Elizabeth Harvest

I am not sure why this movie has received such a low IMDB rating. I got hooked from the very first scene and since then it was a quite intense ride indeed. There was never a moment I felt bored. I especially found cinematography, editing, and score really fascinating. Setting of the movie in an isolated location only adds to the intrigue of the story. Beautifully done thriller all around.

I enjoyed this film. It is different. I can't recall seeing another movie that is quite like it. Elizabeth is a newlywed who is honeymooning with her much older billionaire husband at his private mountain property. The only other people present are a female and blind male who are servants. The home is rather large and Elizabeth is free to enjoy all areas of the property with the only exception being a room that her husband, whom we learn to be a intelligent man of science, has specifically denied her access to. Elizabeth, who seems to come off as a bit ditsy, has a curious nature chooses to explore the room after her husband goes out of town on business. It is at this point she learns more than she bargained for and her life takes a turn for the worse. That is about all I can say about the plot without adding spoilers but I didn't see what was coming and I love that about this film. You are introduced to several different plot twists that pull you in different directions. I've seen that a few people weren't impressed by our lead actress and felt that her acting was off. I didn't feel that way. I felt that her acting was very much in line with her character and what may have initially seemed like bad acting is revealed to be a part of her character. I liked it and felt as though it was a good watch.

So this is something of a mixed bag: the girl playing Elizabeth herself is a model not an actress and this is noticeable right from the beginning: she looks pleasant enough standing still but she moves at all times like she's on a catwalk and tends to blow the illusion of whatever scene she's in whenever she starts to talk.

As the movie progresses though, and the first reveal occurs, this starts to seem like it might actually work to the story's advantage. There was another well-known film three years back which I won't mention for fear of spoiling, but it covers some of the same ground and takes one to a similar place but this one doesn't raise any of the same questions or emotional responses, which makes it a much less worthwhile experience.

Ciarán Hinds is good as always, along with Carla Gugino, but Matthew Beard is noticably weakest of all. On top of this there is some odd, clumsy editing, with too many scenes just awkwardly fading to black and slowing down the momentum.

So the film really has one foot in compelling sci-fi and another in bad B-movie drama/ TV soap opera. It's a good premise, though not really original or examined enough to feel groundbreaking, revelatory or even particularly memorable, and after the first twist there's no real point to the story and no interesting place for it to go. It's definitely watchable but largely pointless, and you'll never choose to watch it again.

"Elizabeth Harvest" is an intricate indie thriller which does a great job at building up suspense and unease throughout.

We are introduced to Elizabeth (Abbey Lee) a beautiful new bride, being taken to her new high tech home by husband Henry (Ciaran Hinds). She meets the housekeeper, uptight Claire (Carla Gugino) and the blind, flower picker Oliver (Matthew Beard). As she tours the grand home, one room in particular catches her eye to which Henry forbids her from ever entering. Shocking discoveries and dark truths are what lies past the frosted glass door, but will Elizabeth enter?

Abbey Lee has had small bit parts throughout the past few years and so I was surprised at how great she was in the movie, although the British accent falters somewhat (she's Australian), she maintains our interest as the lead character. The rest of the performers are all on fine form too.

Quite a few twists and revaluations happen quick and fast, and these kick off pretty quickly actually (after the first 30 minutes). Overall, I'd recommend this indie thriller.

A woman is whisked away to her new mountain retreat by her enigmatic husband on her wedding day - it is clear everything is not what it should be.

This is a well made film with great acting and production and, to a minor extent, keeps you wondering. It does lack in story though.

The cast and characters are fantastic! Elizabeth is pretty and vapid like a doll - a counter point to Claire who is intelligent and has real sex appeal. Henry and Oliver are also great being both menacing and pathetic in their own ways.

The execution is very tight from Elizabeth's vacant witterings to the dirt under Henry's finger nails.

When all is said and done a lot of the story feels redundant and disjointed. The pace of the film is nice and leisurely setting up the characters with obvious care; but then - to get where the film wants to go - a lot of this has to be churned up.

With all the references to Fairy-tales and a malevolent patriarch this obviously has a theme of female empowerment and may appeal slightly more to a female audience but does not alienate men. Although a little too briefly it also touches on the pain of loss and, despite technology, the inevitability of death.