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| Images Courtesy of Hammer |
The story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde gets a modern,
neo-gothic update in Joe Stephenson's latest feature, Doctor Jekyll.
Blending the darker underpinnings of the original tale with modern
sensibilities, this is an intriguing foray into the concept of identity,
redemption, and vicious skullduggery. Featuring a once in a
lifetime performance by Eddie Izzard, grim visual imagery, and a tinge of
black humor, this is one of the best horror offerings of the year thus
far.
Recently paroled Rob takes a job at the ominous British estate of a former
pharmaceutical mogul. As Rob begins a friendship with the mysterious
Dr. Nina Jekyll, he begins to realize that nothing is what it seems just as the
ghosts of his checkered past come home to roost. Dan Kelly-Mulhern's
script is compact, with dialogue and word play being the focus, as the viewer
already knows the landscape. The principal is Rob and Nina and the bulk
of the narrative is the two of them feeling each out for purchase, indeed the
game is afoot from the opening seconds, with the highlight of the film being a
game of chess where the board is more than the pieces, but Rob’s precarious
future.
Eddie Izzard stars as the eponymous character, giving a unique form of gravitas to what could have been satire. Her body language is sublime, with subtle hints as to the changes becoming an almost scavenger hunt for the viewer, ensuring repeat viewings to work through the world altering climax. Her delivery simmers with malice and the way that she toys with Scott Chambers' Rob is masterful, creating an almost nightmarish version of the chamber piece, with almost all of the action happening within the accursed estate. Screen legend Lindsay Duncan supports as Jekyll's scrutinous assistant, making their odd trio the perfect accompaniment to the strangeness.
Birgit Dierken's shadow laden cinematography is the perfect accoutrement. The shots of the estate are both expansive and claustrophobic, creating a prison-like feel to the interior, to juxtapose with the freedom that each of the characters is so desperate to attain. The result is a lean, mean horror experience whose memorable performances make its impact lasting.
Now playing in theaters and available for digital rental, Doctor Jekyll is a fresh take on tried and true material that surprises and delights with its evil outlook. Izzard gives the performance of her career, cementing this indie thriller as one to seek.
--Kyle Jonathan