Drama

Horror

Thriller

Stoker

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Indian Paintbrush

Dune Entertainment

Scott Free Productions

United States of America

English

Mia Wasikowska

Nicole Kidman

Matthew Goode

Dermot Mulroney

Jacki Weaver

Lucas Till

Alden Ehrenreich

Phyllis Somerville

Ralph Brown

Judith Godrèche

David Alford

Peg Allen

Lauren E. Roman

Harmony Korine

Dominick 'Dino' Howard

Tyler von Tagen

Thomas A. Covert

Jaxon Johnson

Paxton Johnson

Amelia Young

Park Chan-wook

Erin Cressida Wilson

Michael Costigan

Tony Scott

Chung Chung-hoon

Ridley Scott

Mark Roybal

Wing Lee

Nicolas De Toth

Steven M. Rales

Thérèse DePrez

Clint Mansell

Wentworth Miller

Bart Mueller

Kurt Swanson

Jennifer Albada

Linda Boykin-Williams

Leslie Morales

John Morris

Chuck Michael

Gloria Belz

Kyra Panchenko

Willie Blanchard

Brett J. Banakis

Michael Hendrick

Loretta Harper

Will E. Drummond

James Bolt

Joie Todd Kerns

Glen Trew

Frank Gray III

Matthew R. Staley

Ian Quinn

Shanna Shrum

Conti Brothers

Jim Gordon

Abbey Bradley

Carlita Martin

Andrew Ford

Frank Hendrick

Patrick J. Morales

Armand Holmes

Jeffrey M. O'Brien

Sharon Watt

Adrian Landry

Candace Neal

Matt Lindahl

Jimmie L. Jackson III

Erik Reuter

Mike Toews

Joan Wheeler

J.T. Sumner

J.M. Logan

Marlyce Moore

Lee Yoon-ho

John Rabasca

Austin Lee Boylen

Drew Frazier

Bridget McGuire

Carol Frazier

John Bryan

Romonte Hamer

Patrick J. Carroll III

Elizabeth Davidovich

Jessica Merideth

Brian White

Michael Ellenberg

Patrick Dundon

Tracy S. Facelli

C.K. Cates

David Duren

Matt Blades

Michealle Vanderpool

Corkey Miller

Corey Schneider

Sheila Allen

Brian S. Murie

Aaron King

Mark Zimbicki

Jody Sunday

Joe Self

Erin Naifeh

James K. Bauman

Garland Gallaspy

Travis Gillespie

Melinda Dunn

Macall B. Polay

Shannon Gamble

Marcia Eden

Sandy Jo Johnston

Everett Byrom III

Cha Zoo-han

Kimberly Lake

Ryan Fuqua

Alex Gordon

Scott Friedland

Billy Broker

Kelly Anne Ross

Mark Ragland

Ron Coons

Dave’s 1-Word Review:  
_Disturbing _

67% 

If you have seen Tim Burton’s run on the classic story, Alice in Wonderland, than you probably know who Mia Wasikowska is, however; you may not be aware of the other works that Wasikowska has been involved with. In fact, Mia has been involved in a little less than thirty titles, but hasn’t been the title character in most of these films. She is known best for her roles as Alice in Alice in Wonderland, Jane Eyre in Jane Eyre, and now India in Chan-Woo Park’s latest thriller, Stoker. Just remember before deciding to watch this film that it is very distasteful for a majority of viewers. 

After her father dies in a car accident, India Stoker must cope with the unusual fact that her Uncle Charlie, whom she had no idea even existed, was moving in with her and her distant mother. Charlie is quite a smooth talker and seems to have gotten on India’s mother’s good side…a little too good. His charming personality leads India to believe that there is something more sinister going on, which leads her on a path of discovering the truth. Although, where most movies would have the hero find out the truth and take down the bad guy, India acts as more of a villain who begins to practically side forces with her evil Uncle Charlie, reaching the boundaries of unacceptable behavior. 

Right from the beginning, you know that the movie is remarkably disturbing. You have a creepy Uncle with crazy eyes and a goth girl who you are preparing to witness turn into a psycho-killer at some point. Whether this happens or not, I obviously cannot disclose, but her personality as well as Charlie’s is just out of this world creepy, which is when you begin to realize that there really is no protagonist in this entire story. How can you really root for anyone when no one gives you a solid reason to root? A story can survive with just a protagonist, because we have coming-of-age stories, but just an antagonist doesn’t work well. What this film turns into is the opposite of a coming-of-age flick, you see a teenage girl descend into darkness. 

Also, even though it isn’t expressly described as such, there is some incestuous themes going on that are hard to miss, which just adds to the ever-growing disturbing nature of the film. When it comes to the writing, it’s a little much to take in, and when it actually comes down to everything all together, it just isn’t very believable unless the world was centered on an extreme episode of Jerry Springer. What was done well, on the other hand was the display of mystery and visual scenery.  

The mystery in the movie really provides the life, or the glue to what makes this film survive. You can be as disturbed as you like, but there’s just no way you can leave the movie without seeing how it ends, and that’s a really powerful weapon that a film can have. Yeah, it strives away from your traditional Hollywood format, but it at least did the mystery right. The visual sceneries are just out of this world. It’s not a fantasy or 3D film or anything, but it gets as beautiful as a movie can get, realistically speaking. It does a better job at conveying the beauty that our world already provides without the use of creating beauty that doesn’t exist. This display really compliments the film in a lot of ways, and gives you just another reason to keep watching the movie.  

What it really boils down to is that the movie is just too disturbing to watch on a multiple basis, and doesn’t give you a protagonist to root for, but it has great acting, great visuals, and a dark mystery that will have you plastered to the screen. For some, this may be a guilty pleasure, for others they may find themselves compelled to stop, finding it distasteful. It’s really give or take. 

Check Stoker out for yourself when it is released on DVD and Blu-Ray on Jun. 18!

Official Trailer

Best Movies

Stoker

Cast & Crew

Videos

Cast

Mia Wasikowska

Nicole Kidman

Matthew Goode

Dermot Mulroney

Jacki Weaver

Lucas Till

Alden Ehrenreich

Phyllis Somerville

Ralph Brown

Judith Godrèche

Box office

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