thomasjay-52277
A real pleasant surprise of a film, although it's relatovely low reviews and mixed publicity might suggest one thing reality is in fact very different. Structured in a way that resembles the work of Tarantino in the dawn of his career Limehouse follows Inspectir Kildare (Bill Nighy) on the course of a manhunt for the illusive serial killer preying upon the streets of London, over the course of the film we establish and eliminate suspects, outcomes and narratives that exist in this claustrophobic reality. Through innovative techniques the audience is left guessing whom is responsible for the slayings with every possibility seeming potentially 'real' comes a shock twist which for those who have a love for the genre might find a little predictable, aside from that however it's a tense and fun story that quickly unravels definitely worth a watch
Neil Welch
A series of savage murders in Victorian Limehouse results in the killer being dubbed The Limehouse Golem. Inspector Kildare is put on the case but, given his suspected homosexuality which has caused his career to falter, he is intended to be a scapegoat given the expected failure of the investigation. The suspects include Karl Marx, theatrical star Dan Leno, and John Cree, a dead newspaper reporter whose wife is on trial for his murder. Kildare begins to believe that Cree is the Golem, and his investigative efforts turn towards trying to prove Lizzie Cree's innocence.The title of this period shocker leads you to think it's a monster movie, but it isn't. It's a suspense drama with violent moments, and it has an ambience which is reminiscent of the better Hammer horrors of the 60s and 70s. I wouldn't say it's a horror film, though.The period feel is good, Bill Nighy is reliably superb as Kildare, Olivia Cooke shines as Lizzie, and the supporting cast are all fine.If I have a criticism, it is that the plot thread of Kildare's alleged homosexuality is included to justify Scotland Yard's attitude towards him, referred to obliquely towards the end, but otherwise not taken anywhere. It could have been used to illuminate his character, to explain his sympathetic attitude towards Lizzie and, thereby, to have become a more organic part of the story: as it was, it felt like no more than a not particularly well-used plot device.Even so, the strength here was the story. Jane Goldman scripts from a novel by Peter Ackroyd and, while the story always feels predictable, it never quite is. I enjoyed the fact that I often thought I knew where it was going to go, then found out I was wrong.
