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Heartless
It’s quite refreshing to see a
non-Hollywood or Japanese horror and Heartless is thankfully
the opposite in this interesting British horror film. Directed by Philip
Ridley and starring Jim Sturgess, Clémence Poésy, Eddie Marsan, Timothy
Spall and Noel Clarke, Heartless is a story about a demonic pact gone
horribly wrong.
Although there are some parallels to the
story of Faust who made a deal with the devil in the 16th century,
Heartless is still a unique story that is steeped in passion and some
bloody good British acting.
The protagonist in Heartless is Jamie (Sturgees)
who has a heart faced birthmark on his face which he is ashamed to show.
Growing up in the East End of London is bad enough but when you’re not
part of the norm, life is difficult. This is where the nefarious Papa B
(Joseph Mawle) comes into the picture who offers Jamie a chance of
normality and more specifically, a perfect face. But there is a price
and Jamie eagerly accepts it without thinking out the consequences.
Without spoiling the story and although
clichéd at times, Jamie does experience some serenity and even gets the
girl, however when Papa B asks to be paid, this is where his story falls
apart.
In terms of horror, some scenes are
quite grisly and I commend the creators for making some special effects
that would put some Hollywood movie makers to shame. Just be warned, it
has an R18+ rating for a particular reason.
The star of Heartless however, is
Sturgess and Poésy who add an element of realism and humanity to the
story as opposed to just another slasher or over the top supernatural
story. Even though this is a pure horror film, there is an level of
black comedy which does liven things up. All in all, Heartless is not so
heartless at all.
On DVD, Heartless is presented in 16:9
widescreen with vibrant colours, deep blacks and sharp images with only
some mild artifacting. Dolby Digital 5.1 is used for sound and is used
well in conjunction with the horror scenes. Match that with the awesome
yet engaging soundtrack and Heartless is a nicely made film.
For extras, Heartless comes with the
director’s commentary, two music videos, galleries and a trailer.
Definitely an unexpected winner! |
