Wake Wood (2011)
Drama | Horror | Thriller

The general critical consensus is that Wake Wood is "Pet Sematary meets The Wicker Man," and that description isn't far off the mark, as the film definitely channels both the "family horror" of Stephen King's work and the rustic Celtic paganism of Robin Hardy's cult classic. The Wire's Aidan Gillen and Irish actress Eva Birthistle star as Patrick and Louise, a married couple who are devastated when their young daughter, Alice (Ella Connolly), is savagely mauled and killed by a German Shepherd. Doubling their loss is the fact that Louise, who had a rough pregnancy with Alice, is incapable of having another child. A year later, looking for a fresh start, they relocate to the rural hamlet of Wake Wood, where Louise opens a pharmacy and Patrick quickly earns the tight-knit community's respect as a skilled veterinarian. (In a bit of grisly foreshadowing, his first day on the job we see him delivering a calf by C-section, a bloody, unnatural-looking procedure.)

There are, naturally, hints that all is not normal in this drowsy pastoral town, key among them the strange rebirth ritual Louise stumbles across at the farm of the village leader, Arthur (Timothy Spall), a figure who is both genial and vaguely threatening. Soon after, Louise assists a woman whose odd-acting niece needs a prescription refilled on her inhaler. The script expired a year ago, however, and days later Louise sees this raven-haired girl being led out of town behind a procession of black-attired villagers grimly rattling sticks together. As she passes, the girl turns to Louise and mutters, "Alice has a lovely voice." How could she know that?

It's no spoiler to reveal that the town's secret is a centuries-old ceremony that allows the dead to be brought back to life for three days so that their loved ones can say a proper goodbye. Sensing that Patrick and Louise aren't happy in Wake Wood, Arthur offers to resurrect their daughter, providing she's been in the ground for less than a year. This dark necromancy is a fickle art, and any deviation from the rules can apparently have disastrous consequences, but the couple is so anxious to see Alice—who's been dead for thirteen months—that they agree to lie about when she died. Bad idea. Really bad idea. Wake Wood invokes the two-part moral of that old W.W. Jacobs story, "The Monkey's Paw"—1.) be careful what you wish for, and 2.) those who interfere with fate are asking for trouble—and I'll leave it at that. Suffice it to say, Alice's return isn't the happy reunion Louise and Patrick were expecting.

The first half of the film is slow, moody, and more gloomy than creepy, building its story out of the pain of the couple's loss and their resulting marital troubles. Unlike most horror movies, the tone is initially very mature, and it reminded me a bit of another recent Irish film about the dearly departed, The Eclipse, which injects what is essentially a sad romantic drama with occasional moments of sheer terror. Wake Wood eventually feels the pull to become a more conventional genre picture, however, and the violent, horrific elements of the plot are ultimately what keep it from being great. Instead of maintaining the focus on Louise and Patrick's grief—and what horror is greater than losing a child?—the film ultimately overindulges in an all-too-typical horror movie trope: the possessed little girl, a sweet child gone bad who embarks on a murderous rampage. I don't really understand the horror industry's obsession with demonic kindergarteners; yes, there's something potent about corrupted innocence, but it's been done so often lately that it's lost any power it once had.

Still, director David Keating is good at generating atmosphere, and the whole film feels damp with some supernatural mist. He almost personifies the landscape; the lush, tangled woods are ominous, and modern windmills loom at the outskirts of town, a palpable border reminding that Wake Wood is isolated and anachronistic, a place wary of outsiders. A great touch is the primitive homemade abacus that Arthur uses to do his shamanic calculations in preparation for the ritual. It looks like a tool that's been passed down through the generations. It's a shame Keating feels obligated to dole out the gory, over-the-top, throat-puncturing, spine-severing sequences, as many other scenes show evidence of a deft directorial hand. The most striking image in the film comes when Patrick prepares to put a bullet through the skull of an injured bull. Instead of showing the gunshot, Keating cuts to the reaction of the other cows in the barn, who jolt in unison and cower backwards into their stalls. It's a scene that shows the terror of violence without ever showing violence itself, but as the film moves toward its final act, Keating relies more and more on the usual bloodletting and jump scares. And while a particularly devilish twist awaits those who make it to the end, the suckerpunch is softened by the exploitation of a gaping and rather inexplicable plot hole.

User Comment: cubasfinest from United Kingdom, 13 April 2011 • I found the story line original, or at least something I haven't seen in the past 10 years, because it's nearly all been done by now. The story moves at a good pace, showing you mysterious things along the way, teasing you a little before revealing what exactly is happening.

I would describe Wake Wood as a mix between the Exorcist and The Wicker Man. While it never reaches the brilliance of the previously mentioned films Wake Wood is a solid film, with good acting, particularly from the ever excellent Aidan Gillen. The cinematography is hardly groundbreaking but suits the mood of the film well.

Any fan of supernatural horror should be satisfied with what Wake Wood has to offer.

Summary: Highly original Irish Horror.

User Comment: Paul Haakonsen from Denmark, 6 April 2011 • Based from the movie's cover, then "Wake Wood" looked really interesting, so it was with some anticipation and expectation that I sat down and watched this movie.

The story told in the movie was actually quite good, I will give the movie that much. Dealing with a family torn apart by the death of their little girl, then given the chance to see their deceased girl again for three days, and for three days only. But of course, something is amiss... Actually the story was much similar to the plot in Stephen King's "Pet Semetary" movie/book.

For scare effects and scare value, then "Wake Wood" was a very weak cup of tea. There weren't any moments that made you jump in the seat or even had the hairs on your neck stand up. Not everything in the movie was bad, mind you. There were scenes and scenery that were working well for the movie, but it just never came to any scary moments.

The acting in "Wake Wood" was alright as well. The movie was carried by Aidan Gillen (playing Patrick) and Eva Birthistle (playing Louise). The role of Alice (played by Ella Connolly) wasn't particularly well executed and could have been more creepy with another child actress.

For a horror movie, then "Wake Wood" was a very uninspiring, uninteresting and non-entertaining movie. If you like horror movies, then there are far better ones out there. The movie is worth checking out for the story alone, though, just bear in mind that it is much similar to the works of Stephen King though.

Summary: Would you bring her back?

Rated R for bloody violence including disturbing images, and brief sexuality.

[CSW] -2.5- It was a mediocre story with a grim feel throughout. Although I didn't find the little girl all that threatening and the town folks didn't particularly seem that strange or eerie that strange grim feeling added just enough depth to this movie to keep it afloat. And although you knew there had to be the first plot twist you normally would never guess it was lying about the time. The second and ending plot twist was a bit hard to swallow and it made my suspension of disbelief disappear. Fortunately it was so short lived that it didn't detract all that much from the overall movie. This is definitely a rental only.
No D-Box.


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