Byzantium
Starring: Gemma Arterton, Saoirse Ronan, Sam Riley, Daniel Mays
Director: Neil Jordan
Rating: 4/5
In recent years we have seen a whole host of rather rubbish vampire movies really pull this exciting genre down - Twilight really does have an awful lot to answer for.
But Byzantium is a breath of fresh air as Neil Jordan returns to the director’s chair; he is a man who is no stranger to this genre have helmed Interview With The Vampire almost two decades ago.
Two mysterious women seek refuge in a run-down coastal resort. Clara meets lonely Noel, who provides shelter in his deserted guesthouse, Byzantium.
Schoolgirl Eleanor befriends Frank and tells him their lethal secret. They were born 200 years ago and survive on human blood. As knowledge of their secret spreads, their past catches up on them with deathly consequence.
Byzantium is a mix between the modern and the gothic as it moves from dark and moody to loud and brash and full of life.
Jordan manages the fractured chronology well as he tells a clear and concise story despite moving back and forward. I do like this element of the film as Clara (Arterton) and Eleanor’s (Ronan) story is revealed bit by bit, but all of the jumping around does stunt dramatic impact at times.
Gemma Arterton and Saoirse Ronan deliver a pair of fantastic performances; Clara refuses to look back while Eleanor is haunted by the past.
They complement each other wonderfully as Clara is ballsy and brash while Eleanor is quiet and a bit of a loner. Clara is desperate to keep who they are and their way of life a secret but Eleanor is desperate to tell their secret.
Byzantium is gothic and bloody - which is what you would expect from a movie like this - but at its heart is a mother and daughter who are struggling to survive.
This is a story of love and the lengths that a mother will go to protect and provide for her child and that is rather a refreshing element to this genre.
Sure this movie does struggle with pacing problems and there are moments when the story does feel a tad sluggish. But overall this is an engaging story that is packed with mystery, intrigue and interesting characters.
If you are looking for a vampire movie that is unlike anything we have seen in recent years then Byzantium is the film for you.
Byzantium is out now
Tagged in Saoirse Ronan Gemma Arterton