Dark Harbor

If the ending hadn't been so fantastically unexpected, I don't think I could rate this movie so well.

This movie has a lot of uncomfortable, distressing, "marriage falling apart" character interaction. That sort of thing is not my kind of drama, so the pace seemed to drag for me.

In addition, the main characters are difficult to relate to and thus care much about -- the husband (Alan Rickman) is rather bitter and cranky and the wife (Polly Walker) is aloof and a little haughty. The acting was just fine (Norman Reedus was very alluring), but the characters themselves were perhaps a little TOO realistically flawed (for me).

The setting was nice and appropriately isolated and a little spooky. The cinematography had something to it that seemed a little old-fashioned to me somehow.

But the last 5-15 minutes of this movie are so ingenious that every uncomfortable scene, awkward conversation, and inexplicable character behavior absolutely worth it. I guessed every typical plot twist except the one that occurred.

The ending definitely makes this movie worth watching. The intrigue and the drama, not quite as much.

You're not going to like this film. Why? Well, it's a remake of Roman Polanski's very, very dark Knife in the Water, which he made in Poland. The acting in this film is superb. But, it's not a happy story: it has violence, deceit, duplicity, perfidity and is not one to see on a downer. But, again, Richman is excellent. Indeed, can anyone doubt he is one of our truly great actors?

Dark Harbour is a quaint, little seen romantic thriller from the late 90's that sets up an alluring atmosphere in the brief time we get to spend with it, and then ventures slightly into territory that's a bit beyond its initial calculations, providing a super lurid, erotic third act that might not sit well with viewers who patiently followed it along the tracks of logic before it faltered slightly. It's funny though, because the ridiculousness of the twist ending is one of the main aspects that has made the movie stick in my mind since I saw it like eight years ago. The uniquely paired cast makes it worthwhile, as does gorgeous locations and solid cinematography, working hand in hand with neat, rain speckled sound design to bring us a low key thriller that does the trick. Alan Rickman and Polly Walker play a wealthy couple on their way to a remote getaway at a snazzy, forest covered property they own in picturesque Maine. They are about as dysfunctional as couples get; bickering, petty creatures who can't stand to be in each others presence to the point of constant tension. On their way into a secluded, densely forested region they come across an unconscious young man (Norman Reedus) who vaguely suffers amnesia and appears to be distressed, prompting them to take him with them to their abode. From their tension arises to an uncomfortable level as the drifter proves to be both a third wheel and a sinister force of unease to both, culminating in an ambient, rainy forest finale that stands as the best sequence in the film, and a nice bit of work at that. Rickman doesn't usually go for this kind of melodramatic, American stuff and it's surprising in a good way to see him flex his genre muscles. Walker, who wowed me in HBO's Rome, is overlooked and slides into any role with intuition and believability, not to mention her luscious physical presence. Reedus, an actor now known for his endless work on the increasingly dull and shabby The Walking Dead, has countless hidden genre pieces like this in his filmography, and his inherently edgy, enigmatically off kilter aura makes everyone worthwhile. This one especially so, as it's a nicely crafted little dip into a hot and cold mess of a situation that tears the rug from under you in ways you won't see coming.

I expect I'm part of a decent sized contingent who came to this movie as fans of Norman Reedus, and so I didn't really have a very clear idea of what I was heading into. And honestly, I'm not sure knowing more would have helped this movie not feel very strange. It's definitely worth it if push through to the end, though.

Having read some of the previous reviews, I was highly disappointed to see that not everyone enjoyed this film... Right now, let me tell you, if you are not an Alan Rickman fan, you may want to consider skipping this movie.

Being a hard-core Alan Rickman fan, I bought this movie before seeing it. When I watched it, I fell head-over-heels in love. The premise was simple: On their way for a weekend at their private island, a married couple helps an injured man on the side of the road. Dropping him off in the nearest town, they resolve to think nothing more of him. Thus, when he turns up on their private island, they are somewhat surprised. Polly Walker is the only real dud in the film... I'm sorry to say that she's British, to boot. Alan shines in this as he does in everything, and there's just something so loveable about Norman Reedus.

The ending *WILL* come as a shock. Unless you're incredibly perceptive (which, I consider myself to be, and I was shocked), you will not know what's coming at the end. Yes, the plot moves a bit slow. But the pace is necessary to establish the proper relational distance between Alexis and David Weinberg.

I loved it, I think you will too, so just give it a try!