The Autopsy of Jane Doe

This movie is like a well wrapped present. You might have an idea what it is, but you can't really be sure before you unwrap and open it.

The music and overall ambience quickly tells us it is going to be dark, scary and bloody. As the movie progresses we are introduced to the aftermath of what seems like a slaughter within an ordinary home.

It quickly takes a turn as the body of an unknown woman (Hint: Jane Doe) is discovered in the basement. Partly burried, but in mint condition.

... wuush we change location an meet the main characters, a father and son, both coroners. Lucky as they are, they get a new patient(?) - well a body. This is of course the Jane Doe and as they begin to cut her open, the well wrapped presents presents itself as a true and horrifying horror film.

The father and son-relashionship makes us care for the characters as they try to discover the dark and creepy truth that lies beneath Jane Does skin.

I really liked. I even made this review ... It is worth your time. Watch it with your lads or perhaps on a second or third date .. a winner ;-)

Enjoy - I did.

The title and poster of the movie give a creepy and uneasy feeling to the prospective watcher, and the same creepy atmosphere is wonderfully evident from the start of this well-executed, well-acted offering from the Norwegian director who gave us the thoroughly underrated Trollhunter. This time, he opted for conventional filmmaking instead of the found-footage style he so deftly utilized in Trollhunter, giving us time to take in the brilliantly directed scenes which immediately thrusts the audience into the unsettling premise of a Jane Doe being autopsied by a father-and-son coroner duo.

The dialogue between the leads in the beginning build character almost instantaneously, and they feel real from the get-go. Compared to the recent trend of horror movies eschewing character development for cardboard cutout jump-scare fuel, this movie comes as a nice and refreshing, almost surprising, change of pace. The father and the son have contrasting personalities regarding their approach to autopsies. I expected this brilliancy in dialogue and character development to carry the whole movie - and it immediately increased my expectations of the movie; I fully expected this to be an underrated horror gem of 2016.

Alas, however, half-way through the movie the director's Conjuring-esque influences seemed to show through the cracks. Though not devolving straight into jump-scare territory, the movie dips its feet into schlock scares now and then, which has a very infuriating effect on the viewer who, until now, has been amazed by the movie's restraint. The character development also suffers, with some actions by the leads contradicting their motivations.

However, the concept and execution need to be commended. The actors Brian Cox and Emile Hirsch do well to sell the dread and claustrophobia experienced by the characters. Special mention to Olwen Kelly, who gives possibly the best performance of the movie, despite having no lines, no action (she plays the corpse). Definitely one of the highlights of the movie was the synergy between the camera-work and the actress's facial expressions which do more to put the viewer at unease than minute-long scenes of staring into the darkness, fully knowing the movie is going to go for that cheap jump-scare. That being said, I would say the script was the weakest aspect of the movie, the ending just leaves you wanting a little bit more, and slightly disappointed. Nevertheless, the movie does its job of selling you the premise and executing it well enough to leave you unsettled for a few days.

All in all, I would call this movie as a mixed bag, though I would give it a glowing recommendation as it is head and shoulders above the spate of incomprehensible scare-fests being offered by Hollywood these days. Great work, André Øvredal.

Be sure to check out Trollhunter by the same director. Although not a horror film, it merges the found-footage genre with goofy mythical creatures to amazingly hilarious yet epic results.

After watching the trailer of this film i was just expecting another lazy cheesy horror film, and i knew it was a movie i'd skip. But after seeing some good reviews here and there about it, i thought i'd give it a try and watch it with an open mind.

Turns out to be one of the best horror films to come out this year (Along with Lights Out, Under The Shadow and Don't Breathe)

Just consider that this movie is not for the faint heart at all as it contains very graphic scenes that aren't suitable for everyone, but the title says it anyway it's an Autopsy.

What I liked the most about this film is that it has everything horror fans would like to see in a movie, it has very disturbing scenes, top- notch suspense , good scares , an atmosphere that will suck you in and a creepy enough story that'll probably keep you up at night thinking about dead bodies

The film starts slow with the horror but it never keeps you bored, it's always interesting and you always wanna know how things will go, and as you watch you'll notice it's getting weirder and weirder and then you'll feel so uncomfortable watching it until you reach the top speed of the horror and then it will come to an end.

The ending could've been better (thought its a bit cheesy) but it hasn't ruined the experience for me, it's still a good watch for fans of the genre.

Conclusion: If you're a true horror fan you can't miss this one, pretty sure it has many in it that will give you some good scares.

Nowadays sadly it's really hard to find out a(horror)movie with an original plot and such an interesting story. The idea of the whole movie to take place in the morgue is actually something that we haven't seen and that's even better because it makes you feel like you are in there with the cast. In addition to that, the special effects are outstanding.There are some scenes (quite graphic) that are able to make you feel like you are watching a real anatomy class. The only reason that I put 7 instead of 8 or 9 was because of the ending.(don't worry I won't say anything) It wasn't bad but the way that the film ends kind of destroys the originality of the film since it is not something so special. Nevertheless this doesn't mean that you should skip this specific movie. If you want to spend an hour and a half in a horror movie that actually turns out to be one of the best of it's year then this film is what you need!

Saw this at the Night Visions festival in Helsinki, November 2016. What I expected was a lighthearted, "father and son as morticians" kind of movie. What I got was a movie that chilled even my horror movie veteran soul to the bone.

To explain too much about this movie would spoil it, so I will not go into details. But the director succeeds wonderfully in first creating a comfortable atmosphere, introducing a small cast of characters and setting the scene, and then masterfully starts upping the discomfort levels of the situation, until you are sitting at the edge of your seat, biting your nails. Like in Øvredal's former movie, Troll Hunter, what you cannot see can be a million times more disconcerting than what is in plain sight. Although here he uses both..

Great characters, great atmosphere, an overall great experience. Even if at times I wished for it to end already, just because I couldn't quite bear all the anxiety. I hope this comes to Finland proper, so others can see it too! Quite possibly the best horror film I have seen this year.