Director: Peter Jackson | Rated: PG-13 | Review date: 9-Jan-2010

The Lovely Bones is director Peter Jackson’s follow up to 2005′s King Kong, which is based on the novel of the same name by Alice Sebol. The fantastical crime drama follows the Salmon family after daughter Susie (Saoirse Ronan) is brutally murdered. Mark Wahlberg plays Jack, the father, who goes a bit overboard in search of Susie’s killer. Things take more of an imaginative turn when Susie begins to give her family signs, which are received mostly by Jack.

It wouldn’t be a Peter Jackson movie without some kind of stunning visual display. One could almost say this film has two completely different faces, with one focusing more on the fantasy and supernatural aspects and the other resembling more of a dramatic crime thriller. The sequences which focus on Susie, who is on her way to heaven, present a stunning display of visual effects. Meanwhile we see the more serious and emotional side of the film while the family goes through serious and rough times in the wake of Susie’s death. I enjoyed the transitions between these two settings as it was quite unique and evenly balanced the wonderful visual display with a more serious drama.

The unique style of this film is not all it had going for it. The acting performances are very well done. Mark Wahlberg surprisingly pulled off the grieving father role, as it was one I normally wouldn’t have thought he would do. Rose McIver was another standout for me as Susie’s sister Lindsey. Though her parts were limited, the sequence with her towards the end was one of the film’s most thrilling. Stanley Tucci as neighbor George Harvey was one of the best and creepiest villain portrayals I’ve seen in a while.

Finally I have to praise Saoirse Ronan for her role as Susie. This young actress’ unique beauty and captivating performance was the highlight of it all for me. Her overall pleasantness made the film’s darker aspects much more emotional while at the same time making the heartwarming parts more uplifting. Her tranquil narration of the film was poetic and helped tie the two parts of the film together.

The Lovely Bones is a very unique type of movie which is certainly no surprise coming from someone like Peter Jackson. Those expecting a gripping crime thriller may be put off by the more fantastical elements. Though at times the heaven sequences were a bit over the top and slow, I still felt that they added something extra to the film that really makes it a visual masterpiece. To me the visuals were made with purpose to emphasize Susie’s feelings and memories. The story is also a great one that I found to be extremely original. The film is topped off with a bittersweet yet fulfilling conclusion that suited it perfectly. For me The Lovely Bones is a great blend of genres and a pleasurable display of unique storytelling.

Official site | IMDb/trailer/clips

  • Share/Bookmark