Review - The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016) - 10 Out of 10 Brooms (Spoiler Free)

 


You know a film has really got under your skin when you have to turn it off and switch it to a kid's movie as a brain cleanser. If I had seen it in the theater, I would have left to take a break. It is one of the most effective horror films I have ever watched.

Autopsy begins with a simple story: an out-of-place corpse has been found at the scene of a routine domestic murder and pathologists Tony (Brian Cox) and his son Austin (Emile Hirsch) are told to explain the cause of death by the sheriff before the morning. Easy.

As they work, more questions add up. The Jane Doe has brutal internal injuries but no signs of external damage. It’s safe to say that things escalate, but to explain further would be to ruin the surprises to come. Writers Ian B. Goldberg and Richard Naing keep the audience guessing throughout.

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André Øvredal’s direction is magnificent. There are horror tropes like jump scares and flickering lights, but they are used sparingly and very effectively. Likewise, Cox and Hirsch’s great performances respect the script and it shows. When a film plays its cards so close to its chest the reveal can be disappointing, but Øvredal delivers.

Watching Autopsy was terrifying. It took me two days to watch it, and I can go without ever seeing it again. At least next time, I may have to watch with all of the lights on. 

What more could you want from a horror movie?




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