Wednesday, 18 July 2018

The Secret of Marrowbone - The scoop and digest

Sergio G. Sánchez is most famous for writing the screenplay to J. A. Bayona's acclaimed pscyho-horror The Orphanage.

First screened last year at the Toronto International Film Festival, let's see if directorial feature debut was worth the wait.

George MacKay - Jack
Anya Taylor-Joy - Allie
Charlie Heaton - Billie
Mia Goth - Jane
Matthew Stagg - Sam
Kyle Soller - Tom
Nicola Harrison - Rose

1969.

The Marrowbones start afresh in the house their mother Rose grew up in.

Six months after Rose's death, an unexpected visitor shows up and opens fire, causing understandable distress.

We quickly jump to what is presumably the next summer and see house has gone to shit and mirrors are either cracked and/or covered up.

Eldest member Jack steadies the ship and turns provider.

Jack sporadically hooks up with girlfriend Allie and faces competition from creepy lawyer Tom.

We learn that Jack trapped and left murderous father to die in the attic.

Tom goes snooping and breaks through bricked up area and wishes he hadn't.

After reading newspaper clippings, Allie rushes to the house and discovers Jack believing he is more than one person.

Yeah, murdered family are a product of mental illness.

She goes to a dying Tom's aid and in doing so, is attacked by the 'monster', but boyfriend blows him away.

In the aftermath, doctor tells Allie medication should keep schizophrenia at bay and film ends with Jack hallucinating siblings.

Shocking

Psychological horror?

Check.

Supernatural thriller?

Check.

Family drama?

Check.

It has no clue what it wants to be.

Soporific running time is incredibly drawn out and full of unnecessary nonsense.

Like your average Shyamalan shit stain, twist can be seen coming a country mile away.

Fair enough, cinematography impresses, jump scares can be effective and performances could be worse, but moderate highlights cannot disguise what this is.

A fucking mess.

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