Dark Harbor (1999)

Brilliant and touching

An action-packed slog

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Dark Harbour is a quaint, little seen romantic thriller from the late 90's that sets up an alluring atmosphere in the brief time we get to spend with it, and then ventures slightly into territory that's a bit beyond its initial calculations, providing a super lurid, erotic third act that might not sit well with viewers who patiently followed it along the tracks of logic before it faltered slightly. It's funny though, because the ridiculousness of the twist ending is one of the main aspects that has made the movie stick in my mind since I saw it like eight years ago. The uniquely paired cast makes it worthwhile, as does gorgeous locations and solid cinematography, working hand in hand with neat, rain speckled sound design to bring us a low key thriller that does the trick. Alan Rickman and Polly Walker play a wealthy couple on their way to a remote getaway at a snazzy, forest covered property they own in picturesque Maine. They are about as dysfunctional as couples get; bickering, petty creatures who can't stand to be in each others presence to the point of constant tension. On their way into a secluded, densely forested region they come across an unconscious young man (Norman Reedus) who vaguely suffers amnesia and appears to be distressed, prompting them to take him with them to their abode. From their tension arises to an uncomfortable level as the drifter proves to be both a third wheel and a sinister force of unease to both, culminating in an ambient, rainy forest finale that stands as the best sequence in the film, and a nice bit of work at that. Rickman doesn't usually go for this kind of melodramatic, American stuff and it's surprising in a good way to see him flex his genre muscles. Walker, who wowed me in HBO's Rome, is overlooked and slides into any role with intuition and believability, not to mention her luscious physical presence. Reedus, an actor now known for his endless work on the increasingly dull and shabby The Walking Dead, has countless hidden genre pieces like this in his filmography, and his inherently edgy, enigmatically off kilter aura makes everyone worthwhile. This one especially so, as it's a nicely crafted little dip into a hot and cold mess of a situation that tears the rug from under you in ways you won't see coming.

Very few movies leave me confused as to whether or not I enjoyed them, but this one did. I watched this as one of only two Norman Reedus movies I hadn't seen, and... well...After watching it through a second time, I'm still not sure how I feel about it. It had its good parts and bad parts... Some of the lines were either poorly scripted, or the actors just weren't feeling it that particular day, since most of it is very well done (and Rickman and Reedus are obviously fairly decent actors), but certain lines just seem... very forced. Again, given the actors, and the majority of the movie, I'd say it was just awkward scripting.The copy that I seen had horrible sound quality, which did make it a little difficult to comment honestly, since I'm sure I missed at least 1/4 of the dialog. Also, not sure if it was (again) just my bad copy, or if it was meant to be filmed as such, but it had a very grainy, almost old-movie style quality about it. It didn't take away from the movie, but something about the grains irritates my eyes, which again, makes it difficult for me to rate the movie as a whole.Positives were, the acting was for the most part, excellent and thought-provoking. Sometimes, the tension almost does seem to be a bit too much (there were several points where I almost felt like leaving the room, before I remembered it was just a movie), but... Again, not really sure how I felt. I've seen a few reviews that said they had to watch it quite a few times before everything became really clear; I'm not sure if I care enough to do that.

I think this movie is different apart from most films I've seen. It was exciting in a way, and no matter what others say, I say, I was surprised about the final solution. Certainly didn't see it coming!! Although it's sad, it's worth watching.. I can't think of any movie that would be like this! Actors knew what they were doing. If you say this movie sucks, you say probably what most people would say. But, if someone says that this movie is ordinary, I absolutely don't agree. And Norman Reedus should be more noticed.Maybe I'm freak but I liked this very much. It was kind of mess, but who cares? I'm tired of boring and ordinary movies.

This is one of my all time favorite movies, it's great to watch in groups, I find. It's also great for any Alan Rickman fan, he does such a wonderful job. It's engrossing, entertaining, very surprising... you have to watch it twice, at least. I haven't watched it with anyone who didn't like it or at least find it worthwhile.