Jakob's Wife

A fun dark romance, one of the better Shudder films, Love lust, gore small budget done well I have seen much worse.

This is one of those movies where I'm glad a friend showed it to our group and I was completely blind about it. Obviously if you've seen the poster here, you're clued in on what the subject matter is, but it's interesting that the movie isn't super blatant about it. The first third of the movie is kind of a tense paranormal thriller, and it gives you plenty of room to make up your own assumptions about what's going on.

Then the reveal hits -- and the tone of the whole movie shifts to something a little more tongue-in-cheek, complete with Evil Dead amounts of blood spray. Something that initially appears buttoned-up and serious turns out to be pretty fun, all told. Some of the more complex effects look a little cheap, but the movie doesn't take itself too seriously in the end, so it's fitting with the spirit of things.

I thought it was pretty good, and I liked the fact the Minister was more than just a walking stereotype. Always gotta have a little dimensionality to your characters, and the range of his character fits with the range of the movie itself.

'Jakob's Wife' can't really decide what it wants to be. It goes from a very subtle first act, to an extremely bloody and gory second act, to a comedy third act - almost to the point of becoming slapstick.

This is a very different vampire movie and will be for an acquired taste only. The film's highlight and draw card is undoubtedly screen legend Barbara Crampton, who was excellent as Anne Fedder. I'm not sure whether one could refer to her as the film's protagonist, but she is the lead, and magnificent! She also looks amazing. She plays a woman trapped in a marriage to a minister who repulses her. Once bitten by a vampire - which happened off-screen for some reason, by the way - she undergoes a transformation. This was very exciting, scary and funny. The first act was highly effective with a haunting score.

Unfortunately the film itself transformed, as it turns out. As mentioned, the second act became very bloody; and I mean bucket loads of blood squirting from victims. Unrealistic and overdone, to say the least. It was still entertaining in a way, but it then goes from this gory act to a humorist final act. The creature was scary in the beginning but in the third act he looked like a creature more suited for a comedy - as if a spoof from other vampire movie creations. The humor during the first act was really funny, but it became a bit overbearing during the final act. What a pity.

Still, this is not a bad movie and deserves a watch if you're into this genre - and a MUST if you're a Barbara Crampton fan.

Would I watch it again? I doubt it.

This is a fun little film with some of both Crampton's and Fessenden's finest acting. It mixes a few genres into the horror. And the thing seems like a slice-of-life about a married couple that has to deal with a supernatural outbreak on top of their other issues. It goes in a few weird directions. I liked it.

This film starts as a serious movie, then takes a turn to semi comedy that never really works. It's an attempt at a Fright Night type of movie, but the trudges along , but not really at a slow pace, but one that keeps your curiosity on the hook just long enough. Your lead (master) vampire should be menacing and frightful, this one however, was not, so the overall punch is lost. It was more like a life coach in a bald cap. The editing is odd at times which doesn't help matters. It's one of those films that leaves you squinting at the screen in confusion at times, thinking, huh? Barbara Crampton carried the film and it was great seeing her again.