Thursday 27 February 2014

Wake Wood (2011) Review


Review written by Angela Nolan

Director: David Keating, Starring: Aidan Gillen, Eva Birthistle, Timothy Spall

There are probably too many good things to say about Irish horror Wake Wood to fit in this review, and without giving too much away, but I will do my best.

The story is genuinely compelling; two grieving parents are offered the chance to see their child again but only for three days. Of course it’s not as simple as that but because you feel for these characters; it’s difficult to watch any problems. This brings us nicely onto our next point. Due to the aforementioned ‘problems’, I am not giving spoilers, there is a surprising amount of gore in this movie. However, this was not played for fun as with a torture porn movie but rather was there to really get under your skin and you can see your reaction on the faces of the onlookers on screen. This is one of the elements that make this a successful film and one that is not easily forgotten.

The acting in this movie is brilliant. The parents are portrayed sensitively and realistically; they have to make hefty sacrifices to see their daughter again but this gift is so precious to them that they barely give them a second thought. When Timothy Spall’s character is introduced he seems suspicious and his depiction of ‘village chief’ is reminiscent of Christopher Lee’s quietly sinister acting in The Wicker Man, never a bad comparison. The best of a great bunch however is newcomer Ella Connolly who does a wonderful job switching from innocent to evil as things go awry. Her performance was so frightening in fact that when the doorbell rang half way through this film I was genuinely worried for a split second that she had found me! It should also be noted that I was watching this movie in the daylight.

In conclusion, I would strongly recommend this horror as although it’s not always an easy watch you will be rewarded for your perseverance and will be unsettled for at least a few days. Horror at its finest as it uses real human fears as its basis.

Wake Wood gets 5 Stars

Check out the trailer here...


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