What Lies Beneath

Posted by Adam from spider-tj053.proxy.aol.com on July 22, 2000 at 02:47:28:

In Reply to: Harrison Ford is Back! posted by Thuggee Bear on July 22, 2000 at 01:30:56:

WHAT LIES BENEATH is an extremely well crafted flick, even if its roots are derivative of the late, great Alfred Hitchcock just a wee too bit.

It's certainly filled with some creepy moments, and plays on the suspense in a fashion much more akin to the likes of not only Hitchcock's PSYCHO & REAR WINDOW, but Robert Wise's original THE HAUNTING (indeed -- WLB is everything that the 1999 HAUNTING remake should have been), and Polanski's ROSEMARY'S BABY and REPULSION. It's of the old-fashioned school -- creaky windows, distant echoes -- but filmed with an incredible technical sophistication.

Problem is, the script doesn't have the necessary surprizes to make us feel genuine suspense. Indeed, anyone who has seen the trailer -- or even read any marketing punchline, "He was the perfect husband until his one mistake followed him homne" -- can dedeuce what the film's finale has in store... And that the film spends a good hour trying to weave a faux subplot to explain the weird events is a complete waste of effort, as THE MARKETING CAMPAIGN HAS ALREADY GIVEN THE REAL "SHOCK" SURPRIZE AWAY!

That said, there are still some virtues within this flawed effort. Michelle Pfeiffer wonderfully holds our attention here, and is the film's main figure even though she is given second billing.

Ford, though his character is only in what seems less than two-thirds of the film, is more animated than usual, and it's fun to see him in a different type of role here, particularly at the end.

SPOILER ALERT...

I've long said that I've always wanted to see Harrison Ford play the bad guy, and finally I got my wish. Though often dismissed for playing seemingly standard average-decent-everyman the last few years, Ford has to be given credit for taking this first step into a different stretch... One young child in the theater, upon realizing that Indiana Jones was the murderous evil-doer here, burst into tears and was escorted out of the theater...

Follow Ups:

Post a Followup:

Name:    
E-Mail:  
Subject: 
Comments:

: WHAT LIES BENEATH is an extremely well crafted flick, even if its roots are derivative of the late, great Alfred Hitchcock just a wee too bit.

: It's certainly filled with some creepy moments, and plays on the suspense in a fashion much more akin to the likes of not only Hitchcock's PSYCHO & REAR WINDOW, but Robert Wise's original THE HAUNTING (indeed -- WLB is everything that the 1999 HAUNTING remake should have been), and Polanski's ROSEMARY'S BABY and REPULSION.  It's of the old-fashioned school -- creaky windows, distant echoes -- but filmed with an incredible technical sophistication.

: Problem is, the script doesn't have the necessary surprizes to make us feel genuine suspense.  Indeed, anyone who has seen the trailer -- or even read any marketing punchline, "He was the perfect husband until his one mistake followed him homne" -- can dedeuce what the film's finale has in store... And that the film spends a good hour trying to weave a faux subplot to explain the weird events is a complete waste of effort, as THE MARKETING CAMPAIGN HAS ALREADY GIVEN THE REAL "SHOCK" SURPRIZE AWAY!

: That said, there are still some virtues within this flawed effort.  Michelle Pfeiffer wonderfully holds our attention here, and is the film's main figure even though she is given second billing.

: Ford, though his character is only in what seems less than two-thirds of the film, is more animated than usual, and it's fun to see him in a different type of role here, particularly at the end.

: SPOILER ALERT...

: 
: I've long said that I've always wanted to see Harrison Ford play the bad guy, and finally I got my wish.  Though often dismissed for playing seemingly standard average-decent-everyman the last few years, Ford has to be given credit for taking this first step into a different stretch... One young child in the theater, upon realizing that Indiana Jones was the murderous evil-doer here, burst into tears and was escorted out of the theater...

Optional:

Link URL:   
Link Title: 
Image URL:

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ The Indyfan Forum ] [ FAQ ]