The Tall Man (2012 film)

Last updated
The Tall Man
Tall-man-poster-2012.jpeg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Pascal Laugier
Written byPascal Laugier
Produced byClément Miserez
Kevin DeWalt
Jean-Charles Levy
Scott Kennedy
Starring
CinematographyKamal Derkaoui
Edited bySebastien Prangere
Music byTodd Bryanton
Production
companies
Minds Eye Entertainment
Radar Films
Forecast Pictures
Distributed by SND Films (worldwide)
Image Entertainment (United States)
Release date
  • August 31, 2012 (2012-08-31) [1]
Running time
106 minutes
CountriesCanada
France [2] [3]
LanguageEnglish
Budget$18.2 million[ citation needed ]
Box office$5,212,903 [4]

The Tall Man is a 2012 Canadian-French mystery-horror film written and directed by Pascal Laugier. It was filmed in the Kootenay region of Southeastern British Columbia [5] and stars Jessica Biel. The film is set in a small former mining town where poverty is rife and children are disappearing on a regular basis. The abductions are blamed on a local legend called "the Tall Man." Jessica Biel plays a widowed nurse whose child is abducted, leading her on a desperate chase to recover him.

Contents

Plot

Julia lives in a small town in Washington called Cold Rock. She is the town's local nurse, widowed by her husband, who was the town's doctor. Cold Rock was formerly a prosperous mining town, but has become poverty-stricken. There is little work, the school has been closed and the town has virtually vanished from the map. During her day, Julia visits several families. Jenny and Carol live with their mother and her violent, alcoholic boyfriend, who has impregnated Carol. Despite this, their mother did not kick him out, drawing Julia's ire. Instead, she sends away Carol and her baby, whom Julia helped to deliver. Because of her rough life, Jenny is selectively mute, communicating through a journal she carries. She also sketches things she's seen, including "the tall man". This is a local legend or urban myth surrounding a being who abducts local children who are never seen again.

Julia returns to her large home on the outskirts of Cold Rock, which she shares with her son David and his nanny. She eats dinner, puts David to bed, and falls asleep on a couch. She awakes to a noise downstairs, followed by a loud radio sermon. She finds the nanny bound and gagged, then rushes to her son's bedroom, finding him gone. While in pursuit of what the viewer believes is "The Tall Man", it is gradually revealed that David is not her son at all, but rather one of the kidnapped children. The kidnapper is actually the real mother of the boy, attempting to take back her child. The rest of the town, skeptical of the mother's accusations, agree to give her a chance to prove her claims.

Julia, with the help of Jenny, pursues the mother, reacquires David, and hands him off to "The Tall Man" in the tunnels which run under the town, left over from the defunct mine. Jenny begs her to send the Tall Man to take her, too. Julia initially refuses but then relents, cautioning her to remain silent about it until the Tall Man comes for her. Julia then waits in her house. The police and FBI arrive, as does an angry mob. The nanny hangs herself, and Julia is taken to jail, where she is despised and threatened as a child killer. Julia admits to kidnapping and murdering the children, but the confession is later revealed to be a lie.

Soon after, Jenny watches her mother engage in a drunken fight with her boyfriend, before laughing with him over it. Disgusted, Jenny walks off into a nearby field, where she finds the Tall Man waiting for her—Julia's husband, who is not dead after all. He takes her to an empty house in a nearby city, providing her with new clothes. He then delivers her to a new family, with a new identity. The Tall Man refuses payment, saying that the organization faces massive risks to rescue each child, with Julia martyring herself to save the organisation, which "rescues" young children from bad homes and places them with good ones, in an attempt to break the cycle of poverty and abuse which passes from one generation to the next.

In Cold Rock, Jenny's birth mother grieves over her runaway daughter, the town continues to decline, and Julia sits in prison. The police have given up on finding the children, thinking that Julia buried them in the tunnels which run for miles and are dangerous to traverse because of cave ins, etc. In comparison, Jenny lives in a beautiful home, where her art is encouraged, and she has the best of everything. She has begun to talk and seems well-adjusted and happy. As she walks to an art class, she gives a voice-over expressing love and gratitude toward her three mothers: her birth mother, whom she misses; Julia, who gave her a chance at a new life; and her new mother, who is providing her with everything she could ever want. As she crosses a park, she sees David with his new family, which he now accepts as his own. (Jenny thinks he and the other younger ones have forgotten and do not recognize her, but the visual cues leave it decidedly open-ended). Despite getting her wish of a better life, she sometimes wishes to return. Jenny's closing thoughts question society's implication that her new life is better.

Cast

Production

Star Jessica Biel said that she enjoyed Pascal Laugier's previous film, Martyrs , and loved the script for The Tall Man, which impressed her with its unpredictable plot twists. She became enthusiastic about the project and wanted to work with him. [6] Principal photography began in September 2010. The film is Pascal Laugier's first English production. [7]

Release

In 2012 The Tall Man premiered at South by Southwest, where it was acquired by Image Entertainment. [8] It received a limited release on August 31, 2012, and was released on Blu-ray Disc and DVD 25 days later on September 25, 2012. [9]

Reception

Reviews were mixed; Rotten Tomatoes reports that 41% of 29 surveyed critics gave it a positive review; the average score was 5.24/10. [10] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 52 out of 100, based on 8 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. [11]

Mark Olsen of the Los Angeles Times wrote that Biel's performance was believable and the film atmospheric, but the story becomes ridiculous and nonsensical. [12] Jeanette Catsoulis positively compared it to Stephen King's early work, and designated it as a New York Times Critics' Pick. [13] Chris Packham of The Village Voice called the film implausible and deceptive in its narrative twists. [14] Scott Tobias of The A.V. Club rated the film B and described the film's plot as unpredictable but unwieldy, though Biel's performance and a final plot twist save the film from the expected mediocrity of a direct-to-video release. [15] Scott Weinberg of Fearnet wrote that the film's increasingly unpredictable plot twists and acting by Biel cause it to defy expectations and may encourage discussion among viewers. [16] Elizabeth Kerr of The Hollywood Reporter wrote that, like Martyrs, the film had arresting imagery but a leaden narrative. [17]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessica Biel</span> American actress (born 1982)

Jessica Claire Timberlake is an American actress. Biel began her career as a vocalist appearing in musical productions until she was cast as Mary Camden in the family drama series 7th Heaven (1996–2006), in which she achieved recognition.

<i>Phantasm II</i> 1988 film by Don Coscarelli

Phantasm II is a 1988 American science fantasy action-horror film and the sequel to Phantasm (1979). It was written and directed by Don Coscarelli and stars Angus Scrimm, James LeGros and Reggie Bannister. The first film's protagonist, Mike, recently released from a mental institution, recruits Reggie and some new friends in an effort to defeat the villain Tall Man.

Hellraiser is a British-American horror media franchise that consists of eleven films, as well as various comic books, and additional merchandise and media. Based on the novella The Hellbound Heart by English author Clive Barker, the franchise centers around the Cenobites which includes the primary antagonist named Pinhead.

<i>Trick r Treat</i> 2007 American film by Michael Dougherty

Trick 'r Treat is a 2007 American anthology horror film written and directed by Michael Dougherty and produced by Bryan Singer. The film stars Dylan Baker, Rochelle Aytes, Anna Paquin, and Brian Cox. It relates four Halloween horror stories with a common element in them: Sam, a trick-or-treating demon wearing orange footie pajamas with a burlap sack over his head. The character appears in each story whenever one of the other characters breaks a Halloween tradition.

<i>Martyrs</i> (2008 film) 2008 psychological horror film written and directed by Pascal Laugier

Martyrs is a 2008 French-language psychological horror film written and directed by Pascal Laugier, and starring Mylène Jampanoï, Morjana Alaoui, and Catherine Bégin. It follows a young woman's quest to seek revenge against individuals who abducted and tortured her as a child, and her friend, also a victim of abuse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pascal Laugier</span> French screenwriter and film director (born 1971)

Pascal Laugier is a French screenwriter and film director.

The Factory is a 2012 American crime thriller film directed by Morgan O'Neill and starring John Cusack, Mae Whitman, Dallas Roberts, Mageina Tovah, Cindy Sampson, and Jennifer Carpenter. In the film, Cusack plays a Buffalo, New York cop who has been chasing a serial kidnapper who abducts young women.

<i>The Hole</i> (2009 film) 2009 film by Joe Dante

The Hole is a 2009 American 3D dark fantasy horror film directed by Joe Dante and starring Chris Massoglia, Haley Bennett, Nathan Gamble, Bruce Dern, and Teri Polo. The film follows Dane and Lucas Thompson, two brothers who move into their new house with their single mother, Susan. Dane and Lucas, along with their new neighbor Julie Campbell, discover a trap door in the basement, leading to a bottomless pit, and accidentally unleash a supernatural force that manifests itself into any fear of the person who looks into the hole.

<i>Playing for Keeps</i> (2012 film) 2012 film by Gabriele Muccino

Playing for Keeps is a 2012 American romantic comedy film directed by Gabriele Muccino, starring Gerard Butler with Jessica Biel, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Dennis Quaid, Uma Thurman and Judy Greer in supporting roles.

<i>Chained</i> (2012 film) 2012 Canadian film

Chained is a 2012 Canadian psychological horror film directed by Jennifer Lynch and based on a screenplay by Damian O'Donnell. Starring Vincent D'Onofrio as a serial killer and Eamon Farren as a young prisoner of the killer, it explores their relationship as the killer seeks to turn his captive into his protégé. Gina Philips, Conor Leslie, Jake Weber, and Julia Ormond appear in supporting roles.

<i>The Awakening</i> (2011 film) 2011 British film

The Awakening is a 2011 British supernatural drama film directed by Nick Murphy and written by Stephen Volk and Murphy. The film stars Rebecca Hall as a writer and ghost hunter who investigates the haunting of a boys' boarding school in post-World War I England. The ensemble cast includes Dominic West, Isaac Hempstead-Wright and Imelda Staunton.

<i>We Are What We Are</i> (2013 film) 2013 film

We Are What We Are is a 2013 American horror film directed by Jim Mickle, and starring Bill Sage, Julia Garner, Ambyr Childers and Kelly McGillis. It was screened at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival and in the Directors' Fortnight section at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. It is a remake of the 2010 Mexican film of the same name. Both a sequel and prequel have been announced.

<i>Rites of Spring</i> (film) 2011 horror film

Rites of Spring is a 2011 American horror film written and directed by Padraig Reynolds. It stars A. J. Bowen, Sonny Marinelli, and Katherine Randolph as kidnappers who encounter an unrelated kidnapping victim, who is fleeing a monster.

<i>Banshee Chapter</i> 2013 American film

Banshee Chapter is a 2013 American horror film and the directorial debut of Blair Erickson. The film had its first screening at the Fantasy Filmfest on August 22, 2013, and released on video on demand on December 12 of the same year. Banshee Chapter stars Katia Winter as a journalist who is trying to discover what happened to a missing friend. The film is loosely based on the H. P. Lovecraft short story "From Beyond".

<i>Avenged</i> (2013 American film) 2013 American film

Avenged is a 2013 Redsploitation film directed by Michael S. Ojeda. The film premiered on October 15, 2013 and stars Amanda Adrienne as a young woman who seeks revenge on her rapists.

<i>Lord of Tears</i> 2013 British film

Lord of Tears, also known as The Owlman, is a 2013 Scottish low-budget horror film directed by Lawrie Brewster and was his horror film directorial debut. The film first released on 25 October 2013 in Whitby at the Bram Stoker International Film Festival, where it won two awards. The film follows a Scottish schoolteacher that begins to see visions of the Owl Man, a strange figure that he was obsessed with as a child. The film was followed by The Unkindness of Ravens and The Black Gloves, both directed by Lawrie Brewster.

<i>Missionary</i> (film) 2013 American film

Missionary is a 2013 drama thriller film by Anthony DiBlasi. It received its world premiere on July 25, 2013 at the Fantasia International Film Festival and stars Dawn Olivieri as a single mother caught up in one man's obsession with her.

<i>The Book of Love</i> (2016 film) 2016 American film

The Book of Love is a 2016 American drama film directed and rewritten by Bill Purple from an original script by Robbie Pickering featuring Maisie Williams, Jessica Biel, Jason Sudeikis, Mary Steenburgen, Orlando Jones, and Paul Reiser.

<i>Ghostland</i> 2018 film directed by Pascal Laugier

Ghostland is a 2018 psychological horror film written and directed by Pascal Laugier. Ghostland was shown in competition at the Festival international du film fantastique de Gérardmer, where it won three awards, including the Grand Prize.

<i>Hellraiser</i> (2022 film) Film directed by David Bruckner

Hellraiser is a 2022 supernatural horror film directed by David Bruckner, with a screenplay by Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski, from a screen story co-written with David S. Goyer. A reboot of the Hellraiser franchise, the eleventh installment overall, and the second adaptation of the 1986 novella The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker following the 1987 film, the film stars Odessa A'zion as a young woman recovering from addiction who ends up with a mechanical puzzle box that can summon the Cenobites, humanoid beings who thrive on pain being pleasure. Jamie Clayton, Adam Faison, Drew Starkey, Brandon Flynn, Aoife Hinds, Jason Liles, Yinka Olorunnife, Selina Lo, Zachary Hing, Kit Clarke, Goran Višnjić, and Hiam Abbass appear in supporting roles.

References

  1. ↑ Dickson, Evan (May 20, 2012). "Jessica Biel Stands In The Shadow Of 'The Tall Man' August 31st". Dread Central . Retrieved December 6, 2013.
  2. ↑ Cooper, Sarah (November 4, 2010). "The Tall Man". Screen Daily . Retrieved December 24, 2012.
  3. ↑ Hazelton, John (August 14, 2012). "The Tall Man". Screen Daily . Retrieved December 24, 2012.
  4. ↑ "The Tall Man". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved December 6, 2013.
  5. ↑ Nesteroff, Greg. "Finding Nelson in The Tall Man". Nelson Star. Black Press. Archived from the original on October 5, 2015. Retrieved Aug 26, 2012.
  6. ↑ Dickson, Evan (August 28, 2012). "[Interview] Jessica Biel On Defying Convention With Pascal Laugier And The Ending Of 'The Tall Man'". Bloody Disgusting . Retrieved December 6, 2013.
  7. ↑ Miska, Brad (September 28, 2010). "Production Officially Underway on 'The Tall Man'". Bloody Disgusting . Retrieved December 6, 2013.
  8. ↑ Waltz, Amanda (March 13, 2012). "SXSW Features 'Girls Against Boys' and 'The Tall Man' Picked Up For Distribution; 'Barrymore' To Finally See Light Of Day". The Film Stage. Retrieved December 6, 2013.
  9. ↑ Barton, Steve (July 20, 2012). "U.S. Trailer Premiere for the Tall Man Arrives!". Dread Central . Retrieved December 6, 2013.
  10. ↑ "The Tall Man Movie Reviews". Rotten Tomatoes . Flixster . Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  11. ↑ "The Tall Man". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
  12. ↑ Olsen, Mark (August 30, 2012). "Review: 'The Tall Man' is one tall tale too many". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved December 6, 2013.
  13. ↑ Catsoulis, Jeanette (August 30, 2012). "A Small-Town Buzz About the Missing". The New York Times . Retrieved December 6, 2013.
  14. ↑ Packham, Chris (August 29, 2012). "The Tall Man". The Village Voice . Retrieved December 6, 2013.
  15. ↑ Tobias, Scott (August 30, 2012). "The Tall Man". The A.V. Club . Retrieved December 6, 2013.
  16. ↑ Weinberg, Scott (March 13, 2012). "SXSW 2012 Movie Review: 'The Tall Man'". Fearnet . Retrieved December 6, 2013.
  17. ↑ Kerr, Elizabeth (March 20, 2012). "The Tall Man: Filmart Review". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved December 6, 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.