Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

The Eclipse Blu-ray Movie Review

A tender drama eclipsed by supernatural scares.

Reviewed by Casey Broadwater July 5, 2010

Not to be confused with Michelangelo Antonioni’s 1962 film, L’eclisse (The Eclipse), or that other, more recent Eclipse film—you know, the one with sexy, emoting vampires and hunky werewolves—The Eclipse is an Irish horror/drama hybrid, directed by noted playwright Conor McPherson and starring somber-faced character actor Ciarán Hinds, most recently seen in There Will Be Blood. With no gore, no gratuitous nudity, and not a teenager in sight, it belongs to an ever-narrowing sub-genre: the mature, intelligent ghost story for adults. McPherson strikes a fine balance between spectral apparitions, grief, and lovelorn pining, but this also puts The Eclipse in a strange cinematic place, perhaps too slight on pants-soiling jump scares for the hardcore horror crowd, and a bit bleak for chest-heaving romantics.

If you’re the sort that likes your love stories drenched in a creaky gothic atmosphere, though, you’ll be right at home in seaside Cobh, in Cork County, Ireland, where the film takes place. Ciarán Hinds plays Michael Farr, a high school woodshop teacher and one-time aspiring writer who lost his wife to cancer two years ago and has yet to get over the grief. Tasked with the business of raising two children alone, Michael put his father-in-law, Thomas (Eanna Hardwicke), in an old folk’s home, but this decision has resulted in some strange premonitions. Michael begins hearing things and seeing —or perhaps hallucinating—a shadow figure that lurks through the hallways of his house. While volunteering as a driver for Cobh’s annual literary festival, Michael meets Lena Morelle (High Fidelity’s Iben Hjejle), a writer who pens true tales of the supernatural. Inexorably, the two are drawn to one another, but Lena’s affections are also sought by Nicholas Holden (Aidan Quinn), a successful American novelist, alcoholic, and wannabe-Hemingway who had a one-night fling with her and now thinks he’s entitled to more. As the ménage a trois spirals out of control, Michael’s haunting continues, and though he barely knows Lena, she’s the only person who understands how he feels.

The supernatural element of the story could easily be dispensed with. Instead of a paranormal writer, Lena could be a grief counselor and the film would play out in almost the same way, sans spirits of the departed. But I see this as a plus. Too many horror films are short on story and bereft of character development. The Eclipse, on the other hand, is primarily a drama; director and co-writer Conor McPherson builds a tale of loss and love first, and then drapes the supernatural over it like a ghostly white sheet. The effect is a rare horror film with emotional and psychological substance. There’s some mystery as to whether Michael’s ghosts are real or imagined, but the cause of the hauntings is the same: guilt and grief. Lena is attracted to him not because he’s potential fodder for her next book—quite the opposite, she encourages him to start writing again— but because they’re both old souls in a way, because they’ve shared similar experiences with the supernatural. Michael is also the polar opposite of Nicholas, a “bad boy” alcoholic author (and the closest the film gets to an outright stereotype.)

Credit goes to the actors for making the film—supernatural happenings and all—believable. Quinn plays against type as an arrogant, petulant bastard—usually he’s the romantic lead—and though he’s this close to going over the top, he manages to undercut his character’s braggadocio with surprising vulnerability. Iben Hjejle is likeable and conflicted as Lena, caught between the needs of these two very different men. And Ciarán Hinds, whose face looks like it was carved out of bereavement itself, gives The Eclipse enough gravity to pull the moon right out of its orbit. The drama the three enact may not be entirely original—it’s a classic love triangle scenario—but it feels uncontrived and emotional true.

It’s also—during a small handful of big scare scenes—almost piss-your-pants terrifying. Granted, I was definitely in the right mood to watch a horror film: it was nighttime, all the lights were off, and the near constant rain during the day had put me in a weird state. Basically, I was primed to be creeped out. I’m not sure that I would be as affected during a second viewing, but it should say something that I’m definitely up for watching the film again. There were two scenes—and I won’t spoil them for you—where I instinctively shrieked and covered my mouth like a prepubescent girl being personally serenaded by Robert Pattinson. Iben Hjejle’s character reads aloud from her book at one point, and though she’s talking about what happens in your mind when you see a ghost, it could apply just as well to the experience of watching a horror film: “When you see a ghost, something very interesting happens. Your brain splits in two. One side of you is rejecting what you're seeing because it doesn't tally with our ordinary idea of reality, and the other side is screaming, ‘But this is real!’ And in that moment reality itself is collapsed and reconfigured in a way that changes you profoundly, although at the time you are not aware of it." I can’t say that I was changed profoundly by the act of watching The Eclipse, but there were scenes that definitely split my brain in two.

The Eclipse Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Shot on very filmic-looking high definition video and given a 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer in the slightly unusual 2.00:1 aspect ration, The Eclipse generally looks excellent on Blu-ray. Appropriately for its subject matter and setting, the film has a bleak tone that won't necessarily send colors popping off your screen, but everything does look nicely saturated, with many of the scenes sporting a cool bluish cast that adds to the plot's spectral chilliness. The long landscape shots of Cork County's coastline, in particular, are beautifully shot. Contrast is strong, and though shadow detail is routinely and thoroughly crushed by deep inky blacks, this a stylistic decision as well. Where the image really impresses is in its overall sense of clarity. The picture is sharp without looking overly edgy, and there's plenty of fine detail to be found close-ups. Skin textures are keenly resolved, individual hairs and eyelashes are apparent, and you can make out every stitch in Lena's knit wool cap. There are precious few blemishes. Noisiness occasionally spikes, and I noticed two instances of very distinct aliasing—check out the handles of the cabinets in Lena's cabin—but other than that, this is a strong high definition presentation.

The Eclipse Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Not every audio track has to burst with non-stop cross-channel movements and explosive dynamics to be effective. The Eclipse's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround mix uses silence exceedingly well, letting the tension mount unbearably before unleashing a cacophony of creepy sound design. The things that go bump in the night here—a scratching in the wardrobe, an apparition in the passenger seat—bump indeed, usually accompanied by potent subwoofer output. Sure, you could classify these as "jump scares," but you will jump and/or throw your hands over your mouth to stifle a scream. I did, anyway, and I almost never get spooked anymore. Elsewhere, the surround channels are used quietly but successfully to conjure environmental ambience; rain pours all around and thunderclaps rip through the rears, seagulls squawk, crows caw, and wind blows through the soundscape. Ronan Hill's score fills out the remainder with plinked piano keys, foreboding orchestration, and choral chanting. Dialogue throughout is unmuffled and easy to understand.

The Eclipse Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Making of The Eclipse (SD, 27:32)
A dry but decent making of documentary that allows director Conor McPherson, writer Billy Roche, and the actors to discuss the film's themes and production. A good mix of interviews and on-set, behind- the-scenes footage.

HDNet: A Look at The Eclipse (1080i, 4:38)
A typical HDNet promo, featuring actor Ciaran Hinds discussing his character and the film's synopsis.

Also From Magnolia Home Entertainment Blu-ray (1080p, 8:30)
Includes trailers for The Warlords, Mother, Survival of the Dead, and Red Cliff, plus a promo for HDNet.

The Eclipse Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Eclipse falls into a category that's nearly empty these days: the horror film for adults. There are no screaming teenagers, no gratuitous boob-flashes, no stock characters getting picked off one by one, just a good, old-fashioned ghost story draped like a white sheet over a drama about love and loss. More atmospheric than outright terrifying, there are still more than enough scares for those looking to get spooked. Recommended.