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Stoker
2013 99 min United States of America R 18+
★6.7
Drama, Horror, Thriller
Director: Park Chan-wook
Trailers
EN
EN
Description
After India’s father dies suddenly, her uncle Charlie, whom she never knew existed, comes to live with her and her emotionally unstable mother. Soon after his arrival, she begins to suspect that this mysterious, charming man has ulterior motives. But instead of feeling outrage or horror, the friendless girl becomes increasingly infatuated with him.
Budget:
$12M
US Gross:
$1.71M
Worldwide:
$12.08M
Starring
Mia Wasikowska
Actor
Nicole Kidman
Actor
Matthew Goode
Actor
Awards
Saturn Awards 2014
— Best Actress
Saturn Awards 2014
— Best Supporting Actress
Saturn Awards 2014
— Best International Feature Film
Key opinion
Stoker is a polarizing gothic thriller that earns high praise for its technical precision and hypnotic atmosphere, while simultaneously being criticized as a pretentious or hollow exercise in style. Opinions diverge sharply on whether the director's visual flourishes successfully elevate the material or ultimately distract from an underdeveloped narrative.
| Score | The film’s score is widely lauded for its ability to sustain tension and perfectly mirror the director's atmospheric vision. | |
| Acting | Matthew Goode delivers a captivating and chilling performance as the mysterious Uncle Charlie, anchoring the film’s central tension. | |
| Cinematography | The film is visually exquisite, utilizing meticulous cinematography and production design to create a highly stylized, haunting aesthetic. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is viewed through a split lens: some appreciate its dark, intricate themes of heredity and awakening, while others find it illogical, pretentious, and filled with narrative absurdities. | |
| Acting | Performances by Nicole Kidman and Mia Wasikowska elicit debate, with some viewers finding their portrayals masterfully subtle and others dismissing them as lifeless or emotionally vacant. | |
| Pacing | The pacing is a point of contention; supporters find the deliberate, contemplative tempo rewarding, while critics argue the film suffers from frustrating stalls and a lack of narrative momentum. |