Puritan

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Natasha Ross reviews

Puritan
Distributed by
Metrodome Distribution

Cover

  • Cert:
  • Cat.no: MTD 5328
  • Running time: 96 minutes
  • Year: 2005
  • Pressing: 2007
  • Chapters: 12
  • Region(s): 2, PAL
  • Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
  • Languages: English
  • Subtitles: None
  • Widescreen: 1.85:1
  • 16:9-Enhanced: Yes
  • Macrovision: Yes
  • Disc Format: DVD 9
  • Price: £19.99
  • Extras: Audio Commentary by Hadi Hajaig, Behind The Scenes, Deleted Scenes, Pre-Viz Studio Set Showreel, Alternative Ending, Complete Original Score, Gag Reel, Theatrical Trailer

    Director:

      Hai Hajaig

    (The Late Twentieth)

Producers:

    Hai Hajaig and David Sumnall

Screenplay:

    Hai Hajaig

Music:

    Simon Lambros

Cast:

    Simon Puritan: Nick Moran
    Ann Bridges: Georgina Rylance
    Jonathan Grey: Pete Hodge
    Eric Bridges: David Soul
    Mickey Conway: Ralph Brown

I have to say, I was pretty excited about watching Puritan, having not seen Nick Moran in anything really good for a while and having thoroughly enjoyed watching his lively performance in Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, I had high hopes for this supernatural thriller.

At first glance, Puritan is a highly ambitious low-budget film noir which does have all of the ingredients of a good thriller. However, in reality it seems to have too many ideas that are never properly realised and is therefore remembered more for its visual qualities than anything much else.

Nick Moran plays Simon Puritan, a lonely man who drinks too much and spends his time doing so called ‘psychic’ readings for vulnerable people who are trying to cope with the loss of a loved one. Already we are not that keen on his character, he seems to have little care for anyone but himself and when it looks like he is going to fall in front of a train in the first 10 minutes of the film, we really are not that bothered at all.

However, Puritan is miraculously saved by a stranger and gets away with no more than a hangover and a bang on the head which later comes back to haunt him.

Back at home, he is visited by this same rather suspicious stranger whose name we learn is Jonathan Grey and is terribly scarred from the burns of a horrific car accident. Jonathan explains to Puritan that his wife wants to visit him for a reading and he agrees to see her and help her if he can.

However, as soon as Puritan meets Jonathan’s wife Ann, we quickly realize that she is not his wife at all and things are certainly not what they seem. Ann is actually married to Eric Bridges (David Soul), a business man/self-help guru who is rumoured to have some rather dodgy business connections. Puritan is instantly attracted to Ann and soon they begin an affair which becomes the catalyst for the terrible events that follow.

The affair is convincing enough but the film is let down by a combination of imperfect dialogue and rather flat acting by the two lead characters. I was very disappointed with Nick Moran, he under plays his character too much and I found myself wishing he’d just been hit by the train in the first place.

David Soul on the other hand, is great at playing the successful, corrupt and rather heavy-handed husband but we just don’t get to see enough of him which is a great shame.

The disfigured Jonathan Grey continues to pop up on and off throughout the film to warn Puritan of the dangers he is facing, but Puritan continues to see Ann and things eventually spiral out of control for him and lead him to a rather explosive ending.

There is talk of pagan architecture, ghost-sightings in White Chapel, and even a 4th dimension and time travel but this is the problem – it’s only talk and none of the ideas are explored in any depth to give the film that something it is so lacking. There is an interesting twist at the end (which for not wanting to spoil it, I can’t go into) and this helped to explain why Hajaig threw in so many of these ideas at the beginning. This did put a smile on my face, however, this smile just turned to puzzlement as I tried to fathom exactly what Hadi Hajaig was trying to say at the end of the film.

Although Puritan is missing a fair amount, the visuals are often stunning and do give it some credit; it is dark and full of shadows and combined with a haunting soundtrack, these give it a really sinister, atmospheric feel.

It is only a 12 certificate which I am a little surprised about, I think it should have been given a higher rating as the subject matter it deals with is certainly more adult.

The Dolby Digital sound is fine, but even when turned up pretty loud, the dialogue is not all that crisp but I guess that’s part and parcel of a low budget film.

All in all, I would say that Puritan has the necessary qualities of a good thriller. It cleverly sets up some interesting ideas at the beginning, but unfortunately gets a little lost in trying to explore too many avenues. Maybe if only a couple of the ideas mentioned early on had not just been alluded to, it would have been a much more interesting and entertaining film. The film is beautifully shot and this has to be its main saving grace.

There are only 12 chapters on the DVD which is ok, but it might have been better if it had been broken down some more.

FILM CONTENT
PICTURE QUALITY
SOUND QUALITY
EXTRAS


OVERALL

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