The Pale Blue Eye

Whoa! I thought this was movie going to be somewhat boring based on the reviews, but I loved this movie! Acting was great and I am rather savvy on figuring out Who-Done-It, but I was totally taken by surprise with A Pale Blue Eye. A must watch for anyone looking for a good mystery. Two thumbs way up!

I have to start by saying this movie exceeded my expectations. The suspense was maintained throughout the two-hour journey, with plenty of "whodunit" moments to keep me intrigued and invested. The film struck the perfect balance of twists and turns, making it an exciting and worthwhile watch without ever feeling predictable. The main cast delivered strong performances, with nothing to disrupt my immersion or distract me from feeling as if I were right alongside Augustus Landor and Edgar Allan Poe, eager to solve the mystery at hand.

Para nada mi estilo de película, un policial lento, repleto de personajes sospechosos, lúgubre, puro dialogo, larga duración y aristas sueltas que parecen no ir a ningún lado (hasta que por fin lo hacen). Pero seria un necio si digo que no es otra cosa que un peliculón, tiene una historia atrapante, una hermosa cinematografía y unas actuaciones impresionantes. Que no sea lo que habitualmente me gusta ver no quita la calidad que tiene.

A pesar de a primera instancia parecer una circular primicia de un malhumorado detective que busca resolver un asesinato, la misma ambigüedad del fatídico acto da pie a un diálogo sustancial sobre cómo nuestra desesperación e impotencia pueden nublar nuestro juicio hasta hacernos llegar a un punto sin retorno. A diferencia de los cientos de películas originales de Netflix, la única palabra con la que puedo definir a esta cinta es personalidad. Una cinematografía empañada con un lente azuloso hermoso, que retrata de una grata manera los hermosos paisajes que eligieron para esta cinta cómo del fantástico diseño de producción en cada locación. El guion de Scott Cooper cuenta con un ritmo fabuloso que hace que la historia se desenvuelva de una manera en la que no perdamos en interés en seguir el hilo de esta, a pesar de tener un desarrollo muy lento en casi ningún momento se llega a sentir pesada. Pero a pesar de su gran planteamiento del conflicto, la misma en ciertas escenas si se llega a sentir un poco lenta, con escenas que pareciera que están con el único fin de alargar más la duración de la cinta; pero a pesar de ello, la gran actuación de Christian Bale y todo el elenco hacen que hasta las situaciones más rutinarias sea un goce verlas. Y para mi justamente la belleza de la película está en estas escenas, escenas con una lenta cocción que nos dan más información tanto del incidente incitador cómo del pasado de nuestros personajes. Yo creo que la mayor polémica de esta película está en su “plot twist” que posiblemente sea igual de divisorio que otra cinta de Christian Bale cómo podría ser “The Prestige”, un giro de trama tan grande que cambia por completo la escaleta narrativa de la cual ya éramos cómplices. Y para mi es controversial poque dota de una complejidad mayor tanto a los personajes cómo a la historia y al conflicto que establecen, pero también hay escenas que en una segunda revisión ya no se sienten tan orgánicas y hasta se podrían llegar a percibir con huecos argumentales, dado a que la misma narrativa en muchos momentos llega a ser sobre explicativa, haciendo que su misticismo sea poco interesante. The Pale Blue Eye es un recordatorio del peligro de cegarnos ante nuestra desesperación que puede culminar con resultados peores a los actuales que nos estamos enfrentando.

Giallo thriller dai toni freddi e grigi che ripercorre un momento della vita di Edgar Allan Poe andando però ad affiancarvi una serie di personaggi fantasiosi ed immaginari. La sceneggiatura è coerente per tutto il tempo e lo spazio; tutti i dettagli sono freddi come il clima; dagli abiti ai dialoghi; creando un'atmosfera cupa ed invernale. La trama, che procede piuttosto linearmente fino al finale a sorpresa, non offre grandissimi spunti ne originalità ma rimane solida e senza grosse pecche. Il finale è senza dubbio ciò su cui si concentra tutta l'attenzione della produzione e del regista; molto più impattante di tutto il resto e ad alto effetto. Come sempre Christian Bale è calamitico ed ogni fotogramma su di lui aumenta l'attenzione dello spettatore che, seppure inconsciamente, si aspetta qualche suo acuto in ogni momento.

Really good movie. The performances were awesome. Great looking movie.

3.0 stars; I loved the cinematography, and I thought the acting was superb. The mystery plot was judt so-so and too slow-moving.

Among the many qualms I had with Pale Blue Eye, two of the largest: lack of scene fluidity and adequate character development - this tiresome red herring of a period murder mystery is well, boring. Gotta get this off my chest first: Robert Duvall's tiny and odd role was almost offensive in its so-obvious "disguise" as an expositional tactic to all but explain to the viewer what we would have never deduced on our own. Felt like he was tricked into agreeing to be in this movie. Where to begin? In a perfect world, Bale's Augustus Landor and Melling's fictional (also, WTF?) Edgar Allen Poe would've ~somewhat~ made up for the underdevelopment of every other character and a lackluster twist. But they don't. This was the first film I've watched of Bale's where he is fully asleep at the wheel. I watched with horror at his odd attempts at liveliness. Those dang inflections (re: accusing Doctor whatshisface of blood magic). He looks tired. Like tired of being in this movie perhaps and maybe tired of covering up...(BIG spoiler) his own crimes. Maybe the script was to blame. Maybe it's him, but either way, I could relate to sleepy Bale struggling to finish this movie as I was right there with him. As for cartoon Edgar Allen Poe. Seriously, what gives? Will have to do some research of the book's origin this is based off of and what was the inspiration for having Poe, a real life person, involved in this. Dudley from Harry Potter tries to do his best and I commend his attempt, but damn is it hollow. The one-and-half-stars I gave this film were solely for the nostalgia I have for the Hudson Valley setting and a break-taking view of what I believe to be Washburn trail in Cold Spring, NY. In a way, Pale Blue Eye is a shoddy almost Kirkland ripoff of The Prestige with some of Burton's Sleepy Hollow. It does a good job transporting us to 1830s NY, but that's about it.

A great story with terrific characters acting. Bale gives a brilliant performance. Absolutely amazing movie. Tim Treakle

I see it was based on a book, so I suppose that is where the blame ultimately lies for this story that I simply find to be ‘not enjoyable.’ It’s as if it is neither fiction nor non-fiction, rather some murky form of one or the other or both. It's quasi-fiction. Plus half a point for pulling the term ‘quasi-fiction’ out of me.