It's easy to understand why so many people appear to have issues with Dark Water. For a film billed as a horror film right during the huge glut of Asian ghost movie remakes, it doesn't have a single scare that works. What it does offer are strong performances by the entire cast, but especially Jennifer Connelly as a struggling single mother who moves her and her young daughter into a trashy apartment building that's haunting with the spirit of a vengeful little girl. If you look at it as more of a tense psychological drama, you might be more apt to enjoy it for what it is.
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glenmatisse28 November 2020
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I had to be DRAGGED to the theater to sit through yet another HIDEO NAKATA-Japanes horror inspired movie. I'd suffered through the RING movies before and couldn't think I could stand this. But I was actually surprised. It's actually a GOOD FILM, very melancholy, and that a film of that sort -- which aspires and competes with mindless summer blockbusters a la FANTASTIC FOUR -- dared to tackle such somber issues as child abuse, bitter matrimonial feuds, and others of that sort shows you that this was not meant to be a simple succession of red-herrings stitched together. It actually dealt with issues many of us go through or have gone through in our lives and I thought it was very perceptive in some ways.
The script (when not dealing with the supernatural) was thoughtful and intelligent and each and every characters from CAMRYN MANHEIM's kindly teacher to TIM ROTH's benevolent lawyers were very well sketched out. The direction and rich photography helped keep the tension high throughout.
The bulk of praises, however, belongs to JENNIFER CONNELLY. I've always been in awe of her beauty and her talent, esp. in her last outings: REQUIEM FOR A DREAM, A BEAUTIFUL MIND (hated the movie, liked her AND RUSSELL), but here, she literally makes this movie worth sitting through by providing the necessary gravitas. I don't think I've been touched by a film character like this in a long while. She emoted so naturally and effortlessly, it was heartbreaking to watch her self-immolate in the prison that that new apartment of hers was.
Not only is she beautiful, she's truly a marvelous actress. She did for this what NAOMI WATTS -- and I love NAOMI -- couldn't for the RING movies. I always sort of thought that NAOMI was going through the motions in those films. Also, the problem with the RING movies is that they suffered much in the "remaking" process and the scripts, quite frankly, were sub-par both times around.
But back to DARK WATER. I was struck with the rapport JENNIFER had with the young actress who played her daughter. They were so natural together on screen... perhaps her having become a new mother in real life contributed to her being so effortlessly maternal on screen.
All and all, a wondrous performance in an erratic but good (if depressing) movie. -
christian12328 January 2006Amidst a messy divorce, a single mother (Jennifer Connelly) and her young daughter move into a new apartment complex with her young daughter, only to be plagued by water problems as a leak in their ceiling turns out to be something far more sinister and haunting.
Dark Water is more of a thriller/family drama with some horror elements thrown in. If you're expecting something like The Ring or The Grudge then you will most likely end up disappointed. The film does have its share of suspenseful moments but the movie really focuses on the relationship between a mother and her daughter. When the film starts, its obvious that Dark Water is going to be a sad, depressing story because of the weather in the movie. Throughout most of the movie, its always raining or looking wet so it sets its mood early on and it keeps it the same throughout most of the film. The apartment building that they move into is also dark and creepy. It's in very bad shape and there are leaks everywhere so the setting adds more suspense.
The acting is great and the cast really does make the film interesting. Jennifer Connelly is a terrific actress and she proves it again here. Ariel Gade plays the daughter and she does a pretty good job. She will most likely become a bigger star when she's older. The supporting characters are played by John C. Reilly, Camryn Manheim, Tim Roth and Dougray Scott. They all play their roles well and none of them slack off.
Walter Salles is very good at building suspense and he moves the film along smoothly. He doesn't overpopulate the film with cheap scares or loud noises which was nice to see. The ending was strong and sad yet it's realistic because it shows how much she really cared for her daughter. It's also sad at the end of the movie when they reveal what happened to the other girl. It's sad to see a parent actually forget about his or her child and the ending is done effectively so. Dark Water is not a movie for the weak of heart. Those wanting a happy ending to the sad story should probably skip Dark Water. The pacing of the film is also a little on the slow side so if you're easily bored at slow dramas then watch something else. In the end, Dark Water is an effective thriller with strong performances and a creepy atmosphere. Those wanting a horror film should look elsewhere. Rating 8/10 -
Red_Identity30 October 2010Dark Water is another one of those slow PG-13, atmospheric and creepy ghost stories in the vein of The Ring and the Grudge, and like those two, it is worthwhile.
The film certainly has flaws, but it is also clever and has some great drama. Jennifer Connely also gives a strong performance, and the film as a whole is probably slower than someone would think. While it is not as scary as The Ring or The Grudge, it is in a way more mature than those two because it does excel in genres other than as a thriller. Overall, it was not amazing, but certainly underrated at this time and certainly worth it. -
ma-cortes10 December 2007After separation her husband (Dougray Scott) and taking custody her daughter (Ariel) , Dahlia (Jennifer Connelly , though Jennifer Love Hewitt turned down this role) attempts to do a new start . The apartment she moves alongside her daughter seems perfect at first . Dahlia carries her daughter to nearly school where the teacher (Camyn Manheim) teaches her and she , subsequently , hires a lawyer (Tim Roth) for the divorce . Soon , though , weird things start happening into house . Huge water stains appear on the ceiling and drip constantly , more water and oozing liquid into the rooms everyday . She calls the doorkeeper (Pete Postlehwaite) and the landlord (John C. Reilly) but they refuse to make anything about it . A child's red bag shows up in odd places and soon the child herself starts appearing and causing usual poltergeists phenomenon recreated with high grade special effects . Dahlia then discovers the origin of the specter .
This new version of Hideo Nakata film is plenty of screams , fear , suspense , thriller and results to be quite entertaining . The terror moments are delivered compactly and quietly with no fuss . The script copies exactly the Japan original movie without surprises . While the look is suitable atmospheric and eerie , the plot stretches plausibility to the breaking point . Nice acting by Jennifer Connelly , she turned down the role of Paige in ¨House of wax¨ (2005) , another horror remake , in order to appear in this one . Colorful cinematography by Alfonso Beato , usual cameraman of Salles , and creepy musical score fitting to horror movie by Angelo Badalamenti (Twin Peaks) . The motion picture was well realized by Walter Salles , in spite of little originality . Salles is the number one producer (City of God , Lower city) and director (Motorcycle diaries , Central Station , Behind the sun) from Brasil and recently making an American career . The flick will appeal to terror cinema buffs, well worth seeing. -
jameswilcher26 July 2021All through the movie I was never really sure if the main character was actually crazy or if there was really something supernatural happening to her. Once the reveal is shown as to what is actually happening you definitely get a fake out for a soft ending. Then once the actual ending comes I was left speechless because in my mind that is not how I wanted the movie to end. All in all it was a very good movie and very good acting. If you haven't seen it give it a watch.
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ferguson-69 July 2005Greetings again from the darkness. Nothing leaves a film-goer feeling less satisfied than a non-thrilling thriller. Based on a novel by Koji Suzuki ("The Ring"), director Walter Salles ("High Art") hands us a flat, uninspired, at times boring rendition of the traditional Hollywood genre.
Despite a nice cast and excellent performances by Jennifer Connelly (looking unhealthily thin), John C. Riley, Tim Roth and especially Pete Postlehwaite, this movie provides only a couple of decent moments. The "good" moments are furnished by Perla Haney-Jardine ("Kill Bill" fans will recognize her as B.B. Kiddo) but there are not enough to save the film. The dark water is of course a major player and the convoluted attempts to mislead the viewer are weak and ineffective.
This is just not a very good film and certainly not much of a thriller. -
nogodnomasters3 January 2019The movie starts out slow. Jennifer Connolly and her daughter(Ariel Gade as Ceci) move into a new apartment due to her recent separation from her husband. The apartment is run down (you can almost smell it) and has numerous leaks. Her daughter develops an imaginary friend and Jennifer is haunted by her past, i.e. a terrible relationship with her mother.
The landlord landlord (John C. Reilly) and super (Pete Postlethwaite) do what they can, but they are not overly helpful. The ex-husband visits the school and hires a lawyer for custody. Jennifer is forced to hire a lawyer too. Meanwhile Ceci's relationship with he imaginary friend intensifies as she tells Ceci things that makes Jennifer unsettled.
The movie finally gets to one climatic scene and afterwards you feel empty. Is that it?
The acting was fine. The slow build-up was good, but it took up too much of the film. The climax scene needed to be longer.
No sex, no nudity, no f-bombs. A horror movie you can watch with your little girl right before you send her off to your ex-spouse. -
caz_gobby3 August 2005I almost cried!!!! What have they done to Hideo Nakata's masterpiece?!?!?! I have to confess to being against the idea of a remake of this one since I have seen the original Ring and remake The Ring and was unimpressed with the remake. The whole film was a lot more blatant than it should have been in my opinion, everything was spelled out, there was hardly any tension or chill built up in direct contrast with the original.
I had issues with the use of the bag and coat. The bag and coat were things that I had serious issues with also. In Hideo Nakata's stunning masterpiece, a lot is made of the little red bag and it's reappearance and the fact that the little girl has a distinctive yellow mack is well used in the style of Don't Look Now. One scene in particular where Yoshimi is going up to the roof and the door is open just a crack and you see the Mitsuko in her yellow mack walk past the door. It's really good. In the remake, both Natasha and Ceci are seen wearing a red coat and no big deal is made of it.
My big problem, as you may have predicted, is the ending (isn't it always). In the Japanese version, Yoshimi goes up to the roof and climbs the water tower, she figures out what has happened and then, after the spookiness of something/someone punching through the tank, goes into the flat to find Ikuko passed out on the floor of the bathroom floor. She picks her up and carries her to the lift, which get stuck, then there is the tension building moment as Yoshimi watches the door of her flat open, expecting to see Mitsuko appear, but it's Ikuko. Then Mitsuko, a decomposed child, hugs and almost throttles Yoshimi. Yoshimi realises that there is no point struggling and that the only way to save Ikuko is to look after Mitsuko. She hugs her and tells her she is her mother and she shouts at Ikuko to stay back. Then the lift doors close and Ikuko is crying, looking through the window, Yoshimi looks back for a moment then looks at Mitsuko. The lift goes up and the haunting music escalates. Ikuko runs up the stairs and looks in the lift shaft. She can't see anything so she sits on the floor. Next thing the lift doors open and Ikuko is covered in water. It is a truly beautiful and moving scene. You sit there looking at poor little Ikuko lying in the pool of water, soaked through, sobbing for her mother and your heart just tears.
Remake, Dahlia puts Ceci in the bath and then is on the phone. She sees a little girl in a hooded dressing gown walk past here and assumes it's Ceci. She starts to read her a story and then hears Ceci in the bath. She basically rejects Natasha and then Natasha goes into the bathroom and starts to drown Ceci. When Dahlia breaks into the bathroom she starts to bargain with Natasha "what do you want?" etc. Then she tells Natasha to take her and leave Ceci alone. Then you see Dahlia's body being carried out, blatantly dead, as opposed to the original where Yoshimi just vanishes.
The very final scene in the original is 10 years later when Ikuko is in the area where she used to live as she is going to visit a friend. She says she can't remember being at kindergarten, and she finds herself walking back to her old apartment. There she sees her mother and they chat, she complains that no-one told her that her mother was living here and asks Yoshimi if she can come and live with her. Yoshimi says that she is sorry that Ikuko can't come and live with her. You then see Mitsuko in the background, behind Ikuko and when Ikuko turns around, Mitsuko and Yoshimi both disappear. Ikuko then says "my mother was here all this time, protecting me." It's a beautiful ending. In the remake, Ceci returns 3 weeks later and her mother appears to her in the lift. It just doesn't work.
There you go, end of tirade. See them for yourself. -
nickyb-791314 December 2019Not a film to watch if you are looking to watch a horror. This concentrates on mystery and suspense. The last scenes did leave my blood running cold tho. As a movie about how people live and their every day struggles it works thanks to a cast that can act convincingly and a crew that are technically competent.
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bruce-3448 July 2005"Dark Water" may be from the same creators, but it fails to terrify like "The Ring." In "Dark Water" evil takes shape in memories of Dahlia's traumatic past, a crooked landlord, and a lazy building superintendent. This makes the movie infinitely less scary than "The Ring" in which evil was embodied in the mysterious and frightening Samara.
Although less scary, since it isn't always clear whether Natasha is real or a product of Dahlia's fears and troubled psyche, this is an interesting twist. Both Natasha and young Dahlia are played by Haney-Jardine, but from the quick glimpses in the beginning of the film it isn't obvious at first that they are same girl. It's also interesting to guess at what is haunting the other charactersgreed, guilt, or the desire to sympathize with a traumatized mother since movie is depicted from Dahlia's perspective.
This movie is definitely different and probably a safe bet for those who like scary movies, but prefer not to get too scared. The suspense in some scenes does offer the opportunity get a little spooked, but wasn't enough that anyone jumped in their seats or screamed.
Those hoping for a serious scare should pass this movie up. -
bowmanblue27 July 2020The Hollywood version of 'Dark Water' is based on a Japanese horror film, which I haven't seem, so I can't really compare the two. However, whether on not it surpasses its source material, I have to say it's a pretty creepy little number.
A woman (Jennifer Connelly) is going through a divorce and custody battle for her daughter (Ariel Gade) and moves to a run-down apartment in New York until the proceedings are over. It's hardly five-star housing and there are water leaks everywhere. And, if that wasn't bad enough to bring up a child, the family is haunted by the presence of another young girl.
Since the success of the English version of 'The Ring' the 2000s saw quite a few horror films where a woman slowly uncovers something supernatural until she has to confront it head on in the final act. 'Dark Water' certainly fits into that genre, but it's definitely a cut above the rest. For a start it has a stellar cast. I've already mentioned Connolly, but there are also excellent performances from Tim Roth as a supportive (but flawed!) lawyer, Pete Postlethwaite as a useless building supervisor and John C Reilly as the superbly-slimy estate agent. Dougray Scott is also good, but doesn't have quite as much to work with as the others and Ariel Gade is very good as the young girl, never really coming across as annoying as so many child actors in similar roles.
Another thing that works for the film is the atmosphere. You really get the sense of a dark, depressing world that's ripe for haunting by unrested spirits. It could be described as a bit of a 'slow burner' as the real 'meat' of the story doesn't really get going until the final act. Prior to that is mainly character building and setting up the horror that's finally waiting for our protagonists.
I won't say too much about the story, as you only really get one chance to watch it and not know where it's going. A couple of the plot points surprised me, so I won't spoil anything. It may not be a blood-bath and it's probably got a few too many 'jump scares' for some people's liking in the opening two acts, but, overall, it's a very atmospheric, creepy little number that horror fans who like a slow build of terror should enjoy. -
Thanos_Alfie1 March 2014"Dark Water" is a movie which has to do with a mother and daughter who are still wounded from something that happened and they can not move on with their lives. Another thing of this movie is that something were wrong with their apartment and water run-down on it.
I liked this movie because is a really different horror movie from all the other movies that I have watched. I also liked the plot and the whole storyline of it and especially the drama of this mother. I believe that Jennifer Connelly who plays as Dahlia makes a really nice interpretation as also John C. Reilly does. I think that Walter Salles did a really great job in the direction of this movie and this is something that is really obvious in whole of the movie.
Finally I have to say that the difference of the plot in this movie is something that makes "Dark Water" more epic. -
Very disappointed in this one, considering I had once been told that the Japanese version of this is actually better than the Japanese version of "The Ring". I just don't see that being the case unless we totally reworked the movie into something completely different and very very boring. There is really nothing to this movie, in the end there are no real surprises what you think is what you get and it plays more like a movie about child custody set against the backdrop of a haunted apartment complex. I do not blame the cast, as they all did a good job, but sometimes a movie is just bad for other reasons such as story, lack of mood, and no real scares considering this is supposed to be horror. Actually, I can now see why this movie is listed as a drama first, thriller second, and lastly a horror. In fact, they should just drop the horror part. The story, mother moves into a very unattractive apartment complex on an island in New York while in the midst of said custody battle. Water drips from the ceiling in the bed room and seems to be originating from the upstairs apartment. Could be rowdy kids pulling a prank or something on a more supernatural note, but this does not help the mother as she starts questioning her sanity. Throw in a few scenes of a ghost that almost seem not to belong in this film and you have your movie. You may want to check it out if you like a really mild thriller, but otherwise if you are looking for scares, alas there are very few of them (actually I would say there are none) I would avoid this movie and wait for the next Japanese horror turned American remake or see something of ours that isn't rated pg-13 and can put ya to sleep. Though if you do go and you do fall asleep, just ask the person next to you what you missed and they will probably tell you "Absolutely nothing".
And on a side note, don't vote yes or no on my review of this movie unless you have not seen it and this review proved helpful or not helpful in you deciding to see it, because that is what it asks not whether you agree with it or disagree like so many people seem to think it says. -
This is not a "child talks to dead people" movie. You should rejoice. It's not a "woman fights supernatural forces" thriller. You should get down on your knees and thank the powers that be. This is not "just an unnecessary re-make of the Japanese original". It's better.
Nakata is famous for taking the long view of his characters. Keeping us safe emotionally from them in order to bring the horror to life. Salles trumps him by pulling us right into Dahlia's arms where her fear, paranoia, and despair are absolutely palpable.
This is the story of a single mother trying to survive after a nasty divorce. Trying to hold onto her daughter so she can overcome her own history of abandonment. The ghosts (whether real or imagined) are peripheral to her dilemma.
The American Dark Water, gives us the same foreboding leak, the same bleak horrific photography, the same basic plot line, and yet by taking the emphasis off the ghosts reaches a much stronger emotional resonance.
Highly recommended for those that submit themselves to movies, rather than submit movies to themselves. You know who you are. -
Galina_movie_fan10 August 2009Dark Water, the first English language movie directed by Brazilian Walter Salles (Central Station, Motorcycle Diaries) is a very good movie. This is the type of intelligent non-slasher horror films that I enjoy. Its power is not in showing gore and roaring monsters but in the creating the atmosphere of unbearable tension and in making the very familiar everyday things and situations ominous, gloomy, and ready to hurt. Dark Water is also about very real and sympathetic characters, a young single mother and her little girl, and the bond and love between them. It is about real monsters of abuse, negligence, and criminal indifference that could and would affect a child's future life and lead to the tragic event at some point. I did not see the original Japanese movie of which Dark Water is a remake but I found this remake set in the creepiest apartment building on the Roosevelt Island, NY imaginable, a very underrated, good on its own merits and certainly worth watching drama/psychological thriller with the elements of supernatural thriller. Acting is first class. Jennifer Connelly in a truly heartbreaking performance as a recently divorced woman trying to move on together with her little daughter deserves a special mention and respect. John C. Reilly, Tim Roth, Pete Postlethwait, and Dougray Scott all made their characters interesting and memorable. It was nice to see Camryn Manheim in a small cameo. Two young girls also were very good. The camera work by Alfonso Beato, who more recently shot the award winning films "All About My Mother" (1999) "Ghost World" (2001), "The Queen" (2006), and “Love in the Time of Cholera” is amazing. The apartment where Dahlia and Cecil moved, had a strong and scary personality, and could be consider another very important film's character. If I add that the original music to the film was written by Angelo Badalamenti, the usual David Lynch's collaborator, you'd have a good idea of the surreal dark atmosphere of the film. I recommend it but do not expect a pure horror flick. Dark Water is deeper than that.
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nobbytatoes24 October 2005Dahlia and Kyle are separating; and its an ugly one. Dahlia keeps accusing Kyle of an affair, though he pleas innocence. Dahlia has priority custody of their daughter Ceci. Dahlia and Ceci move to a new area of the city, into a an apartment block; but its very decrepit and it a cut and copy building, all the rooms look the same. Not helping with the new arising situation is the weather, its constantly raining and there are leaks sprouting everywhere in the building. A water mark has appeared in the ceiling of Dahlia's and Ceci's room, and it slowly becomes bigger. The room upstairs is currently vacant, but there is water running and someone is walking around the room. When starting at her new school, Ceci creates an imaginary friend, but is it a friend or something more.
Dark water is a remake of the Japanese version Honogurai mizu no soko kara, in the every growing remake of Japanese horror remakes. The mood is dark and foreboding, yet there is a major flaw; its not scary. Though the original version wasn't scary either. When you look at both, they are more an observational look at parenting and the bond between mothers and daughters. So its more of a drama; with a supernatural twist. This has a very old horror movie build to it, it starts slow and as it goes along it builds in tension to it big conclusion. So it great to see this style come out again.
What really hold this movie together is the cast. Jennifer Connelly, John C. Reilly, Pete Postlethwaite and the ever great Tim Roth. They really hold the story, they make this story seem believable. Another great factor was the very ambient score, it really enhanced many of the scenes.
Though its not a good as the original version, its still strong enough to stand on its own merits as a good movie. -
Superunknovvn30 January 2006Wow, that was one long boring movie. The original "Dark Water" was one of the better Asian horror movies. Not very logical, but creepy and effective. American remakes tend to take the original premise and go over the top with it. That's not at all the case with this movie. Walter Salles' version of "Dark Water" is even more stripped of any shock elements. You have to give him credit for trying to make the movie his own instead of copying the original sequence by sequence, but Salles cut the best scenes out and his attempts to create atmosphere aren't successful at all. Just because it's raining all the time and the whole film is covered in dark green/gray doesn't automatically make it atmospheric. It's just an inanely obvious way to build a theme that matches the title. The story itself moves so slowly and uneventfully that we are virtually (and vainly) begging for some cheap scare to keep us interested. There are no plot points whatsoever. Characters are introduced arbitrarily, they do things without a reason and in the end we're presented a solution that's only slightly explicable if you've seen the original and know what the story is supposed to be about. Jennifer Connelly and the rest of the fine cast do their best to save "Dark Water", but they're fighting against windmills. This movie couldn't even scare my girlfriend and that's saying a lot, because she is freaked out by even the tamest ghost stories. So, don't waste your time on this and go see the original instead.
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davidmetzer12 May 2022What Dark Water lacks in thrills, it does make up for in mood and wonderful performances, especially from Jennifer Connelly as the stressed out single mother trying to keep her wits about her after learning her apartment is haunted by a child's ghost. Expect less of a horror film and more of a drama and you'll be in the right headspace.
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matt-13349 July 2005For a scary movie, it was not scary. For a psycho thriller it was not smart enough, or in depth enough to give you a thrill. Though for a ghost film it did do things differently.
It could have been worse, it could have been a whole lot better, but it could have been worse. The point of the movie seemed clear until the end, and the mystery was revealed in the first 5 minutes. The little girls in the film all look so much alike that at times it is hard to tell who is who. But other than that it did have an interesting twist. Not interesting in a good way unfortunately. But the idea could be used by someone who can write a better screenplay, or someone who could direct a better film, to make a good flick.
thats my $.02 -
sammy-s-801-77096918 May 2020This is a Remake of the 2002 Japanese Horror Movie. The plot is pretty simple , a mother who is fighting custody over her daughter moves with her to a new apartment. The people in the building are strange, there's are leakage in their room and her daughter finds an imaginary friend soon....
The good aspects of the film is that it doesn't have any CGI ghosts or any evil looking spirits and yet it has an creepy feeling throughout. It is slow moving yet engaging. We have real middle class people with real problems which gives it more of a human drama than a typical horror stuff. Performances are good . There's more emotional connect than scary scenes. However the film could have been short, some scenes are absolutely no need especially the dream sequences are very unnecessary. There's not much to complain about ....it not an awesome film but it's pretty good for what it is and what it tries to be and is definitely an underrated horror drama .... Definitely worth a watch... -
mitchnva13 July 2005I cannot figure why the trend to re-make another Japanese horror flick. Okay, The Ring was good, Ring 2 okay, but the trend is getting ridiculous. I give Dark Water a 2, only, because Jennifer Connelly is a good actress, otherwise the film should have been named Shallow Water. The plot has no depth, the threat is minimal, and the characters are depressing. Has the film industry forgotten how to create a good horror flick that they have to borrow movies from other countries? And they are not even that great of movie. I know I own some of them. Recently, I heard that once again they are coming out with another re-make, this one called The Ghost. I can only imagine. My girl friend after viewing Dark Water, looked over at me and said, "Do you think I could get a refund on the last two hours of my life?" I think it's time to step up to the plate and start putting out some quality horror/supernatural films. Jennifer Connelly, we love you, but the film stinks.
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FilmSnobby4 January 2006Don't know about you all, but I've sort of had it up to here with teenagers. Walter Salles' *Dark Water* flopped because of teenagers. The geniuses up the highway from me at the Walt Disney Company tried to market this psychological drama -- in SUMMER! -- to teenagers as a slasher film . . . OOPS. When the teenagers discovered that the film's primary concern was with a troubled single mother, fresh from a nasty divorce and currently embroiled in a custody fight, they lost patience with it (the screen offering no steaming entrails oozing from savagely slashed pregnant abdomens and such) and commenced downloading ring-tones from Katazo on their cellphones in the darkened theaters. The epilogue to the sorry saga of this film's release? The teenagers infest this website with their 1-star reviews and poor grammar and ALL CAPS SENTENCES. Look, I've got an idea: I think it's high time that the folks at IMDb create an entirely separate website -- let's call it "IMDbTeen" -- in which the children can vent their spleen and leave THIS site for the rest of us to discuss movies. And no, banishing the youngsters to the discussion boards won't cut the mustard -- the Ritalin-addicted kids, thumbs sore from their PSPs, have obviously found their way to the review pages. Or perhaps IMDb, which is owned by Amazon, can follow their corporate parent's lead and force teenagers to identify themselves as such -- the rest of us can then ignore their comments.
Pardon the W.C. Fields rant, but *Dark Water* is too good a film to be hijacked by walking pimple sacks, sorry. Here is a great work of art that has been virtually disowned by its director because of the poor box office returns. Hey, Salles, if you're reading this, there's no reason for you to hang your head in shame over this picture. I, for one, appreciated your baroque homage to Polanski's *Repulsion*, and can even state that the performance you get out of Jennifer Connelly actually surpasses Deneuve's work in that earlier film. Connelly thoroughly inhabits the role -- an unglamorous one that asks this beautiful actress to dress in ratty clothes while suffering from constant migraines. She convinces us as a desperate case, both financially and emotionally, and also convinces us that Dahlia is an honest-to-goodness mom (Connelly has a couple of kids in real life, which not only helps, but is a necessity on an actress' resume if she presumes to play this part). And it's not just Connelly who scores in the acting department: John C. Reilly as the superintendent delivers an immortal monologue (mostly improvised, according to the DVD extras) as he offers Dahlia and her daughter a grand tour of the hideous housing project on Roosevelt Island that is the setting of the movie. "Where's the living room?" asks Dahlia. "This is it," effuses Reilly, "It's both bedroom AND living room! It's what they call a DUAL-USE room. Look at it -- it's huge!" Anyone who has ever dealt with a real estate agent will recognize Reilly's canny mix of friendliness and utter untrustworthiness. A-class talent such as Pete Postlethwaite and Tim Roth also make significant contributions as the building's janitor and Dahlia's lawyer, respectively.
But the prime virtue of the film is in the photography and set design. *Dark Water* is that rarest of horror films: it's set in the city. Roosevelt Island, to be precise, that run-down spit of land across the river from Manhattan, encrusted with Soviet-bloc inspired tenement housing. ("The Brutalist style," as Reilly would have it.) Salles' DP has a field day in this environment, getting some nice aerial shots of the brick and cement rat maze, as well as some low shots pointing up toward the tenement towers' imposing height. The weather is usually rainy (the incessant leitmotiv of the film is water, obviously), the sky is gun-gray, smokestacks dominate the horizon, the overall color palette consists of institutional gray, poverty-row brown, icky black, depression blue. The interiors, specifically of Dahlia and Ceci's apartment -- along with the mysterious 10-F directly upstairs -- is a fond homage to Catherine Deneuve's greasy, miserable apartment in Polanski's *Repulsion*, with some nods thrown towards the Coens' *Barton Fink* along the way (especially in regards to the peeling plaster and moist dry-wall and overall dilapidation).
But is *Dark Water* really scary? Presumably, this would be the point. It's probably not scary enough to scare the pimple sacks, but it's scary enough for those who've had to deal with life's most fundamental problems, such as raising a child alone, or finding oneself crippled by either physical or mental handicaps, aggravated by an unhappy past, WHILE raising a child alone. In other words, it's scary enough for grown-ups, who can find terror in watching their children cross a busy intersection. And in any case, Salles delivers a few choice jolts along the way, which I won't spoil. But the genius of the film is in its atmosphere: an unrelenting brooding menace that feeds off of urban misery. *Dark Water* is depressing and scary.
And splendid. 9 ardent stars out of 10. -
room10217 October 2005I had very low expectations for "Dark Water (2005)". The recent Hollywood craze of making horror movies for the teens (remakes of Japanese horror in particular) produced some of the worst movies I've ever seen. In addition, I already watched the original "Dark Water (2002)" and really hated it (it had good atmosphere, but I found it very boring and the plot to be silly and predictable).
Unlike many remakes, this movie is actually much better than its origin (in my opinion, of course). It doesn't work like most recent horror movies; in fact, I'm not sure it's supposed to be a horror movie at all (although it's being promoted as one). It works more like a psychological thriller.
There is a very good acting by the entire cast: Jennifer Connelly is gorgeous as ever and really carries the movie - she is very convincing, even in the more-clichéd situations; Pete Postlethwaite and John C. Reilly are both good as the sleazy guys; Camryn Manheim (from "Happiness") behaves like she's been a teacher for years; Ariel Gade is surprisingly good for a 7-year old in her second feature film; And I didn't even recognize Tim Roth as the lawyer who runs his office from the car.
Director Walter Salles and writer Rafael Yglesias did a good job in avoiding many of the cheesy horror movies tricks and creating good atmosphere. A major contribution to this atmosphere is the wonderful score by Angelo Badalamenti.
While not a masterpiece, this movie does show that remakes can be done well and sometimes even surpass their origin. -
MichaelMargetis8 July 2005How desperate is Hollywood these days? How anxious are they to get a creepy Japenese- originated 'Ring'-like horror picture with a PG-13 rating out in the theaters so it can score #1 at the box office with ticket sales from the teenage crowd? They must be very desperate, indeed, because the latest one 'Dark Water' is nothing but a jumbled, confusing and frustrating migraine of a suspense picture, with really no suspense. The film doesn't even begin to get a tad bit interesting, until an hour and a half has already passed (the movie runs for one hour and forty-five minutes). 'Dark Water' is a terrible failure, with only fifteen minutes of true suspense and ninety minutes of pointless filler. I was extremely disappointed with 'Dark Water' after reading so many positive reviews. I was expecting a cast filled with such strong actors as Jennifer Connelly, Tim Roth, John C. Reilly, Dougary Scott and Pete Postelwaithe to really lift this picture up, but the movie was so bland and lame their acting talents couldn't. I don't know if I was ever as bored in a movie theater before today.
The story (based on a tired formulaic novel by Japanese hack Koji Suzuki), follows Dahlia (Jennifer Connelly) and her daughter, Ceci (Ariel Gade). Dahlia and her husband Kyle (Dougary Scott) are going through an awful and dirty divorce and are fighting over custody. Kyle is shacked up with another honey over in Jersey City, and Dahlia is trying to find an affordable apartment in Manhattan for her and her daughter. After a long time of searching, Dahlia and her daughter come across a rusty, depressing looking apartment building just on the outskirts on Manhattan with a spare room. They are shown the apartment by the building lying, two-faced sleaze ball super Mr. Murray (John C. Reilly), who tries desperately to condescend the two into thinking it's a beautiful apartment, when it's really tired, dull and very creepy looking. Dahlia ends up getting the apartment, and when she does strange occurrences start to happen starting with a water leak in the ceiling. It's coming from the upstairs apartment 10 F, but no one lives there... (oooohhhh, creepy)! Not.
There's no creepy-looking little girl who kills people in this thriller, just a normal boring looking ghost girl who couldn't scare a ninety year old woman on dialysis. The movie tries to scare you with free flowing water that is black! Oh, my god! How frightening! Yeah, right. It seems whenever you are expecting something freaky and delightfully disturbing to happen in this so-called horror flick, something so indescribably wearisome happens. The film really doesn't build up adequate suspense or interest till the concluding fifteen minutes where it's absolutely crazy. I mean crazy as interesting and scary, but also mindless and cliché too. There is really no aspect of 'Dark Water' that is original and that's a shame. Brazilian director Walter Salles does the best he can with the besotted and dim-witted screenplay. It's a major step down for Salles after directing last year's foreign-indie favorite 'The Motorcycle Diaries', which earned a Best Foreign Film nomination at the Academy Awards in March. Jennifer Connelly is solid as to be expected, but even her dead-on performance can't save the movie from it's tedious and simple-minded formula. Tim Roth is a good addition to the cast as Connelly's typical lawyer, Dougary Scott is okay for his very limited camera time, Camryn Manheim is well, Camryn Manheim as Ceci's school teacher, Pete Postelwaithe (aka Koboyashi) adds an interesting creep factor to his character, and John C. Reilly is hysterical and always fun to watch as the sneaky low-life that is Mr. Murray. Reilly plays up his role tremendously, and by doing so is probably the best part of the scatterbrained feature.
When it's all over, I felt very let down and confused. The movie is hard to follow, and almost impossible to take seriously. It isn't as horrible as last year's stinker 'The Grudge', but it still is a bad movie. For all the talent behind 'Dark Water', it never impresses or entices. I have to say I was very disappointed with this movie, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. I wouldn't even dish out $5 bucks for headphones to view it on a plane. If by some perverted chance 'Dark Water' scores #1 at the box office this weekend, I'll hang my head in shame on how tasteless our society has become. Grade: D+ (screened at AMC Deer Valley 30, Phoenix, Arizona, 7/8/05)
my ratings guide - A+ (absolutley flawless); A (a masterpiece, near-perfect); A- (excellent); B+ (great); B (very good); B- (good); C+ (a mixed bag); C (average); C- (disappointing); D+ (bad); D (very bad); D- (absolutley horrendous); F (not one redeeming quality in this hunk of Hollywood feces).