” is a bit of a chore to watch as the material and characters feel cold and distant. This makes it hard to connect with anything on screen. Once Jacki Weaver (who plays Aunt Gwendolyn) arrives, however, the film commands your attention. Suddenly, the set-up, the off characters, and the mysteries all begin to come together like a puzzle which makes you forget and forgive the rather slow pacing at the start. I wish I could clarify more here, but trust me when I tell you that this is the type of movie you don’t want spoiled. “Stoker” is best seen knowing as little as possible which is thankfully how I viewed it. If I had to compare it to anything it would be Park Chan-Wook’s previous film “Oldboy.” While the subject matter and story are entirely different, this disturbing adult mystery certainly unfolds in a similar fashion.

While the script is generally well written, it is the performances that really drive this film. While Nicole Kidman is the biggest name here, she’s not the one stealing the show. The scene stealing duties belong to Matthew Goode (Charles) and Mia Wasikowska (India). Ever since Miss Wasikowska appeared in “The Kids Are All Right,” it was clear she was going places. Now, with her best role yet in “Stoker,” she’s clearly a talented actress that deserves to be mentioned amongst the elite actresses. As for Matthew Goode, he’s another relative newcomer to the acting world that has been doing solid work for years in films like “Watchmen” and “Match Point.” Like with Mia Wasikowska, Goode also gives a career best here as the complex, layered, and downright creepy Charles.

Video/Audio:

Between Park Chan-Wook’s unique directorial style and Chung-Hoon Chung’s lush cinematography, “Stoker” is a very visual film despite the fact that there aren’t a ton of locations. The film, which is presented in 2.40:1 1080p, looks fantastic on Blu-ray. As far as I’m concerned, it is hands down the best way to view it.

A 5.1 DTS-HD MA track and multiple language track options have been included on this disc. While “Stoker” isn’t the type of film that assaults you with sound as it is a mostly dialogue driven film, the use of sound is still integral to the film. The 5.1 track handles all of the subtleties of the audio quite well.

Extras:
* DigitalHD copy.
* Fox trailers.
* 3 deleted scenes.
* “Stoker: A Filmmaker’s Journey”- A nearly 28 minute behind-the-scenes featurette on the production of Park Chan-Wook’s first English language film. Topics include the screenplay, the locations, the direction style, etc.
* “Photography By Mary Ellen Mark” and “London Theatre Design”- Still image galleries.
* “Theatrical Behind The Scenes”- A series of 5 self-explanatory featurettes titled “The Making Of The International Limited Edition Poster,” “Mysterious Characters,” “Director’s Vision,” “Designing The Look,” and “Creating The Music.”
* “Red Carpet Premiere” which includes red carpet footage and a performance of Emily Wells’ song “Becomes The Color.”
* A theatrical trailer and 3 TV spots for “Stoker.”

Summary: A collaboration between director Park Chan-Wook, producers Tony and Ridley Scott and writer Wentworth Miller (best known as the star of “Prison Break”) sounds like a strange assortment of talent, but if you’re an open minded film fan, there is much to admire about this bizarre little character driven film.

July 2, 2013 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | Matthew Goode, Mia Wasikowska, Nicole Kidman, Oldboy, Park Chan-Wook, Stoker Blu-ray Review