Watching Seraphim Falls reminded me of that old Talking heads song; Road to Nowhere. The movie is literally a 106 minute road to no where.
Starring Liam Nelson as Colonel Morsman Carver, who, three years after the Civil War has ended, still has a grudge to settle with his opposite number, Gideon (Pierce Brosnan).
The biggest problem with the movie is that both actors seem to be stumbling through it, as if fulfilling a favour rather than inhabiting their characters.
Daniel Day Lewis is in the running for an Oscar for his mesmerising role in a wersten-esque period drama that proves that it you have talented, committed actors, you really can carry a movie where nothing much happens.
Liam Nelson doesn’t seem to care, and Pierce seems to have put a final nail in the coffin of his dwindling career.
Seraphim Falls does manage to do something incredibly amazing, it gets worse when we reach the climax (spoiler warning); as these two Civil War enemies reach their ultimate showdown, the movie gets weird and supernatural, with the appearance of Louise C. Fair. Go on, say that name out loud. Yes, a certain supernatural being that is enjoying the prospect of a good revenge killing.
Mind you, there were certain inconsistencies along the way that made me think something wasn’t right, but this? Give me a break.
Bad writing, bad acting and an ending that leaves you scratching your head, if David Von Ancken wanted to break out from television into directing movies, he should be more selective with the scripts he chooses.
Food for thought
If the movie does one thing well, it’s the portrayal of the all-consuming evil that is the lust for revenge. It eats you up inside, slowly destroying your soul bringing you to the point where the only thing you care about is revenge.
Reviewed by: Jonathan Read.
Rating: R16 – Contains Violence.
Duration: 106 mins.
Genre: Western.
Actors: Xander Berkeley, Anjelica Huston, Angie Harmon, Liam Neeson, Pierce Brosnan, Ed Lauter, Tom Noonan, John Robinson, Robert Baker.
Director: David Von Ancken.
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Release Date: Available Now.
