Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 5/10
Cast: Maggie Q, Luke Hemsworth, Alex Essoe, Kat Ingkarat, Kelly B. Jones, Caledonia Burr, Chatchawai Kamonsakpitak, Sahapoom Totrungsup, Tanapath Singamrath, Oliver Paul Varry, Saengkham Chanthawong, Irada Ritsira, Tannapat Sirimat, Katria Louise Reed, Somjai Hmanbut, Pivanit Ambavat, Panapat Chankasemmima, Jidapa Suwet-Ekkul, Michael S. New, Santiphap Tubnguen, Rapeepat Phromanumet, Bryan Michael Rilinger, Pissinee Raksakul.
Love is knowing that at some point the person you hold dearest in the world will be the one to whom you will eventually announce in annoyance, “You will be the Death Of Me.” Be it a partner, a parent, a child or a best friend, the sense of understanding that exasperation is the breaker of most relationships is enough to know why the premise of Darren Lynn Bousman’s Death Of Me has depth and intrigue woven throughout its initial encounter with the viewers.
Set in a world of suspicion and ritual, where sacrifice of a stranger is worth exploiting if it means that the island can be spared from the fury of nature, Death Of Me retains the fear that its sets out to portray, the slow burn reveal of what is in store for vacationing couple Christine and Neil, played by Maggie Q and Luke Hemsworth, but unfortunately does not have the overall presence and personality to be anything other than a middle of the road horror film that does not go far enough in its mythos or appreciation of Taiwanese folk-lore to really carry off the gravitas it so sorely needed.
That is not to say that the film is not amiable, that it does not have the moments in which the viewer will find intriguing and lead them on to explore the richness of the area shown, but it does not have the drive to delve deeper, it refuses to sweat and instead is happy to glow instead.
The problem seems to stem from the actors taking part, both superb in what they do in their craft, but that they do not gel on screen, that they expose the two quite different ways in which they approach the art, and because of that there is no real sense of spark between them when they are together on screen. Separately, or when they are surrounded by the various other actors on screen, they shine with pleasantry, but combined, they unfortunately have nothing in common that would suggest they would be comfortable in each other’s company; and when a film asks an audience to believe for the sake of experience that the fight is us against the world, it sadly lets itself down when you understand that the protagonist pair would never be in such a position in the first place.
An excellent premise but one that does not explore beyond the initial concept enough to keep the viewer on the edge of their seat. Curious, but not motivating or remarkable, Death Of Me is a film of silent oddity, never willing to strut completely.
Ian D. Hall