Welcome one and all to my review of "The Autopsy Of Jane Doe". Before I begin I think you should check out my previous blog posts which feature a review of "Before I Wake" and a look at the new "Oats Studios" short film or if you want to check out all of my previous blog posts go to my homepage where you'll find links to all of my previous posts as well as links to my social media pages. As always with every post I welcome feedback so leave a comment in the section below or head on over to my Facebook, Twitter or Instagram pages.
As I mentioned this article is a review of "The Autopsy Of Jane Doe" which I pre ordered on Amazon. The film is the first English language feature for Andre Ovredal, who came to the attention of most people for 2010's "Troll Hunter".
The Autopsy Of Jane Doe" follows the father and son team of Tommy and Austin Tilden, who are morticians about to close up shop for the night when they are presented with a mysterious Jane Doe. As the two begin to cut open the victim strange things begin to happen. Things take a turn for the worst as the "Jane Doe" they are presented with harbours a strange and dark past that will lead the father and son down a dark path they might not be able to return from.
Let me begin by saying I really enjoyed this film. I love horror films and enjoy seeing something a little different from the big budget studio sequel fodder. The story telling was handled really well. There was just enough background for each character to establish a coherent story without over doing it. There were a few avenues that I would have liked to discover more of; for example I felt there was hints toward the father and son bond not being all together strong with Austin talking about leaving and also about the death of his mother but, nothing was really explored after the mere mention of the topics. There is a real frenetic pace to the film, by this I mean there is a great deal of the film setting up the final act which comes very suddenly.
What I loved was the "Jane Doe" character was kept a mystery for the entirety of the film. Most films of this nature would be tempted to explore the nature of her death with some convoluted back story but, this is no ordinary horror film . There is scant amount of details we find out other than what the father and son discover for themselves.
The fact that the film was confined to one building was a stroke of genius. This allowed for a claustrophobic atmosphere throughout the entire film which allowed the level of dread to be intensified exponentially as the father and son duo had a limited amount of options to try and escape the clutches of the mysterious entity causing them problems. This was also the case with casting. Apart from a couple of minor characters only Austin, Tommy and "Jane Doe" appear on the screen. This proves you don't need a huge ensemble cast to create a truly fantastic film.
Overall "The Autopsy Of Jane Doe" is a fantastic example of great horror storytelling. There is a feel of a ghost story rather than a conventional horror. Outstanding acting and brilliant work with regards to using a setting to its full advantage. Well worth a watch even if its behind the sofa.
Thanks for reading.
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