Reviews
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

May 25, 2024
6.0
To be fair to director Hope Dickson Leach, she has clearly not had much money with which to produce this adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's short-ish story. What we end up with is a really pretty dry, dingy and paceless version with an enthusiastic but really only competent cast delivering the goods. "Utterson" (Lorn Macdonald) in an ambitious Edinburgh lawyer who is introduced by his friend "Harry Jekyll" (Henry Pettigrew) to the wealthy brewing magnate "Sir Danvers" (David Hayman). Now this gent has a cunning plan to build an huge national monument on the bog-soaked, corpse-ridden, Calton Hill on the outskirts of the city. "Utterson" is tasked with making it possible - regardless of the graves. Meantime, his friend "Jekyll" is becoming a little poorly looking, his behaviour erratic and he also seems to be increasingly under the influence of his enigmatic friend "Mr. Hyde". Getting next to no information from housekeeper "Poole" (Alison Peebles), "Utterson" must try to find out what's happening to his friend before something tragic occurs. It's an hard story to do well at the best of times - think of the character in the money-didn't-matter "League of Extraordinary Gentleman" (2003), so I don't think it was a daft idea to try and present this more within it's means. The monochrome photography goes some way to creating an eerie city well enough, but the acting is straight from rep. It's great that Hayman continues to support Scottish movie-making, but the whole thing just looks like a stage play on, admittedly, quite a few different sets. The production is sterile and wooden, and neither Macdonald nor Pettigrew are anything like convincing with their depictions, especially as the madness grips the latter character and the tension is supposed to mount. I'm afraid to say there are at least three better versions of this in a pretty saturated movie market of Jekyll & Hyde stories.

Recommendation Movies

5.5
Thriller
View
5.5
A.A.A. Masseuse, Good-Looking, Offers Her Services
A.A.A. Masseuse, Good-Looking, Offers Her Services1972
7
Documentary
View
7
Capturing Avatar
Capturing Avatar2010
6
Documentary
View
6
Cherrie - ut ur mörkret2018
6.5
Animation
View
6.5
Megazone 23 III - Part 1 - The Awakening of Eve
Megazone 23 III - Part 1 - The Awakening of Eve1989
7.8
Animation
View
7.8
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Mt. Natagumo Arc
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Mt. Natagumo Arc2021
6.5
Documentary
View
6.5
Avatar: Scene Deconstruction
Avatar: Scene Deconstruction2009
5.5
Comedy
View
5.5
The Botanical Avatar of Mademoiselle Flora
The Botanical Avatar of Mademoiselle Flora1965
5.3
Documentary
View
5.3
My Avatar and Me
My Avatar and Me2010
6.4
Animation
View
6.4
The King's Avatar: For the Glory
The King's Avatar: For the Glory2019
7.2
Documentary
View
7.2
Avatar: The Deep Dive - A Special Edition of 20/20
Avatar: The Deep Dive - A Special Edition of 20/202022
6.4
Documentary
View
6.4
Avatar: Creating the World of Pandora
Avatar: Creating the World of Pandora2010
5.4
Action
View
5.4
Hyper Sonic
Hyper Sonic2002
5.9
Action
View
5.9
Adrenaline
Adrenaline2022
6.3
Comedy
View
6.3
The Forbidden Legend: Sex & Chopsticks 2
The Forbidden Legend: Sex & Chopsticks 22009
6.7
Animation
View
6.7
Inspector Sun and the Curse of the Black Widow
Inspector Sun and the Curse of the Black Widow2022
7.1
Man
Man2008
7.6
Animation
View
7.6
My Hero Academia: World Heroes' Mission
My Hero Academia: World Heroes' Mission2021
7
Documentary
View
7
Beyond Infinity: Buzz and the Journey to Lightyear
Beyond Infinity: Buzz and the Journey to Lightyear2022
5.8
Comedy
View
5.8
Me Time
Me Time2022
6.7
Action
View
6.7
Narco Sub
Narco Sub2021
© 2025 MoovieTime. All rights reserved.Made with Nuxt