The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016) Reviews

• If you like horror, see this

  umme4uke2016-12-20

  I'm a big horror fan and this is the best little horror yarn I've seen in ages. Well acted, with some recognisable faces. Brian Cox is great as the small town coroner that leads the autopsy on the titular body, in one scene he even managed to give me a sad lump in the throat which was an unexpected feeling during an unnerving horror flick. Emile Hirsch plays his son and assistant and though he's good doesn't have as much impact as Cox. Roose Bolton (Michael McElhatton) makes an appearance as the town sheriff. Where this film really succeeds is in doing something a lot of modern horror has forgotten about - it toys with the viewers imagination, creating an uneasy feeling out of the narrative, half light, sound and shadow. This is not to say you don't get to see anything grotesque or unsettling, as certain scenes are not for the squeamish. I don't want to spoil the story but will say this, the resolution is not quite as good as the build up. It's very hard for a horror film, especially one that plays on fear and the imagination, to deliver a conclusion that is suitably unsettling - this one half succeeds. But the ride is more than worth it and the ending is far from a failure. If you like horror, watch this.

• Creepy as Hell

  A_Different_Drummer2016-12-21

  And a simply wonderful throwback to the 1970s when horror was, well, horror -- and not based on gimmicks like "found footage" but rather genuine scene-setting, story building, audience engagement, and full-tilt creepiness. Probably destined to become a classic. Brian Cox is this generation's Donald Pleasence, that is to say, a character actor who could not give a bad performance if he tried yet is destined to never actually stand out in any single production because that is his style. Director André Øvredal is one of those rare finds -- an auteur with (so far) a small body of work who is producing better and better films. This suggests that over time he will probably give us bigger and better treats to come. And while Ophelia Lovibond does not get a lot of screen time, the exposure she does have will only add to her fan base. An American accent so natural you would think she was trained by Hugh Laurie and a performance so sweet you might not even recognize her (unless you looked twice) as the very same actress that underpinned an entire season of Elementary. Recommended? This is a must-see!

• Clever, suspenseful and creepy, a must see horror film

  malVV_2016-12-28

  From director André Øvredal (Trollhunter) comes one of the best horror movies of 2016, The Autopsy of Jane Doe. Suspenseful, clever and creepy from start to finish this horror movie follows the story of father and son (played by Brain Cox and Emile Hirsch), both coroners, as they experience unexplained and paranormal events while examining the body of an unidentified woman (played by Olwen Kelly). Execution is superb, from directing, editing, camera-work, color grading, sound editing, dialogue. Movie also features some fine acting, most notably from Brian Cox (no surprise there) There is not a single moment where I felt bored, tension is always present and creepy atmosphere makes it very enjoyable. Also scares don't feel forced but rather real and well earned. Maybe couple of shortcomings or sins here and there prevent it to be a masterpiece, but it is still a very damn good movie. Simple story skillfully executed. Horror is not dead, it is still here and very alive, you just need to have passionate and talented people working behind the cameras.

• Creepy, Claustrophobic and Scary

  claudio_carvalho2016-12-22

  While investigating the murder of a family, Sheriff Sheldon (Michael McElhatton) and his team are puzzled with the discovery of the body of a stranger buried in the basement that does not fit to the crime scene. He brings the corpse of the beautiful Jane Doe (Olwen Kelly) late night to the coroner Tommy Tilden (Brian Cox) and requests to have the cause of death until the next morning to have an answer to the press. Tommy's son and assistant Austin Tilden (Emile Hirsch) is ready to go to the movie theater with his girlfriend Emma (Ophelia Lovibond), but he decides to stay to help his father in the autopsy. Along the stormy and tragic night, they disclose weird and creepy secrets about Jane Doe. "The Autopsy of Jane Doe" is a creepy, claustrophobic and scary low- budget horror movie. The screenplay is very well-written and the tension increases as long as the mystery about Jane Doe is discloses by the coroners. The limited use of special effects is another plus in this little gem. My vote is seven. Title (Brazil): Not Available

• Family Business

  cattis262016-11-10

  Saw this at the Night Visions festival in Helsinki, November 2016. What I expected was a lighthearted, "father and son as morticians" kind of movie. What I got was a movie that chilled even my horror movie veteran soul to the bone. To explain too much about this movie would spoil it, so I will not go into details. But the director succeeds wonderfully in first creating a comfortable atmosphere, introducing a small cast of characters and setting the scene, and then masterfully starts upping the discomfort levels of the situation, until you are sitting at the edge of your seat, biting your nails. Like in Øvredal's former movie, Troll Hunter, what you cannot see can be a million times more disconcerting than what is in plain sight. Although here he uses both.. Great characters, great atmosphere, an overall great experience. Even if at times I wished for it to end already, just because I couldn't quite bear all the anxiety. I hope this comes to Finland proper, so others can see it too! Quite possibly the best horror film I have seen this year.