The Pale Blue Eye review: Arriving somewhere, but not here

Netflix's latest release, The Pale Blue Eye, features a snow-clad 1830s Hudson Valley, a highly believable Edgar Allan Poe, and some big names like Christian Bale. All put together, it seems like the perfect watch for gothic lovers on a cold winter night such as this one. If the director, Scott Cooper, indeed released the film in accordance with the weather, it was quite a smart move.

Released on January 6, 2023, The Pale Blue Eye was one of those films that remained in the memory for a long time, but failed to make a mark somewhere deep inside. Its utterly engaging nature and character were the catalyst for something really solid. Its setting, tone, and lighting also matched the mood that the film was supposed to deliver. More elements succeeded in the two-hour-plus ride than did not. It is still not perfect in all regards.

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The Pale Blue Eye review: Uneven pacing takes away the prize

The investigative film takes viewers back to the time when Edgar Allan Poe (played by Harry Melling here) was still not on his way to the stars. A young cadet with a few published poems at the time, Poe joins in on the case of a mysterious suicide when Augustus Landor (Christian Bale) gets on with it.

From the very beginning, Landor's character stood out because of Bale's powerful performance and hold on emotional resiliency. Surprisingly, Melling's portrayal of 21-year-old Edgar Allan Poe matched Bale's stride to stride. The movie's plot is particularly deft in the way it created a subtly historical context for Poe's subsequent writings.

The fictional case is quite strong, and so is the atmospheric setting around it. The Pale Blue Eye has the eerie ability to hook viewers even when the film is circling around in the field of plot points and often landing in the wrong places. One of the essential elements that helps to successfully hide the narrative momentum's flaws is to not deviate from the brilliant atmospheric design.

Cooper's idea isn't naive, it is simply scattered in parts. The film is also not one to disregard completely, but it is not one that would be remembered as a masterpiece.

The question of narrative momentum and smoother pacing is always going to be raised when talking about The Pale Blue Eye. Even if the pace isn't rough enough to bore viewers, it is certainly uneven enough to unsettle them, and not in a good way.

The technical marvel is almost shocking. From recreating character costumes to creating perfect mise-en-scenes in shots, Cooper's understanding of the era and the genre is almost terrific. It seems imminent that many imagine Edgar Allan Poe's work in a setting like this. The story is also a good one, originally written by Louis Bayard.

This is supplemented by some great camera work and even greater lighting. The sets often feel so real and attractive that they can be enough to hold some viewers in place.

All in all, The Pale Blue Eye is a very watchable film with a lot of drama and thrill.