Talking about movies: Wake Wood

Wake Wood

So, no one has been more excited than I, or Yikes, at the return of Hammer Horror. I've been a big fan of all their classic movies, including their Dracula and Frankenstein series, preferring some of them to their previous Universal counterparts.

I know they have collaborated to bring out a few previous releases, including The Resident and the western remake of Let the Right One (Me) In, but this is the first one I've had the chance to sit down and watch.  It also seems like the first one that is, to me, a true hammer movie, taking place on their own side of the pond.

The cover is suitably bad-ass, and I approve.  Holy shit, arm is coming out of the ground.  It's made of wood, or maybe it's just a condition. 

(I just noticed this poster image I found says "The Wake Wood."  That's. . . wrong, but I've decided to keep it.)

Here is the synopsis according to Hammerfilms.com:

Still grieving the death of their only child Alice at the jaws of a crazed dog, vet Patrick and pharmacist Louise relocate to the remote town of Wake Wood where a local pagan ritual gives them three more precious days with her... but what will they do when it's time for their new daughter to go back?

So, as I've suggested, I was pretty excited to see this movie.  Thinking back on it a couple days later, I think I like it even more than I did when first viewing it.  This does a good job of being a supernatural horror movie that's grounding in reality. Everything in the movie is played dead serious, and the fracturing of the family after the death of their daughter is presented in a realistic manner.

There is some significant gore here and there, although the movie is relatively bloodless in between.  The gore consists of a few animal attacks in the first half, and then some supernatural murder in the final act of the film.  The animal attacks are pretty horrific, and I'm glad to see an R-rated horror movie earning its keep. There are also some arguably gory scenes of animal surgery.

The mood of the film is both somber and creepy.  The Irish locals, I thought, were beautiful, and the characters were all, overall, believable.  I felt like a few things could have been avoided if certain people had been a little more open with information, but I suppose that's the problem with these isolated communities.

I rented it, but I will definitely put the movie on a wish list for a future purchase when on sale, or maybe pick it up used.  I would not have regretted buying it new.