"... Surveillance is a twisted little gem depicting the worst in human nature and the best in cinematic quality. "
Show of hands...
Who would have thought that the seed of David Lynch could create something not only audacious and surreal, but also (drum roll please)... Actually good. No, no... Scratch that... It's not good---it's actually great. Surveillance is a twisted little gem depicting the worst in human nature and the best in cinematic quality.
When a psychopathic duo begin laying bloody waste to a small town, FBI agents Sam Hallaway and Elizabeth Anderson (Bill Pullman and Julia Ormond) are called in to try and put an end to all of the chaos. Arriving soon after a rather horrific roadside incident, the agents meet and interview three survivors via surveillance cameras (get it?). Thus, the majority of the film is told from three different perspectives, all revolving around the same event. Is the observant little girl hiding something? Is the coked-up bimbo telling them the whole story? Is the police officer in question as good as he says he is? Time---and footage---will tell.
Now, while I was no real fan of Boxing Helena, Jennifer Lynch at least showed some potential as a writer (she penned the flick when she was only 19) and director with her odd approach to a somewhat disturbing ordeal. Yes, there were some "Lynchian-esque" moments and images, but for the most part it was rather blasé. Reviews weren't that kind, and Jennifer retreated from the glow of the celluloid for quite some time. After quite the extensive break, she's finally returned, pulling with her a film that's as much a redemptive piece as it is a brilliant vision of depravity.
The true star of this film is the development. I know that sounds odd, but the means this movie takes to revealing its lurid tale is nothing short of compelling. What begins on a rather simple note subtly builds into a single moment of horrific cruelty and continues down a path so unnerving that I honestly found myself slowly slipping towards the edge of my seat. I know that sounds cliché, but seriously---I had such a mental hard-on watching this film that by the time the twist hit... Well, my mind was blown. And really, the twist isn't the big deal; it's the crafty and conniving way Ms. Lynch goes about presenting it---that's the kicker.
But this direction would fall flat if the performances were weak. Thankfully, they're anything but. Turning in one of the most surprising reversals I've seen in a long, LONG time is 3rd Rock From the Sun's French Stewart. Holy... I mean, this guy can act. Here I was stuck in my naïve ways, thinking that all Frenchy could do was play roles meant for squinty-eyed comic relief... Man, was I wrong... The character he portrays in here is so corrupt and vile that it was making me wish that the film's actual antagonists would make an appearance just to wipe the grimy grin off of his face. Other strong performances come in the form of Mac Miller (who plays a druggie who can't seem to stop laughing) and of course, Bill Pullman, who manages a perfect balance between wry humor and earnest seriousness in his investigatory pursuit of the culprits. And what of the other actors? Well, they're all fine and dandy too, it just so happens that the three I mentioned above were the most stand-out to me.
If I have a main gripe about Surveillance, it's that---despite Jennifer's splendid direction---I was hoping for more in terms of camerawork. This little issue of mine stems from the trailers I witnessed for the film sometime ago. If you can't remember, some of the shots shown in the trailer were constantly adjusting---they were tilting from one position to another. Oddly enough, this little effect got me quite excited for the movie. It may have been simple but it added a layer of visual interest. Sadly though, this little technique is nowhere to be seen in the actual film and only served as a means of advertising... Guess it worked... Other problems arose, but were minimal. Some characters act a tad unrealistic given the intensity of certain situations, and a deviant sexual act that occurs seemed to go on a little long. Other than those tiffs, this film is competently handled.
Surveillance isn't a movie that you're going to feel good about after watching. You're not going to want to run to the hills singing carols as you watch clouds change shape in a brightly lit sky... In fact, you might just feel a little dirty when the last scene fades and the credits take over. Even still, I couldn't help but find myself fully engrossed with the movie's nihilistic approach to everything one would expect from the medium. It's dark. It's ugly. It's Lynch.
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