by Jon Partridge
Fantastic Fest
Fantastic Fest is the largest genre film festival in the U.S., specializing in horror, fantasy, sci-fi, action and just plain fantastic movies from all around the world. They feature world, national and regional premieres of new, up-and-coming genre films. It is held each year at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Austin, Texas. For more info, visit fantasticfest.com
Many horror films have scenes in a morgue. Places where the dead not only lie, but are subjected to unsettling procedures. Autopsies offering sounds and visuals to eclipse even the most well framed slasher scenes. The Autopsy of Jane Doe takes this a step further, basing most of its runtime in the sprawling basement of a family-run morgue, where the the arrival of a mysterious corpse heralds a night of unusual occurrences.
Investigating a crime scene in a small Virginian town, the local Sheriff finds an elderly couple, murdered in their own home, with no signs of forced entry. In the basement another body is found, that of a young woman (Olwen Kelly). Partially buried, she has no ID and no visible signs of trauma. She is sent to the Tildens’ morgue, a local business run by coroner Tony (Brian Cox) and son Austin (Emile Hirsch). Given the night to try and determine her cause of death, the pair begin their autopsy, but soon the bizarre things they find are only outweighed by events unfolding around them.
The Autopsy of Jane Doe seems to be continuing a Fantastic Fest 2016 theme of science and study, piecing together what happened to this girl to try and solve the unusual murders. But for each bit of information they pull from her body, the cause of her death seems to get further from them. Everything on the inside of her suggests she was subjected to horrific abuse while the outside has remained pristine. Every cut, every layer peeled back, every organ removed is unsettling enough; that they’re accompanied by a deepening mystery and supernatural events compounds the effect. The film relies on the usual tricks, flickering lights, the radio crackling and playing an old song, figures are seen in a mirror, but they’re all executed really well, and most importantly, linked to a focused narrative. It’s a premise and execution that guarantees the film’s place in horror movie lore.
What’s important for any horror film is to get the human component right, and by just bottling together the excellent Cox and Hirsch, the film already has a foot in the right direction. Refreshingly, theirs is not overly angsty relationship; it feels natural, like a bond exists. It’s as if you’re dipping into a real relationship rather than scripted emotional blackmail to try and get you invested in the characters. You can piece together the problems, history and doubts within the father/son relationship. There is also an interesting dynamic between the two generations of Tildens, the senior more methodical and accepting, the younger questioning, both the reasons behind the girl’s fate as well as his own.
The other main cast member is Olwen Kelly, most of the time at least. An impressive and frankly unnerving turn, with her remaining lifeless throughout. When not on the slab, she’s replaced by a flawless replica that allows for some stomach churning scenes. It’s the most prominent aspect of a film that excels in a technical sense. André Øvredal uses a well designed set to full effect. Smart camera work exploits corners, nooks and crannies, considered lighting, and an eerie but classically handsome production design. Further mood is added through a disconcerting score by Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans. Much credit goes to writers Richard Naing and Ian Goldberg who wring every bit of tension out of the concept of two actors in a room with a slab of latex. The wrapping up of the tale isn’t as gracefully executed as the buildup, but the momentum the film builds up carries you through to the final frame.
The Autopsy of Jane Doe is an impeccably crafted film. It relies on old tricks, but executes them very well. Cox and Hirsch do great work as father and son, who literally and figuratively peel back the layers of this mystery, drawing you in and leaving you squirming in your seat. A taut and unnerving slice of body horror.