THE TALL MAN (2012) review

Tall Man, The (2012) (1st viewing) d. Laugier, Pascal (Canada)

The children of a rural, depressed Washington state township are disappearing, presumably abducted without a trace by the haunting boogeyman figure of the title. Authorities are baffled, residents are terrified and helpless, and the kindergarten population dwindles. One night, a child is nabbed from under the wing of plucky widow/local doc Jessica Biel who – in an outlandish but undeniably exciting chase sequence – pursues the criminal deep into the wilderness. However, like writer/director Laugier’s Martyrs before, the opening act is not necessarily the film you’re watching, and this element will either pique or pummel viewer enthusiasm come the final credits crawl. Personally, I admired its moxie and the performances (especially Ol’ Faithful Stephen McHattie) are rock solid across the board, but there were numerous logistical leaps creeping up my cortex while I was watching and more that arose during post-show conversations – fact is, a lot of it doesn’t add up, and some inferred socio-political statements about the parenting skills of lower budget families further muddy the waters. Laugier’s English-language feature debut is not a crashing disappointment, but it’s unlikely to enjoy mainstream success or cult adoration. It’s just kind of there.