Mary

Director - Michael Goi (American Horror Story, Swamp Thing)
Starring - Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight, Robocop), Emily Mortimer (Cars 2, Scream 3), and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo (From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series, Goliath)
Release Date - 2019
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Evil lies just beneath the surface"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     The last few days has been some with some ups and downs.  Mostly downs.  I set out to watch and review three movies I recently got in that I knew nothing about but the artwork just wasn't that interesting or inviting.  After I tossed in Mayday and The Black String I decided to go with the RJLE Films release of Mary starring legendary actor Gary Oldman.  Mayday was a let down but The Black String was surprising entertaining.  I was hoping I would finish out my little marathon on top but the film just wasn't as fun as I was hoping.  Thank you RJLE for sending this one my way!
     The film follows sea captain David (Oldman) who, on a whim, bought an old boat with a mysterious past in hopes of bettering his family's future.  The previous owners took the boat out on the sea and was never seen again.  Now David and his family plan on making a voyage on the newly renovated boat but something supernatural is aboard and his family may not make the final destination.
   
     I really wanted to like Mary.  Gary Oldman is a phenomenal actor and after looking at the artwork for this release for a few days it has started to grow on me.  It's still very generic but not the worst I've seen.  Sadly, the movie does fall to mediocrity and easily forgettable.   The acting in this one is great.  Oldman once again delivers a fantastic performance.  He goes above and beyond in his role and out stages the hell out of the rest of the cast.  The supporting cast does a solid job but Oldman is the center of the show.  His character is rather weak and cliched but he does his best with what he was given.  The story for this one is predictable and the suspense the film tries to build up is lost on the cramped sets.  Films set on planes, trains, and boats often feel less effective because most scenes look awkward with the cast virtually in each other's faces.  Finally, this one has some blood with light practical effects but what really impressed me with the lighting and imagery around those possessed.  I loved the look but they did fall flat with the scene.  Overall, Mary is a predictable story with an amazing cast.  This is the perfect movie to toss on for back ground noise while you clean or do other chores but those looking for a serious watch will be disappointed.