MPAA Rating: R/Genre: Psychological Thriller/Stars: Maika Monroe, Karl Glusman, Burn Gorman, Tudor Petruț, Mădălina Anea, Cristina Deleanu, Daniel Nuță/Runtime: 96 minutes
About a million and a half (plus or minus 5) years ago in the long-ago time and era that was May of 2019 I decided to do something rather unusual, at that time anyway, for myself. That being that I made the choice to go and travel completely on my own. Not content with this choice however, I decided to add on to what could have been quite the colossal blunder on my part for my life and make it even more extreme by having it be a trip to Europe for no less than 5 weeks. Yet despite the amazing adventures and extraordinary things I got to witness during the course of my travels, incredible Tex-Mex in Switzerland of all places included, there was one thing that I couldn’t help noticing. That being that where ever I went I was always being stared at by locals in the country I was in at that time. Yet despite the fact that I am pretty confident that the reason they were staring at me had less to do with me (I hope) and more to do with the fact that some of the people I was traveling with (and who shall remain nameless for the sake of confidentiality) were acting less like they fit in and more like what I am sure people in these countries immediately conjure up when they think of the stereotypical “dumb American” the fact still remains that it was a part of my trip that has continued to linger in my mind even after all of this time. Of course, as time has gone on, I have also had moments where that initial thought went to some truly wild places including the idea that what if the person who was staring at me in the London Underground might also be a deranged serial killer who had chosen me as their next victim and yet I was unable to convince anyone of this possible danger to my safety let alone continued existence on this planet? Now Alan, you might be thinking to yourself, that’s more than just a wee bit on the absurd side isn’t it? Well yes and no dear reader. Yes because honestly if everyone who stared at a person was dead set on butchering them then there would be significantly less people in this world. As for no this is because it is this very topic that just so happens to be the main narrative hook for the slice of cinema I am reviewing for you today in the form of 2022’s Watcher. Indeed here is a film that, if we’re being honest, might not have the most novel in terms of narrative out there, but still manages to be quite taut and lively in equal measure thanks in large part to downright remarkable work both behind and in front of the camera. Suffice it to say then that, when looking at this slice of cinema from that perspective, Watcher is definitely one razor-lean and mean slow burn thrill ride that, although predictable, is still able to leave you both on the edge of your seat and with at least a solid shiver or 5 down your spine in equal measure.
The plot is as follows: Watcher gets its spine-tingling narrative underway by introducing us to our main character, a woman by the name of Julia, as she and her significant other Francis are in the final stages of making their way to their new home due to Francis acquiring a new and potentially exciting career opportunity. Unlike a decent amount of the population out there however who might find such a place either in the same city, same state, or even in the same country as their loved ones that isn’t entirely the case for our intrepid heroine and her seemingly charming and decent fiancé. I say that because for them their new home is located in none other than Bucharest, Romania (hope they got some serious frequent flyer miles for that trip). All jokes aside, we soon see that despite Francis being really excited about the move, that’s not entirely the case for our heroine. This is because not only is she very unfamiliar with her new abode right down to the language and customs, but with Francis working long hours in a desperate attempt to try and impress his new bosses, we see that this results in Julia being cooped up in their new apartment all by her lonesome for lengthy periods of time. A bit problematic really because we soon see, along with our already unnerved heroine, that it appears that someone is watching her from an adjacent apartment across the street. Yet when Julia starts hearing news reports about a serial killer in the area who has been going around and deciding that people would be more comfortable without a head on their shoulders than with one if you get my drift we see that her already sky high anxiety is about to segue over into full-blown terror to say nothing of iron clad belief that the man who has been seemingly watching her and the serial killer at large are not two different people, but are in fact one and the same. Yet when her adamant claims are met with varying degrees of skepticism by both her fiancée as well as the local authorities, we see our heroine decide to undertake an investigation into the matter on her own. One that, by the time it has reached its conclusion, will not only make you appreciate just how much stress a pair of curtains can remove from a potentially nightmarish situation, but also possibly bring our heroine face to face with the components of terror in a way she could never have imagined. As for what she uncovers to say nothing of if her suspicions are indeed correct that is something that I shall leave for you to discover for yourself…..
Now right off, it should be noted that this slice of cinema’s narrative is one that is more than a wee bit on the predictable side. As a result, don’t be surprised if you find yourself able to figure out not only the arcs for the cast of characters in this film, but exactly how in the world this particular story is going to proceed right down to every key beat that takes place from the beginning all the way up until the screen cuts to black and the credits begin to roll. With that being said however, there is also no denying that the rest of the work done behind the camera on this particular cinematic outing is also incredibly skilled in bringing this waking nightmare vividly to life. To be sure, it all most assuredly owes quite the creative debt to a film like Hitchcock’s masterful Rear Window yet what is intriguing about this film is the manner in which it mines significantly more out of the concept of voyeurism than even Hitch’s film even did and then proceeds to make the most out of it to brilliant effect. We also see that this film owes an addition debt to a film like the original (have to stress that) Halloween especially in how it packs so much into each frame of the film that it is absolutely essential for you as the viewer to pay attention at all times so you don’t miss anything. To that end, praise should be afforded here to DP Benjamin Kirk Nielsen who, taking a cue from one of the oldest lessons in the book, does a great job at not showing us the face of who is allegedly watching our heroine for a fair bit of the film’s runtime. As a result, when he is finally permitted to come into focus by the creative team and we get to see what he looks like, it should come as no surprise to learn that he looks like an ordinary guy yet nevertheless we as movie goers are still frightened because we have spent all that time left on the edge of our seats in a well-concocted mix of anticipation and suspense. We are also treated to a wonderfully low-key color palette made up quite a few smooth greys and greens that really help accentuate the occasional yet lovely flash of red we are treated to as well as terrific production design work from Nora Dumitrescu that together do a wonderful job of enhancing the nightmare faced by our poor heroine even further. At the helm and brilliantly blending all of these distinct ideas together is director Chloe Okuno who does a masterful job at bringing them all together in order to showcase for us not only a truly riveting thriller, but also a film that definitely operates as an analysis on an experience that women all over have probably encountered at one point or another. That experience being not so much in terms of being stalked by a potential psychopathic killer (at least I surely hope not), but more so in showcasing for audiences how nerve-wracking and potentially horrifying it must be when, despite taking seemingly every precaution imaginable, a woman’s feeling of safety and/or security in a place that is unknown to them winds up being potentially decimated by a virtual stranger. Suffice it to say that when you also throw into the mix a brilliantly more and more jarring musical accompaniment from Nathan Halpern, it’s clear that the work done behind the camera is by and large masterfully done in every sense of the word.
Of course, the other element that most assuredly is working in this film’s favor would have to be the trio of performances at the heart of this film’s thrilling narrative. Without question this most assuredly starts with the incredibly talented Maika Monroe in the lead role of Julia. Indeed this is a role that easily could have become one note at best in the wrong actress’s hands. Fortunately for the film however, we see Monroe is more than up for the challenge and not only makes the character incredibly empathetic, but also cunningly strong as she makes her way through this seemingly never-ending nightmare with a tenacity and drive that is to be genuinely applauded. Suffice it to say that it is a heck of a performance and one that continues to showcase the range that this bonafide talent has given audiences ever since her breakout performance in 2014’s It Follows. We are also treated here to a very intriguing turn from Karl Glusman in the role of Julia’s fiancée Francis. Indeed, this is a very complicated role to play because on one hand he does seem to genuinely love his significant other and care about her to say nothing of her wellbeing especially because they are in a new city, don’t really know anyone, and there is a killer on the loose out there which when your wife-to-be is home alone definitely should cause you more than an ounce of pause at leaving her home alone. On the other hand however, this is also a guy who is more at home here than she is right down to being able to fluently speak Romanian and when we see that he is more than willing to speak it in front of her yet not be willing to tell her what he is saying in English so she can understand it too it very much gives him a vibe of untrustworthiness and shiftiness. Suffice it to say it’s a very intricate balancing act, but one that Glusman performs admirably. This of course brings us to the third standout performance of the trinity from iconic character actor Burn Gorman. Indeed Gorman, best known to general audiences as either the scientist NOT played by Charlie Day in Pacific Rim, Karl Tanner in Game of Thrones, Vinsher Grath in Halo, or just a shady character of some degree of unscrupulousness in just about anything he is a part of, does a wonderful job here of, much like Michael Myers in the original Halloween, letting his distinct appearance really convey most of his characterization here instead of mountains of potentially unnecessary dialogue. As a result, not only does the film ensure that no movement of his is extraneous by any means, but it also does a terrific job of not really giving us an indicator one way or another as to if this guy is friend or foe. To be sure, the film doesn’t really give you a lot of other individuals who could be seen as possible suspects in terms of the main puzzle at the heart of it, but even so there is no denying that Gorman’s dagger-like stare, fairly short height, and introverted manner do a phenomenal job of really showcasing for us a character that is not only potentially someone that a woman should genuinely be afraid of, but also someone who could deceive people into thinking he’s not nearly as much of a threat as he possibly is. Suffice it to say that when you also incorporate solid support work from such talents as Tudor Petruț, Mădălina Anea, Cristina Deleanu, and Daniel Nuță to name but a few it’s clear that this film’s narrative might by no means be the most original in the world, but thankfully the work done by this undeniably talented group most assuredly does what it can to help make up for that and then some in the best way possible.
All in all and at the end of the day is Watcher “2022” a flawless in every way slice of cinema? Sadly no though to be fair that is a difficult benchmark to aspire to let alone accomplish. With that in mind, does that make this the worst cinematic effort for anyone involved since Maika Monroe thought being in the 2nd Independence Day film would be a wise career move or Burn Gorman (hopefully out of contractual obligations more than anything) decided to reprise the role of Hermann Gottlieb in 2018’s Pacific Rim: Uprising? Thankfully I can also say that is not the case either. To be sure, this is one slice of cinema that will not be for everyone who loves a thriller that is either quick-paced, possesses a significant body count, has more than a few drops of blood being spilt, or all of the above. On top of that, there is also no denying that the narrative that this film is working with is one that isn’t exactly what one might call original by any means. Even with those potential detriments in mind, I must confess that I by and large really did dig the heck out of this movie dear reader. Indeed the work done behind the camera is incredibly skilled to say nothing of brilliantly executed and the work done in front of the camera by an extremely well-chosen cast of performers is spot-on no matter how big or small their respective parts may be. Suffice it to say then that it might be flawed, but at the end of the day Watcher “2022” is a film that by merging together the styles such noteworthy individuals of the film industry as John Carpenter, Roman Polanski, and Alfred Hitchcock manages to conjure up for us as movie goers a incredibly atmospheric-centric as well as highly sophisticated to say nothing of immensely engaging throwback entry in the thriller genre of movie magic that I can promise you will not only make for a rewarding idea to watch for your next date night with your own significant other, but also make for a compelling cinematic argument as for why that new apartment you and your significant other have just moved into is going to really need those curtains installed like there’s no tomorrow. Make of that what thou will. On a scale of 1-5 I give Watcher “2022” a solid 3.5 out of 5.
