The Siren

What a uniquely strange and haunting film this is. Billed as a horror, which it unquestionably is, it is also a truly heart-wrenching tale of longing and impossible love.

Nina, the titular siren (Margaret Ying Drake), mute outsider Tom (Evan Dumouchel) and lonely Al (MacLeod Andrews) are the three main characters, and with them we spend the 80 minutes of this story's running time. Inspired by the legend of The Rusalka, director and co-writer Perry Blackshear has these three guide us through a myriad of emotions - loss, friendship, distrust, suspicion and love. Interesting that Tom is a man of deep faith, and it such a refreshing change that faith isn't used as any kind of catalyst for anything else - it is simply part of his character and it gladdens us that he isn't totally alone, even after all that transpires.

Al is bereft after his husband - seen only briefly in flashback - is taken from him. When Nina appears, things change slowly. In fact, most things happen slowly, which will ensure this film isn't for everyone - but I found myself genuinely moved by it.

Terrific, intense performances all around - Ying Drake especially is creepy, sorrowful, alluring and endearing, sometimes all in one scene - allow 'The Siren' to stay in your mind long after the credits, and the haunting music, have finished rolling. My score is 8 out of 10.

I'm glad I found this unexpected gem. The texture and feel of the film is consistent and perfect. The acting is very good, with minimal dialogue. The fear is there and the scares are there, made all the more real by the gentleness and emotional weight. Especially startling is how the composition of filming, lighting and sound made the girl blend perfectly with the water she inhabited. There are some very chilling scenes, and this is a movie that will stay with me in a good way for a long time. The music is beautiful, too.

Yes, it's slow and not a typical horror movie. But it was still a beautiful story with beautiful cinematography.

mertgsb said: "I truly thought there must be some mistakes with editing because it was so disjointed and confusing." I guess you mean the fantasy scenes. There are some shots where characters fantasize, but they are quick and with context it's obvious they are fantasies. The siren can't leave the lake....so it cutting to a shot of her and some guy cuddling in a bed after zooming in on her pensive face is pretty self-explanatory.

kvhdn000 said: "There are many shots of one of her feet dangling in the water; I don't know what that means." She can't leave the lake.....she's cursed. Her dangling her foot in or standing on the very edge of the lake is as close as she can get to being on land.

kvhdn000 also said: "there are frequent jumps back and forth between shots that take place at unknown times and didn't convey anything to me." One set is the Siren fantasizing about what life would be like between her and the mute man if she could leave the water. That doesn't convey anything to you?

So many analyst. Just watch a movie with a blank slate. Relax. Does it intrigue? Peak your interest? This is what I look for. And this movie does.

I am not sure if the point of this movie was to be "artsy " but because of the poor editing it is really hard to track. It could have been a great story but I honestly couldn't tell what was supposed to be happening when and with whom. Time spliced editing is very tricky and if you don't do it right it can ruin your story.