Byzantium Review
Vampire movies, for me anyway, are a gothic poem. Take away the modern action, the supernatural powers of strength and telekinesis and you are left with a curse. One that is filled with romantic blood filled lust. The vampire was created in a story of struggle, darkness and bewitching elements. Dracula wondered the earth looking for that one soul that he could spend eternity with. The art of a vampire entranced with a story, one that mankind have been enthralled in for centuries. In our cinemas, original, the beasts delighted with symbolism and echo our fear of eternal damnation. Yet, along the way, we have forgotten the true heart of the tale and have sucked the life out of a once terrifying monster. Byzantium, the new British-Irish movie, has helped us remember the words.
Byzantium is told from the view point of Eleanor as she wonders the earth with her mother Clara. In the seedy underworld of England Eleanor and Clara flit from town to town surviving on the blood of the elderly and wicked. Clara makes money for both of them moonlighting as a stripper and prostitute while Eleanor yearns for the truth to be told, to find companionship. Meanwhile, the two are pursued by a brotherhood of vampires and a past that Clara wants to forget but Eleanor wants to be released.
Byzantium is a beautiful story. Directed by Neil Jordan, the man who made Interview with a Vampire, it is a sweeping tale filled with some striking shots. The cinematography is strong and the imagery within the movie are stunning, dragging you into a world seen from the eyes of two women burning with a curse. Jordan does some amazing scenes filled with angles and symbolism. He surrounds Eleanor with innocence in her story, dressing her in white and red. Clara, meanwhile, is surrounded by the cheap life she was forced into. It is cleverly filmed as many eras are woven into one tale.
Most of all, Byzantium is a sweeping story that is held up by some strong acting. Saoirse Ronan and Gemma Arterton bring a different sort of character to life extremely well. The aged yet still youthful Eleanor is played by the former with a soul and conscious as she struggles with her life. The latter gives Clara a mother’s love and struggle as she will do anything to survive. The two leads have incredible chemistry and are held up by strong supporting characters such as the sleazy Jonny Lee Miller as Captain Riven, the source of angst and evil in both their lives.
Many will find Byzantium a chore to watch and at nearly two hours, it will be a struggle. The action really takes a while to kick in after an impressive opening. It is a far too long and does dwindle far too often on the story telling aspect. There are much too many scenes that drag and the plot nearly stops when introduced to love interest Frank. A good half an hour could be cut from this movie and it would gain some of the steam that whittles away sometimes.
However, Byzantium is a wonderful piece of storytelling. Here, vampires are not super magical and do not battle. The only sadistic villain here is a human and there is a quality of properness and elegance to a small collection of vampires in the world. There are no fangs, just blood lust. Vampires do not change others by a bite, but by ritual and understanding. Byzantium is a modern gothic tale about the one true thing vampires do. They survive death and breathe eternity.
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