Jakob's Wife

This is one of those movies where I'm glad a friend showed it to our group and I was completely blind about it. Obviously if you've seen the poster here, you're clued in on what the subject matter is, but it's interesting that the movie isn't super blatant about it. The first third of the movie is kind of a tense paranormal thriller, and it gives you plenty of room to make up your own assumptions about what's going on.

Then the reveal hits -- and the tone of the whole movie shifts to something a little more tongue-in-cheek, complete with Evil Dead amounts of blood spray. Something that initially appears buttoned-up and serious turns out to be pretty fun, all told. Some of the more complex effects look a little cheap, but the movie doesn't take itself too seriously in the end, so it's fitting with the spirit of things.

I thought it was pretty good, and I liked the fact the Minister was more than just a walking stereotype. Always gotta have a little dimensionality to your characters, and the range of his character fits with the range of the movie itself.

Really like this one. It feels like a small horror film from the past with themes and effects from the present. Very interesting score and direction. Would like a bit more development from other characters.

Barbara Crampton is still the best!

A vampire movie? A commentary on religion? A feminist manifesto? A horror comedy?

SNL used to have a skit where a husband and wife argued over a canned product. The wife said, "it's a floor wax!" and the husband said, "No, it's a dessert topping!" And a salesman comes in and says "Hey folks, it is both! It's a floor wax and a dessert topping!"

Which brings us to Jakob's Wife.

Either the movie had too many writers, each with a different idea, or the main writer got stoned and lost his train of thought 2 or 3 times during the course of writing this movie.

In chronological order; it is serious, it is scary, it's funny, it is feminist, it's boring, it is stupid and bam, it's over.

Ugh.

A couple of fun, bloody effects, an interesting vampire who looks like Caillou with bad teeth and a couple of cops who get a few good lines. Other than that, nothing to see here.

This film starts as a serious movie, then takes a turn to semi comedy that never really works. It's an attempt at a Fright Night type of movie, but the trudges along , but not really at a slow pace, but one that keeps your curiosity on the hook just long enough. Your lead (master) vampire should be menacing and frightful, this one however, was not, so the overall punch is lost. It was more like a life coach in a bald cap. The editing is odd at times which doesn't help matters. It's one of those films that leaves you squinting at the screen in confusion at times, thinking, huh? Barbara Crampton carried the film and it was great seeing her again.

This is a fun little film with some of both Crampton's and Fessenden's finest acting. It mixes a few genres into the horror. And the thing seems like a slice-of-life about a married couple that has to deal with a supernatural outbreak on top of their other issues. It goes in a few weird directions. I liked it.