STARRING: Olivia Colman, Alexander Skarsgard, Elizabeth Debicki, Marli Siu, Nabhaan Rizawan, Richard E. Grant and Richard Dinklage. Screenplay by Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson, based on the The Wicker Husband by Ursula Wills. Directed by Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson. Budget $10 million. Running time 105 minutes.
Magic realism thy name is Wicker. Mocked and ridiculed by what seems like every member of her village – and in particular the Tailor's Wife (Elizabeth Debicki), who rules the small unnamed village somewhere in the middle ages, filled with a veritable smorgabord of ethnicities, fantastic haute couture from another era, and deeply anachronistic modern dialogue – tired of life as a lonely spininster, Fisherwoman (Olivia Colman) goes to the Basket Weaver (Richard Dinklage) and asks him to make her a husband. He does and a month later, the Wicker Husband (Alexander Skarsgard) arrives and the pair are married, leading to a schism in the close-knight community that leads to drama and fiery confrontation, with accusations of infidelity, wicker babies, jealousy, and betrayal.
Magic realism thy name is Wicker. Mocked and ridiculed by what seems like every member of her village – and in particular the Tailor's Wife (Elizabeth Debicki), who rules the small unnamed village somewhere in the middle ages, filled with a veritable smorgabord of ethnicities, fantastic haute couture from another era, and deeply anachronistic modern dialogue – tired of life as a lonely spininster, Fisherwoman (Olivia Colman) goes to the Basket Weaver (Richard Dinklage) and asks him to make her a husband. He does and a month later, the Wicker Husband (Alexander Skarsgard) arrives and the pair are married, leading to a schism in the close-knight community that leads to drama and fiery confrontation, with accusations of infidelity, wicker babies, jealousy, and betrayal.
A strange film to be sure, although when one considers it features a man made of wicker it's difficult to wonder how else it could be. It's not set in the real world, that's for sure, this is a world where the appearance of a man made of wicker doesn't cause screams of 'witchcraft' but rather complete acceptance. What isn't acceptable is the change of the Fisher Woman from bullied ridiculed spinster into vital, energised and sexually satisfied woman of confidence. Her husband is like no other man in the village as he tends to his wife's needs, carnally, domestically and emotionally and in doing so makes himself the unwitting enemy of every man in the village and the target of lust by every women. This is a world where all the men, apart from the Basket Weaver and obviously the Wicker Man are oafs, buffoons and useless, although the women aren't that much better.
An intriguing film that I found myself fascinated by but not loving, it's well made, well acted and looks very good, but it's also jarring, the music an uncomfortable mix of folk and industrial begins to grate, the fashions look so out of place that you find yourself trying to place it in a sort of time period and get drawn out of the story as you marvel at the fabrics, and needlework skills involved. Even though this is a fairy tale in a far off land a long time ago you find yourself trying to date it. And the dialogue is often far too clever for its own good, especially when Dinklage is talking to himself, it doesn't feel real, but rather written, you could imagine the writers patting themselves on the back at their own cleverness, but all this achieves is to once again pull you out of the narrative. But enough negatives, special mention must be made about the special effects and make up, which are truly magical, there are times where the sunlight shines through the Wicker Man's body and it's a marvel, as is the sound effects of his creaking and cracking of his body completely convince.
The story behind it is an intriguing one and yet characters, particularly the Fisher Woman who acts in ways that seems utterly implausible when her husband is accused of shagging the women folk of the village, and only there to propel the plot. Her Wicker man is so painfully honest and open that it's hard to believe she would so readily accept the accusations of infidelity and then to act in such a horrific maner. It sadly pulls you out of the film and leaves the plot having to pull a last minute fairy tale twist in the story.
Nevertheless this was a well made and entertaining film, it has moments of great humour and also strong drama and at a brisk 105 minutes didn't outstay its welcome and I'm beginning to realise I'll watch anything with Olivia Colman in it, she really is a mesmerising actor.
An intriguing film that I found myself fascinated by but not loving, it's well made, well acted and looks very good, but it's also jarring, the music an uncomfortable mix of folk and industrial begins to grate, the fashions look so out of place that you find yourself trying to place it in a sort of time period and get drawn out of the story as you marvel at the fabrics, and needlework skills involved. Even though this is a fairy tale in a far off land a long time ago you find yourself trying to date it. And the dialogue is often far too clever for its own good, especially when Dinklage is talking to himself, it doesn't feel real, but rather written, you could imagine the writers patting themselves on the back at their own cleverness, but all this achieves is to once again pull you out of the narrative. But enough negatives, special mention must be made about the special effects and make up, which are truly magical, there are times where the sunlight shines through the Wicker Man's body and it's a marvel, as is the sound effects of his creaking and cracking of his body completely convince.
The story behind it is an intriguing one and yet characters, particularly the Fisher Woman who acts in ways that seems utterly implausible when her husband is accused of shagging the women folk of the village, and only there to propel the plot. Her Wicker man is so painfully honest and open that it's hard to believe she would so readily accept the accusations of infidelity and then to act in such a horrific maner. It sadly pulls you out of the film and leaves the plot having to pull a last minute fairy tale twist in the story.
Nevertheless this was a well made and entertaining film, it has moments of great humour and also strong drama and at a brisk 105 minutes didn't outstay its welcome and I'm beginning to realise I'll watch anything with Olivia Colman in it, she really is a mesmerising actor.
8/10
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