Sacrifice [Review]

Dr. Tora Hamilton, a successful American surgeon, desires nothing more than to mother a child with her husband, Duncan.  However, a tragic miscarriage leaves her reeling and the couple moves to Duncan’s home town on the remote Shetland Islands, off of the coast of Scotland, to recover.  Their attempt to start anew falls to pieces quickly when Tora discovers the body of a young woman with runes carved into her flesh and signs of ritual murder right in her own backyard. When she realizes the woman was also once pregnant, Tora’s maternal instincts override her own safety as she’s driven to discover the terrifying secrets behind the woman’s death.

Based on the novel by Sharon Bolton of the same name, director Peter A. Dowling’s screenplay adaptation introduces a pulp thriller centered on a cult conspiracy.  Not unlike Wicker Man, the conspiracy begins small, with the American noticing rune carvings on rocks during a hike.  Of course, suspicions grow upon the unearthing of the dead woman in her backyard.  The police seem uninterested in putting forth much effort into the investigation, and Tora finds the locals’ behavior increasingly strange the more she ventures out on her own.  The more she uncovers about the case, including the island’s folklore that seems to have inspired the murder, the more dangerous her situation becomes.

Dowling’s screenplay, for the most part, plays by the numbers.  Aside from a horrific opening sequence that sees Tora suffering her miscarriage, the mystery unravels in expected ways.  The red herrings, the suspicious and sometime hostile locals, the overt conspiracy, right down to the dismissive authority all feel familiar.  Yet the picturesque setting, interesting mythology, and taut chase sequences keep it from feeling completely stale.

Even Tora, on paper, seems set up to be your typical woman-in-peril, but avoids that pitfall thanks to a fierce performance by Radha Mitchell.  Though Tora is the driving force of the mystery, Mitchell brings her trademark ferocity and determination to the character.  She portrays Tora as both the damsel and the hero, which makes for a far more engaging protagonist worth watching.  Rupert Graves injects Duncan with an amiability that gives Tora emotional grounding, though he’s not as present in the story as he should be.

The folklore behind the narrative’s mystery is both fascinating and unique.  With references to the Tollund Man, a mummified corpse discovered in Scandinavia found preserved in 1950, and folkloric trows, the final act never really delves into the rich mythology laid out beforehand.  Instead, the narrative wastes the opportunity to deliver a much more unexpected ending and plays it mostly safe.  What could have been a very interesting supernatural twist is mostly relegated to a safer crime thriller. That’s not to say that the film is void of any supernatural elements, just that it’s small in comparison to its potential.

Despite the missed opportunity, Sacrifice is a beautifully shot thriller that utilizes the breathtaking backdrop and history of the Shetland Islands.  Not solely dependent on the setting, Dowling also delivers on thrilling car chases and creepy hospital cat and mouse sequences that will find you holding your breath. Though all of the actors do a commendable job at creating this serviceable murder mystery, it’s Radha Mitchell that shines as tough yet empathetic Dr. Tora Hamilton.  While it may not break any new ground, it’s the source material that I suspect is the root of the issues as the film gels in every other way.  It’s a fun film worth viewing for the beautiful cinematography and fantastic cast, though maybe a little predictable.

Sacrifice will open on Friday, April 29th, 2016, in New York at IFC Center, as well as all VOD platforms, and will open in Los Angeles at the Arena Theatre on May, 6th, 2016.