Movie Title: “DARK WATER”
RATING: & 1/2 (OUT OF )
Review by Ranju Anthony
United States, 2005
Running Length: 109 Mins
Censor Board Certification: A
Language: English
Genre: Horror
(Wide Release)
Director: Walter Salles
Producer Team: Dough Davison, Roy Lee and Bill Mechanic
Screenplay: Rafael Yglesias adapted from the original novel by Koji Suzuki (Japan)
Cinematography: Affonso Beato
Cast: Jennifer Connelly, Ariel Gade, John Reilly, Doughray Scott and Tim Roth
Music: Angelo Badalamenti
Having seen the original masterpiece “‘Honogurai mizu no soko kara’” which was released widely in the year 2002 in Japan and was last seen on HBO a couple of months back, I was a bit unenthusiastic in watching this flick. Besides, I wasn’t much impressed with the feat they achieved by remaking ‘The Ringu’, another Japanese original. The original ‘Dark Water’ in Japanese was directed by Hideo Nakata on the novel penned by Koji Suzuki.
Providentially, the borrower (unlike in ‘The Ring I&II) retains the atmospheric crudeness and askew camera angles and visible hangs on to wide mixing of foreground and background palette. The American adaptation of ‘Dark Water’ is a seductive mixture of atmospheric tension (as evident in most Japanese Horror movies) and spunk as observed in most American ventures (although in this case it’s a Brazilian who hones the mantle of direction).
Dahlia (Connelly) a recent divorcee moves into the ninth floor of a new sub-urban apartment building known as Roosevelt Island with her only daughter Ceci (Ariel Gade). The problems she faces are twinfold; for one she is engaged in a custodial battle with her ex-husband Kyle (Doughray Scott) who considers her as an unfit mother only capable of taking care of herself and on the other hand she needs to keep a check on her bank balance which could be the decisive factor in the case she is enmeshed in.. Dahlia notices a visible seepage in the ceiling of her apartment from which drops of black water drips in continuously. Inspite of verbal assurances all her efforts to get it rectified by building plumber (Pete Postlethwaite) go wasted. In the meanwhile, Ceci begins to converse with an unreal friend who after all may not be that imaginary.
It’s hard to imagine a better choice than Jennifer Connelly for the lead role. She is flawless in executing the role of a woman challenged by situations that test her sanity. This performance also gives audiences a chance to see a gifted actress running through a gamut of emotions, from disbelieving consternation to tortured grief; I believe Connelly never had the chance to express herself the way she does here. Indeed, one of the most mature performances to come out from a young head. Ariel Gade is a virtual debutante but nowhere does one notice any sort of edginess in a visibly intricate role. She manages to look cute and vulnerable at the same time. Tim Roth as Dahlia’s lawyer and John Reilly as the kowtowing manager of the apartment building pitch in with authoritative performances.
Walter Salles is not an unknown entity and his previous accomplishments include the critically acclaimed ‘The Motorcycle Diaries’. Although the beginning portions of the ‘Dark Water’ unfold slowly, it accomplishes the aim of introducing the characters and highlighting their relationships. Despite not boasting of many special effects, the movie makes forceful demands on the makeup crew. Salles has crafted an atmospherically loaded motion picture which is eerie from the word go.
It would be interesting to watch the fate of this movie considering that the rest of the Japanese hangovers barring ‘The Ring’ have bitten the dust. Reports from the original masterpiece’s reactions hovered around stunned silence and shock reigning throughout the packed theatres in Japan.