The Mortician Review
Summary: The mortician is a lone-wolf, emotionally cold and distant to the outside world and it’s inhabitants. But then a boy shows up at his doorstep after witnessing his mother’s murder and his world of solitude is turned upside down.
- Starring: Method Man, Dash Mihock, E.J. Bonilla
- Director: Gareth Maxwell Roberts
- Writer: Gareth Maxwell Roberts
- Rating: R
- Runtime: 1h 29m
- 3D Type: Native
Story:
Hip-hop artist Method Man stars as a lonely mortician with a troubled past, living in an unnamed American city surrounded by crime, poverty, and addiction.
Mysteriously unnamed in the movie, Method Man works isolated by himself in the city’s morgue where murdered gang victims get wheeled in each day.
One day, a young Latino man on parole named Noah (E.J. Bonilla), is brought to assist Method Man in order to serve his time. Noah is in trouble with the local gang ruling the area, which is led by a man named Carver (Dash Mihock). Carver is looking for a mysterious neighborhood kid Kane (Cruz Santiago), who has a connection to Noah.
The highlight of this film is definitely Method Man’s acting performance which is very convincing as he fully commits himself to his role. He is accompanied by a strong supporting cast that includes Mihok, Wendell Pierce, and Edward Furlong.
Picture:
Filmed in various locations throughout Louisiana, The Mortician is a dark, gritty film. Cinematographer Michael McDonough has done quite well to showcase and create a sense of desperation and despair in the dilapidated environments used. However, I found it very dark in some scenes, particularly exacerbated by the use of 3D, which makes it hard to make out some details.
Sound:
The music score gives off an eery and suspicious vibe, which matches the gritty nature of the film. The 3D Blu-ray contains a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track which sounds decent. From the soft dripping of rainfall to the mushiness when Method Man is interacting with gore and internal body parts, the sounds are crisp and clean.
3D
The Mortician was shot in native 3D. Being a low-budget film, the producers have used the hype around the 3D format here in the hope to boost interest in the film. Although it can be argued that the format does not add much to the overall viewing experience of The Mortician, being a huge fan of the 3D myself, I don’t mind it here. Otherwise, I likely would not have watched this film as it has flown under the radar.
Pop:
I noticed a couple of pop-out effects, in particular one scene where Noah jumps down off a ledge and kicks Method Man in the back. Noah’s feet pop out of the camera as he kicks. Besides this, I can’t recall any other standout effects.
Depth:
Quite a few scenes in The Mortician are shot with deliberate foreground objects which creates a good sense of depth. For example, looking through car windows as two men are conversing whilst driving, looking over fences, up staircases, down corridors, etc. Other notable scenes consisting of rainfall or large urban environments show a nice use of depth of field.
Verdict:
I feel that despite some flaws The Mortician is underrated as a thriller and offers something different. I likely would not have watched it if was not in 3D format but enjoyed it. The 3D is utilised well in many scenes and doesn’t distract from the overall story.
The Mortician is a decent watch primarily for Method Man’s acting performance, which is both powerful and moving; showing that he can be a versatile actor.
Category | Scores |
---|---|
Story: | ★★★★ |
Picture: | ★★★ |
Sound: | ★★★★ |
Pop: | ★ |
Depth: | ★★★★ |
TOTAL SCORE: | 16/25 |