DVD Corner

The Marsh King’s Daughter Blu-ray Review

“The Marsh King’s Daughter” leaves you wanting more. 

As a child, Helena lived with her parents in the wilderness. What she didn’t know (until later) is that her father (Jacob AKA Marsh King) abducted her mother and held them both in captivity by force. As an adult, Helena is attempting to move on with her life with a daughter (Marigold) and a husband (Stephen) while her father is in jail. Alas, Jacob escapes confinement, fakes his death, and seeks out his daughter. Now, Helena is forced to confront her uncomfortable past and her father. 

Based on the novel of the same name by Karen Dionne and adapted for the screen by Elie Smith and Mark L. Smith, “The Marsh King’s Daughter” is a slow-burn psychological thriller that has plenty going for it. On the surface it’s an intriguing story about trauma, family, home, nature, and survival that has an eerie vibe to it. There’s a lot of dream scenes, paranoia, and unsettling moments that keep you engaged. At the same time, you keep hoping that director Neil Burger ratchets up the tension and pushes things further. In the end though, it’s all rather predictable in that you can clearly see where it’s all headed. A deeper dive into the characters and a more compelling confrontation between father and daughter really would have gone a long way for this movie. As is, it’s an artfully made and beautifully shot thriller that holds your attention, but doesn’t quite deliver.

It should come as no surprise that Ben Mendelsohn is great as per usual. He’s one of the best actors in the biz. He’s entirely creepy here as the titular Marsh King and is easily the highlight of the movie. Daisy Ridley gets a very different role here as Helena. It’s a quiet, subdued, and introspective part. It would have been nice for her character to have a little more going on, but Ridley does a commendable job. Garrett Hedlund is probably the most underutilized actor in Hollywood. People just don’t seem to know what to do with him a lot of the time. He gets a pretty bland role here sadly. Gil Birmingham is becoming a rising star and deservedly so. Again, it would have been nice if his character had a little more depth, but Birmingham is on point.

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 2.39:1 1080p. Grade: A-

Audio Track: 5.1 DTS-HD MA. Grade: A-

Extras include a commentary by director Neil Burger, a theatrical trailer, DVD copy, Digital copy, and “The Art Of Survival: Making The Marsh King’s Daughter” featurette.

January 11, 2024 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | Ben Mendelsohn, Daisy Ridley, The Marsh King's Daughter Blu-ray Review, thriller