Trying to paint the horror genre in shades that have never been seen before is a task that’s as daunting as it is nigh-on impossible, but on a purely visual and aesthetic level, Xavier Gens Cold Skin is one of the more notable examples to emerge in recent times.
The cinematography is often stunning and the imagery flits between beautiful and haunting on a dime, but the adaptation of Albert Sánchez Piñol’s novel of the same name was let down massively by substandard storytelling. It’s a spooky tale with a high concept, though, which has proven more than enough to elevate it back into the rarefied air of a Top 10 streaming success.
As per FlixPatrol, Cold Skin can be found as eighth most-watched feature among Prime Video subscribers in the United Kingdom, and we’re not going to deny that the crisp and intensely atmospheric chiller looks magnificent on a top-end TV. However, respective Rotten Tomatoes scores of 48 and 56 percent from critics and audiences nods towards the narrative shortcomings that ultimately scuppered the end product.
The period piece unfolds in 1914, with a young man pitching up to take over the role of weather observer on a remote island. Once he gets there, he finds no trace of the person he was sent to replace – but there is a stranded castaway who claims to have witnessed something truly horrifying.
As you can no doubt guess, he’s not crazy, and there are terrifying creatures inhabiting the shoreline that view every human incumbent as their next meal. Cold Skin isn’t a classic, but if you’ve got a soft spot for monsters, it might be worth a shot.
Published: Nov 3, 2022 04:25 am