I like going into movies knowing little about them other than a few basics. Quite often, the less you know beforehand, the more enjoyable a movie can be. So all I knew about Seraphim Falls when I watched it was that it was a western. I didn't even know who was in it.
Now, to start with, all was well. The frozen mountainous setting, Brosnan and Neeson, a tale of revenge. Who was Brosnan's character? Why was Neeson after him. All good stuff.
Over the course of the next hour or so, more is revealed as the manhunt continues. Again, all good.
But, oh dear, having convinced me it was a revenge-western, Seraphim Falls then proceeds to get a little bit weird. Characters appear in the middle of nowhere, offering temptations to Brosnan and Neeson's characters. At first I thought "The characters are losing their minds, and this is what they are seeing." But the gifts thus given to the duo are apparently real. If they had both died of thirst at the end and been found by a wandering cavalry detachment, say, then I could have forgiven this.
But this is not what happens. I won't try and gloss over it. For a revenge flick this is a deeply unsatisfying conclusion. The trippy insanity is never explained and the whole thing leaves a rather unpleasant aftertaste in the mouth.
It's almost as if, having given us over an hour of blood and thunder, the director wanted to point out the folly of vengeance and how we should all just "get along...." If you like good old fashioned westerns give this one a miss. It starts off promising, but will hugely disappoint you in the end.
Now, to start with, all was well. The frozen mountainous setting, Brosnan and Neeson, a tale of revenge. Who was Brosnan's character? Why was Neeson after him. All good stuff.
Over the course of the next hour or so, more is revealed as the manhunt continues. Again, all good.
But, oh dear, having convinced me it was a revenge-western, Seraphim Falls then proceeds to get a little bit weird. Characters appear in the middle of nowhere, offering temptations to Brosnan and Neeson's characters. At first I thought "The characters are losing their minds, and this is what they are seeing." But the gifts thus given to the duo are apparently real. If they had both died of thirst at the end and been found by a wandering cavalry detachment, say, then I could have forgiven this.
But this is not what happens. I won't try and gloss over it. For a revenge flick this is a deeply unsatisfying conclusion. The trippy insanity is never explained and the whole thing leaves a rather unpleasant aftertaste in the mouth.
It's almost as if, having given us over an hour of blood and thunder, the director wanted to point out the folly of vengeance and how we should all just "get along...." If you like good old fashioned westerns give this one a miss. It starts off promising, but will hugely disappoint you in the end.