“The
Tall Man” is written and directed by Pascal Laugier, who also did “Martyrs.”
I'm definitely a fan of that movie, so I was interested to see what he could
come up with this time. Actually, knowing that he made this movie was one of
only a few things I knew about it before watching it. It's definitely the way
audiences should watch this movie so I'll try not too give much away.
In the town of Cold Rock, kids have
been mysteriously disappearing. As cops continue to search for clues, locals
begin to place blame on "the Tall Man." Some claim to have seen him,
but no one really knows who or what he is. A local nurse, Julia Denning
(Jessica Biel), is use to helping out the townspeople, but soon it's soon her
that needs help after her son David (Jakob Davies) is taken by the Tall Man.
After a quick look at the police
search, the audience gets a glimpse of Julia at work, and then at a local
diner. It's here that they introduce Tracy (Samantha Ferris), one of the many
people who have lost a child. Her loss as taken a great toll on her, and Julia
tries unsuccessfully to help her out. In one of the more interesting early
scenes, the audience sees others like Tracy talk about seeing the Tall Man in a
news flash. It kind of gives the Tall Man legendary status, and certainly will
peak the audiences’ curiosity.
After that somewhat mysterious start,
the audience meets David and his babysitter, Christine (Eve Harlow). Julia
comes home and has a pleasant dinner with them. There really isn't much shock
that after a good time at dinner David is taken by the Tall Man. There is a
very entertaining chase, as Julia pursues the Tall Man and her son. The horror
and action pretty much stop after that besides maybe in a few minor spots.
From here on out, it’s all about the
twists and turns. They do a very good job of setting up the twists in the
story. At key points, the movie almost stops, lets the audience take a guess at
what is about to happen, and then the twist happens. While some might figure
out some parts of the story, I don’t think many will figure out the whole
thing. The ending might not be shocking, but it fits the story and is
definitely not what the audience would have expected before seeing this movie.
The acting is solid all around,
especially since the actors have a particularly hard job of hiding how the
story unfolds. Jessica absolutely shines, as she is asked to handle many
different emotions, and nails it. Then there is Jodelle Ferland, who plays
Jenny, a young girl from an abusive home who doesn’t talk anymore. She might
not talk and is a minor character, but Jenny does play an important part in the
story. Jodelle does a great job of getting the most out of her character’s
silence.
Pascal Laugier does another excellent
job with “The Tall Man.” “Martyrs” is heavy on the horror with some mystery
mixed in, while this movie is basically the opposite. However, there is a
similar kind of theme in both movies, which I will let you figure out. The
acting is excellent, especially considering all of the surprises. If you are in
the mood for a movie with twists and turns, then this is for you. I give this
movie 4 pools of blood.
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