A mother and daughter, both immortal, settle in a decrepit hotel on the coast and are confronted with threats from their past and present.
Neil Jordan's latest film borrows many elements from vampire lore, although he has attempted to build a story that goes beyond the usual things.
It's a beautifully elegant film, driven by strong performances by Gemma Arterton as the wilful, sexually aggressive mother and Saiorse Ronan as her prim, introspective daughter.
I had written earlier about the two Spanish films that started with good ideas but couldn't follow through in any satisfying way. "Byzantium" shows what can result when you do follow through -- the mythology of the immortals has an internal consistent that supports the overall story.
A solid piece of work from Jordan.
--------------------------
Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld
1 comment:
My one complaint with the film was the quality of the sound. A lot of the dialogue was muffled (it was a strain to listen to for the entire film).
I'm hoping it was a problem at the venue, as it was my first screening at the Elgin this week. Unfortunately, I'm back there this morning for a new adaptation of "Great Expectations".
Post a Comment