No, it isn’t directly related to celebrated author Bram Stoker. Or vampires. Or really, anything supernatural at all. Stoker follows the titular family’s dynamics mutate dramatically between India (Alice in Wonderland herself Mia Wasikowska) and Evelyn (Australia’s Nicole Kidman) after India’s father passes away and the mysterious Uncle Charlie (Watchmen’s Matthew Goode) appears. What follows is a twisted, unnerving and deviant journey into the unhinged psyches of the film’s central characters.
If not explicitly tied to the literary Stoker, the film owes several of its motifs to literature. An isolated, empty house sets the stage for the tale, and the independence of its female protagonist harks back to the powerful starring women of gothic fiction. Indeed, the most compelling aspect of the film for me was the way it sets up a Hamlet-esque family scenario: India’s mother becomes appears infatuated with her husband’s brother remarkably soon after her spouse meets his end. While the Danish prince developed an intriguing relationship with his mother, Stoker subverts this idea by having India instead draw closer to her intruding uncle. Of course, this has a number of fresh psychological consequences that reverberate throughout the rest of the film.
As the rabbit hole deepens, however, the plot begins to rapidly unravel and the cracks in the script reveal themselves. Plot points push up against each other awkwardly, and the film rather runs away with itself. Revelations come thick and fast after the midpoint, each more improbable and inconsequential than the last, and the film sputters towards its contrived conclusion. Characters similarly lose direction: as backstories are revealed and mysteries unceremoniously solved it becomes more and more apparent that what lies beneath isn’t as compelling as first promised.
Still, this is a strikingly beautiful film. The direction is elegant and purposeful; each shot seems imbued with clarity of meaning and starkness of purpose. Lashings of stylistic quirks evocative of horror films layer parts of the film, and though used sparingly there are a few genuinely tense moments. Lighting is frequently spectacular, bold block colours appear starkly vibrant, and the costume design is excellent throughout. Special mention should also be made of the music. Composed by frequent Darren Aronofsky collaborator Clint Mansell, the score brings a subtle off-kilter undertone to the production and is instrumental in constructing Stoker’s unique atmosphere.
Wasikowska plays India with a haunting style that leverages her innocence to hint at darker undertones. Matthew Goode’s piercing stare makes the unsettling Charlie more affecting, but the way the character is written means he ends up having surprisingly little to work with. Kidman’s Evelyn is suitably cold, and it’s been over a week now but I still can’t get the image of her bloodshot eyes out of my head.
Stoker is startling and subversive. It’s outwardly intricate but ultimately a little unfulfilling. If you like your fiction gothic and your thrills psychological, it’s worth a look but don’t expect to fall in love.
Verdict: 6/10