Extras:
Audio Commentary by Hadi Hajaig, Behind The Scenes, Deleted Scenes,
Pre-Viz Studio Set Showreel, Alternative Ending, Complete Original Score,
Gag Reel, Theatrical Trailer
Director:
Hai Hajaig
(The Late Twentieth)
Producers:
Hai Hajaig and David Sumnall
Screenplay:
Hai Hajaig
Music:
Simon Lambros
Cast:
Simon Puritan: Nick Moran
Ann Bridges: Georgina Rylance
Jonathan Grey: Pete Hodge
Eric Bridges: David Soul
Mickey Conway: Ralph Brown
I have to say, I was pretty excited about watching Puritan,
having not seen Nick Moran in anything really good for a while and having
thoroughly enjoyed watching his lively performance in
Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels,
I had high hopes for this supernatural thriller.
At first glance, Puritan is a highly ambitious low-budget film noir which does
have all of the ingredients of a good thriller. However, in reality it seems
to have too many ideas that are never properly realised and is therefore
remembered more for its visual qualities than anything much else.
Nick Moran plays Simon Puritan, a lonely man who drinks too much and spends
his time doing so called ‘psychic’ readings for vulnerable people who are
trying to cope with the loss of a loved one. Already we are not that keen
on his character, he seems to have little care for anyone but himself and
when it looks like he is going to fall in front of a train in the first 10
minutes of the film, we really are not that bothered at all.
However, Puritan is miraculously saved by a stranger and gets away with no
more than a hangover and a bang on the head which later comes back to haunt
him.
Back at home, he is visited by this same rather suspicious stranger whose
name we learn is Jonathan Grey and is terribly scarred from the burns of
a horrific car accident. Jonathan explains to Puritan that his wife wants to
visit him for a reading and he agrees to see her and help her if he can.
However, as soon as Puritan meets Jonathan’s wife Ann, we quickly realize that
she is not his wife at all and things are certainly not what they seem.
Ann is actually married to Eric Bridges (David Soul), a business man/self-help
guru who is rumoured to have some rather dodgy business connections. Puritan
is instantly attracted to Ann and soon they begin an affair which becomes
the catalyst for the terrible events that follow.
The affair is convincing enough but the film is let down by a combination of
imperfect dialogue and rather flat acting by the two lead characters. I was
very disappointed with Nick Moran, he under plays his character too much and
I found myself wishing he'd just been hit by the train in the first place.
David Soul on the other hand, is great at playing the successful, corrupt and
rather heavy-handed husband but we just don’t get to see enough of him which
is a great shame.
The disfigured Jonathan Grey continues to pop up on and off throughout the
film to warn Puritan of the dangers he is facing, but Puritan continues to
see Ann and things eventually spiral out of control for him and lead him to a
rather explosive ending.
There is talk of pagan architecture, ghost-sightings in White Chapel, and
even a 4th dimension and time travel but this is the problem - it’s only talk
and none of the ideas are explored in any depth to give the film that something
it is so lacking. There is an interesting twist at the end (which for not
wanting to spoil it, I can’t go into) and this helped to explain why Hajaig
threw in so many of these ideas at the beginning. This did put a smile on my
face, however, this smile just turned to puzzlement as I tried to fathom
exactly what Hadi Hajaig was trying to say at the end of the film.
Although Puritan is missing a fair amount, the visuals are often stunning and
do give it some credit; it is dark and full of shadows and combined with a
haunting soundtrack, these give it a really sinister, atmospheric feel.
It is only a 12 certificate which I am a little surprised about, I think it
should have been given a higher rating as the subject matter it deals with is
certainly more adult.
The Dolby Digital sound is fine, but even when turned up pretty loud, the
dialogue is not all that crisp but I guess that’s part and parcel of a low
budget film.
All in all, I would say that Puritan has the necessary qualities of a good
thriller. It cleverly sets up some interesting ideas at the beginning, but unfortunately gets
a little lost in trying to explore too many avenues. Maybe if only a couple
of the ideas mentioned early on had not just been alluded to, it would have
been a much more interesting and entertaining film. The film is beautifully
shot and this has to be its main saving grace.
There are only 12 chapters on the DVD which is ok, but it might have been
better if it had been broken down some more.
As of April 2009, Blu-rays and DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TH-37PX80B
37" Plasma TV with a Sony BDP-1500 Blu-ray player and played through a Yamaha DSP-AX820 amplifier.
PC games reviewed by the editor are on:
Since Jan 2011: Intel Quad Core Dell XPS 8100, i7 CPU 860 @ 2.80Ghz, 8Gb RAM, nVidia GeForce GTS 240, Windows 7
Since Nov 2005: Intel Pentium D 830 3.0Ghz, 1Gb RAM, 128Mb nVidia GeForce 6700XL, Windows XP
Since Aug 2003: Intel Pentium 4 2.66Ghz, 512Mb RAM, 128Mb GeForce4 MX440 graphics, Windows XP
Since May 2003: Intel Pentium 4 2.6Ghz, 512Mb RAM, 128Mb ATI Radeon 9600TX graphics, Windows XP
Since Jun 2002: Intel Pentium III 600Mhz, 384Mb RAM, Windows 98 SE, 64Mb ATI Radeon 8500LE
Since May 2000: Intel Pentium III 600Mhz, 384Mb RAM, Windows 98 SE, Voodoo 3 3000 AGP
