It’s been five years since Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings, King Kong) helmed a film and after a few release delays, The Lovely Bones finally hit theaters over the holiday season. Was it worth the wait for Jackson fans?
Based on the best-selling novel by Alice Sebold, The Lovely Bones is the story of Susie Salmon, a teenage girl who is brutally murdered by a quiet and awkward neighbor known as Mr. Harvey. After she is killed, Susie watches her family and the consequences of her death unfold from her point of view in heaven.
The subject might not immediately sound like typical Jackson fare, but for those who have only recently discovered his work, it’s closer to home than one might think. Jackson made his name on smaller films in New Zealand long before his triumphant blockbusters. Bones is most reminiscent of his 1994 film Heavenly Creatures (starring Kate Winslet), a small-budget film that uniquely combined elements of characterization with obscurely fantastical visual elements. While that film excelled, Jackson’s newest effort falls very short of what has come to be expected of his talents.
From a directorial standpoint, Jackson’s intentions had the markings of a solid film but the tone of the story continually shifts back and forth from disturbing murder mystery to emotional purgatory. This is partly the fault of a script that tried too hard to be too many things instead of allowing Sebold’s material to speak for itself. What bogs down the film just as much, if not more, is Jackson’s self-admitted nature to overindulge. While King Kong was slightly overlong, he overcame this minor flaw through confident storytelling and appropriately epic set pieces. Bones does call for a fair share of visually driven moments, but unfortunately they overshadow the greater themes of the story, which get lost in translation.
The cast is well-rounded and while Saoirse Ronan’s portrayal of Susie honored her book counterpart perfectly, it is Stanley Tucci’s performance as Mr. Harvey that steals the show. The first half hour builds the story with promise but it is the second act that weighs it down in mediocre pacing and editing. After that, Jackson raises the tension to the heights of the first act again in what becomes a horrifying nail-biter of a climax.
Fans of the book are likely to enjoy the film if they can get past the elements cut out, and Jackson fans will find a few saving graces through his visual talents. Fear not: this is not a fall from grace the likes of Shyamalan. Jackson should be commended for taking on the challenging subject. His strengths are present as a filmmaker but it’s only intermittent. There just seems to have been a lack of total confidence in what themes should have been emphasized for the film. Unfortunately, The Lovely Bones is going to go down as a significant disappointment but little more than a minor blip on Jackson’s otherwise impressive resume thus far.
