Secret Window
Writer Mort Rainey, shaken by his wife's betrayal, retreats to a secluded house by a lake in hopes of rebuilding his life and overcoming the creative block that relentlessly afflicts him. Shaking him from his lethargy comes the unexpected visit of a stranger named John Shooter: the mysterious man claims to be the author of a story published by the writer in the past and, accusing him of plagiarism, demands that the original ending he wrote be restored. Mort Rainey does not immediately realize that the encounter is destined to disrupt his existence and underestimates the threats without any concern. He will be forced to reconsider them seriously when mysterious events connected to the dark and unsettling figure of John Shooter begin to occur in his life and that of his ex-wife. Despite seeming on paper a sure bet to bet on without reserve, "Secret Window," the new film directed by David Koepp (screenwriter of major Hollywood hits like "Spider-Man," "Mission: Impossible," and "Panic Room"), turns out to be a real disappointment. And it is even more so considering the enormous potential at stake (including a capable screenwriter, an original story by the brilliant Stephen King, and a cast of considerable depth) that remain tragically unexpressed. It is a shame that, once the flavorful ingredients are mixed, the result only tastes like reheated soup, and the film settles on the tracks of simple mediocrity without ever managing to rise above it. The film moves with impressive slowness, aided by a flat and uninspired direction, and the atmosphere throughout the film is so devoid of pathos and tension that it leaves the poor viewer bewildered. Even in the moments where one might expect some surprise or a surge of tension, everything resolves into nothing or a sequence that is once again predictable and clichéd. For this reason, at several points during the viewing, there is a strong hope that "Secret Window" proceeds slowly only to resolve in a final lash that redeems it: in reality, despite the director's intention being precisely this and the final minutes being undeniably built to surprise the viewer, everything inexplicably tastes of déjà vu, of predictability, and of clichés. If the concluding idea could have been a winner when Stephen King wrote his story, in today's cinema, it aligns with a series of endings already seen in films of far greater depth, films we do not mention only to avoid spoiling the surprise for the three or four viewers who have not already understood from the trailer of "Secret Window" what its natural evolution will be. And it is almost certain that even for them, the final surprise will seem like a gift already received numerous times. Another small but great disappointment (and true substantial surprise of the film) is Johnny Depp's performance, usually impeccable in front of the camera (who can forget, for example, films like "From Hell," "Ed Wood," "The Mystery of Sleepy Hollow"?), but this time decidedly too over the top. The sly and insolent expressiveness that has often given depth to the characters he has portrayed contributes this time to ridicule a protagonist, the writer Mort Rainey, whom we should imagine tormented but whom we see too often expressing himself with awkward comic expressions bordering on the grotesque. "Secret Window," despite its excellent credentials, turns out to be, in the end, very little. Not all that glitters is gold...
Comments
Comments (0)
Comments