Image Entertainment decided to can the limited release of The Tall Man and just ended up throwing it out there on DVD. Sucks because that kills any chance that the film will recoup its budget. I still think it could have done decently well in The United States had it hit theaters. Think of movies such as Darkness Falls and Boogeyman. People always tend to get sketched out about films involving kids as the killer’s victims.
In The Tall Man, Julia is a widowed nurse still working in a former coal mining town in Washington state. One night after work, her son is abducted by a man and it’s after a series of events that she learns of ‘The Tall Man’. It seems a man has been kidnapping the children of the town for quite some time. Now Julia will set forth on her journey to locate her son, face down ‘The Tall Man,’ and stop the horrendous kidnapping spree that has haunted the town. The screenplay was written by Pascal Laugier.
The Tall Man was also directed by Pascal Laugier. The film stars Jessica Biel (“7th Heaven,” Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake), Jodelle Ferland (Silent Hill, Twilight: Eclipse), Stephen McHattie (“Star Trek,” Pontypool), and William B. Davis (“The X Files,” Snakehead Terror).
CAUTION: There be spoilers ahead.
The Tall Man’s biggest draw back comes from its marketing scheme. The movie is marketed to the public as some sort of serial killer or supernatural flick. Once you actually watch the movie, you will realize it is just two steps above a Lifetime Movie in terms of suspense, gore, and being scary. The trailer and movie poster make The Tall Man look very sinister and creepy, but all that you get is a mild emotional thriller.
Secondly, The Tall Man is definitely a film with an agenda and that takes away from the overall experience for even the most mild horror viewers. The agenda here definitely comes from the feminist point of view, where the woman is souley responsible for the proper upbringing of children. Also, women who bring children into this world without delivering their promise of a happy, clean, nurturing life – well, they don’t deserve to have children at all. That’s the message The Tall Man delivers. Although, I’m not completely sure if that is the theme of the movie or just the killer’s agenda for their actions.
The Tall Man started out great, kept half the momentum during the middle, and then crashed and burned at the end. Even actress Jessica Biel wasn’t enough to save this movie, and I usually tend to say she is very under-rated. As I previously said, The Tall Man isn’t even remotely close to what it’s marketed as and the central theme of the whole film isn’t that fun. I would say avoid purchasing it, but if it ever ends up On Demand at least give it a look see. It has splendid production value, beautiful locations, and an amazingly talented cast, but the plot and delivery is what kills this film.
