Review of Stoker

Watched on Blu ray - November 4th

Chan-Wook Park's first foray into the hollywood mainstream resembles a hitchcockian thriller in many ways, but it also displays the distinctive visual touches of the South Korean filmmaker. Unlike the director's previous work, Stoker takes a noticeably more restrained approach to dark themes.

Although the actual on-screen gore and violence is reduced, the focus on creating a foreboding atmosphere leads to the viewer having to use their imagination to fill in the missing pieces. In this regard, Stoker is very impressive. It's visuals and tempo weave their way into a disturbing tale of familial conflict and violence. As the great Hitchcock once noted, the most disturbing type of violence comes from within the family home. The threat posed by your own flesh and blood is far more disturbing than that of an unknown outsider.