|
After minor success in the Alien based series Roswell, Behr was seen playing second fiddle to Sarah Michelle Gellar in The Grudge... and then not much else. So he went abroad, taking on the starring roles in the big budget D-War in Korea, the upcoming Senseless in the UK and now in The Tattooist (whose origins stem from New Zealand).
This creepy little flick which channels The Ring and The Grudge
follows an American tattoo artist who wanders the world, exploring and
exploiting ethnic themes in his tattoo designs. At a tattoo expo in
Singapore, he gets his first glimpse at the exotic world of traditional
Samoan tattoos, and, in a thoughtless act, unwittingly unleashes a
powerful angry spirit.
In his devastating journey into Pacific
mysticism, Jake must find a way to save his new love, Sina (Mia Blake)
and recover his own soul.
Movie making really is at a level playing field these days thanks to digital. And that seems to be the major draw card of The Tattooist, is that is looks fantastic without ever resorting to helicopter shots of the Lord of the Rings
landscape or feeling like an independent film. It is totally convincing
as an international film - which is quite a difficult thing to achieve
(and something Australian films have never really been able to do, with
Aussie films always being "too Australian").
First time
director, Peter Burger, weaves a great deal of tension and genuine
creepiness throughout the film. But even more impressive is the level
of heart and authenticity which also comes with the superstitions of
the Samoan culture, something the Americans successfully explored with
the Native Indians in film - and one can only hope there will be more
films which venture into this territory.
Behr isn't great,
mumbling his way through scenes with little personality - more often
than not being completely upstaged by some of the great support
performances for the New Zealand natives. He seems to get by purely on
the novelty that he is a Hollywood actor in a country like New Zealand.
It's a curse Australians fall prey to also (you know - the same
way we all get excited by Tara Reid visiting, despite the fact she's
considered a drug-addicted-out-of-work-hack in her own country).
Overall, The Tattooist is a well paced and thoroughly entertaining spookfest - and further proof that (after this and Eagle Vs Shark) the New Zealand film industry is a force to be reckoned with.
EXTRAS
There
are several Deleted Scenes included here, none of which are to
exciting, but worthwhile for those who get into that sort of thing
(though, I really believe Deleted Scenes are the biggest waste of time
on DVDs these days).
There is also a fairly fluffy, but
sufficient, Behind the Scenes featurette which delves a little further
into the facts behind the Samoan superstitions on which the film is
based.
Conclusion:
Movie 70% Extras: 55%
|
