By Jason Yon
Elm Staff Writer
The most recent film of 2017, “A Cure for Wellness,” is refreshing. The director, Gore Verbinski, most known for his work with Johnny Depp in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series, “The Lone Ranger,” and the quirky animated film “Rango,” introduces the viewer to a drastically different and darker story with “A Cure for Wellness.”
The movie looks and feels nothing like the mainstream movies he’s become known for. Starring Dane DeHaan, it’s a fantastic original psychological horror film with a creepy atmosphere and some social commentary undertones of the modern world and the tireless focus on success and progress.
“A Cure for Wellness” begins with Lockhart (DeHaan) being blackmailed by the stock trading company he works for. The company is about to enter into a merger and they need to cover up some old illegal practices by placing the blame on one of their employees. Fortunately for them, one of the board members, Pembroke, had recently traveled to a sanatorium in the Swiss Alps. The current board members task Lockhart with traveling to Switzerland and returning with Pembroke as a scapegoat. Lockhart arrives at the facility to find it is a sanatorium designed to provide “purification from the pressures of the modern world,” albeit with a certain uneasy feeling and plenty of secrecy. In his attempt to leave, Lockhart’s car flips off the road and he becomes confined to the sanatorium with his leg in a cast.
“A Cure for Wellness” truly succeeds in its presentation of horror. It takes something as simple and mundane as a glass of water or a pool and makes it menacing. While the film does occasionally resort to generic “medical horror” themes, such as the evil dentist scene, it always returns to the water and the mysteries behind it. It is one thing for a movie to present its viewers with jump scares, but it is completely different when the audience feels dread over ordinary things. When a horror movie can cause its viewers to think twice before drinking a glass of water, it has certainly succeeded
Apart from being a worthy psychological horror film, “A Cure for Wellness” is simply beautifully shot and features excellent sound design- aspects that undoubtedly added to its eeriness. The film was principally shot in an abandoned German sanatorium from the early 1900s, with long hallways and tiled rooms. The rooms feel spotless and dirty at the same time, and there is a constant uneasiness that lingers which is hard to describe, but Lockhart and the viewers both know that something is wrong.
Sound is very important for horror and “A Cure for Wellness” is no exception. Lockhart’s crutches creak endlessly with each frantic movement in his search for answers and the toilet in his room utters small clinking noises that echo during the night. The soundtrack occasionally adds in heavy bass sound effects that almost sound like churning water bringing a chilling sensation. Verbinski also places the camera masterfully with many of the shots almost perfectly balanced or using water to advance the horror elements. Although it bore no significance to the plot, every reflective surface was made use of; from the surface of pools to windows and mirrors and even the glass eye of a mounted taxidermy deer head. “A Cure for Wellness” is a delighting visual and auditory experience on top of its eerie plot.
Aside from a Shyamalan-esque ending and the long runtime, “A Cure for Wellness” is a fantastic psychological horror film. One can easily ignore the conclusion and runtime issues when compared with the beautiful cinematography, editing, and sound design. In addition, this is an original screenplay, something which seems hard to come by in this age of sequels, reboots, and adaptations, and it should be applauded for this as well as its other merits. This film does not deserve some of the harsh reviews and criticisms it has recently received. “A Cure for Wellness” was an absolutely refreshing cinematic experience begging for a second or even third viewing.
Score: A-