Movie
Review | Cold Creek Manor
Reviewed by: Brian
Orndorf
Sick of the big city life in New York, Cooper (Dennis Quaid) and
Leah Tilson (Sharon Stone) have decided to move to the country with
their children and leave their complicated urban ways behind. Finding
the gigantic Cold Creek Manor for sale, the Tilsons move in and begin
to enjoy the quiet rural life. Trouble arrives with the appearance of
Dale Massie (Stephen Dorff), the former owner of the Manor who lost
the estate while serving time in prison. Dale is not happy with the
new owners, and while Cooper investigates the history of Cold Creek
Manor, Dale is busy making plans to take the property back.
Seeing director Mike Figgis’s name listed in the “Cold Creek
Manor” credits raises some very big questions. After all, he is a
filmmaker who has had no trouble leading with his own creative vision
(“Time Code“), even when working on big studio projects (“One
Night Stand”). “Manor” is a customary thriller, using bark
pulled from the same tree that spawned other residence paranoia films
like “Pacific Heights” and “Burnt Offerings.” So what does
Figgis want with this script? That’s a good question, with
“Manor” not resembling the standard thriller it most certainly is
for its first two acts. His placement at the helm of the picture is an
interesting move by the producers, as Figgis has lived up to his
reputation and steers “Manor” away from the more clichéd reaches
of the script and pumping the dry script film full of sexual tension
(a Figgis specialty). And when the picture has to deal directly with
formula, Figgis has a way of keeping it fun, mocking the line that
separates drama from camp. His work in “Manor” is the most focused
Figgis has been in a long time, but the film is not his most
artistically taxing.
“Manor” isn’t quite the horror film the marketing would
suggest, but more of a thriller. It features little bloodshed, but
plenty of tight suspense sequences. Figgis stages these moments with
aplomb, forming a suspenseful drama out of less than original parts.
The highlight of the film is a mid-movie snake attack on the Tilson
household. Figgis shows remarkable competence in his ability to piece
together something as silly as, well, a snake attack. “Manor”
doesn’t beg for believability; it’s a light thrill ride of chills
and drama that isn’t made much anymore. If the film feels empty in
the end, it’s only because Hollywood usually fills these pictures up
with action and blitzkrieg style. Figgis keeps the movie low to the
ground, and “Manor” is successful and agreeable because of it.
It is in the climax of the picture where Figgis succumbs to studio
or potentially test-screening pressure. Figgis gives in completely to
clichés and plays out the finale of the film in a cataclysmic
rainstorm (is there any other kind?), and writes off the mounting
tension with a weak one-liner. It breaks the heart to see this spunky
thriller end with such a resounding whimper; made even worse with
fleeting images in my head of Figgis’s hands tied behind his back
while the moneymen made the changes without his consent. Waiting to
see how Figgis would end this tricky tale was part of the initial
appeal of the film. I find it sad to report that it seems he might not
have had a say in the matter at all.
Grade: 7/10
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