Official Synopsis:
Acclaimed actors Liam Neeson and Pierce Brosnan power this thrilling story of war, survival and revenge set in the fierce wilderness of the untamed West. Three years have passed since the end of the Civil War. Ex-Union Captain Gideon (Brosnan) has come west looking to leave the brutal, bloody past behind. But some deeds done in a time of war cannot be forgotten - or forgiven. Hot on his trail is Carver (Neeson), an ex-confederate colonel, who will stop at nothing to hunt down the man who destroyed his life at Seraphim Falls. Now, battling the harsh elements as he fights to escape his pursuer, Gideon must do whatever it takes to stay alive in this unrelenting action thriller.
Our Take:
Seraphim Falls is one of those films that's almost really great.
With powerhouse performances from Liam Neeson and the always-underrated Pierce Brosnan, the film is a tale of obsession and revenge set in the post-Civil War era, and it has some truly riveting moments. Director David Von Ancken has a real gift behind the camera, and he stages some action and suspense set pieces that rival those of any western film in the past 20 years. (Although, to be fair, Seraphim Falls isn't really a western.) However, what he doesn't have quite down yet is pacing; the film skips back and forth between being absolutely compelling and being rather dull. With Brosnan by himself for most of the film, he has little dialogue and we often follow him for long bouts without hearing a word. This serves the story just fine, but occasionally it becomes a bit tedious. These pacing issues are what keep an otherwise terrific film from living up to its full potential.
The film looks beautiful, though; between the scenery of the landscapes our characters trek across and the top-notch cinematography, it's a fair comparison to say that the film resembles a John Ford film a bit, at least in terms of aesthetics.
There are only two extra features on the Seraphim Falls DVD, but they are both pretty good ones.
* Behind the Scenes of Seraphim Falls (19 minutes) - A making-of featuring interviews with Brosnan and Neeson.
* Commentary - With Pierce Brosnan, writer/director David Von Ancken, and production designer Michael Hanan.
While Seraphim Falls wasn't the film I hoped it would be, ultimately I found it entertaining and I find myself anxiously waiting to see what director David Von Ancken's next project will be, as he show a lot of promise. Fans of either of the lead actors will find a lot to like here, but if the film could have just tightened up a few pacing issues, it could have been a real gem.
Overall Picture:
Movie: B-
DVD: B-
- Mike Spring
Editor
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