Halloween is of course also the time for horror movies. Not only in cinemas do countless representatives of the genre appear, but everywhere. You can currently even watch a horror tip for free. It is oppressive and atmospheric and avoids the mistakes of other genre representatives.
Which movie is it about? In 2016, The Autopsy of Jane Doe was released by Norwegian director André Øvredal, who later made Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019) and The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023).
In The Autopsy of Jane Doe, it is about a father-son duo who work as coroners. Their workplace is not with the police, but at home in a basement vault. They regularly assist the police by clarifying causes of death.
One day, however, an unknown corpse is found, which was buried but appears externally untouched. Since no one knows who the corpse is, they call her Jane Doe. The father-son duo must now find out what happened to Jane Doe for the sheriff within one night. This is not so easy, because they have never seen such a corpse before.
You can find a trailer for the film here:
Oppressive body horror with a fresh premise
Why is The Autopsy of Jane Doe so good? First and foremost, the main actors are a pleasant change. It is rare to see a father-son duo as protagonists in a horror film. The father is portrayed by Brian Cox and the son by Emile Hirsch. Especially Cox brings a presence and professionalism that are important for the portrayal of the profession.
Because that is also a great strength of the film. It is not a typical body horror film that revolves around explicit violence, but rather about the work of the coroner. Much time is invested in showing the processes that the job entails, which already creates a fresh atmosphere.
The cold, dead body is dissected and analyzed. The creepiness comes from the fact that something is not right. The professional duo does not understand the body, and even as a viewer without explicit knowledge of the body, one quickly realizes that something is not right.
You need a fairly strong stomach, because despite the 16+ rating, one explicitly sees how the body is dissected. It is quite cool and professional, but that could cause an uneasy feeling.
It starts as a little detective story, with the motto: What happened?
The film then develops more and more into a classic horror film.
Good camera work and a great setting
The basement vault provides the oppressive atmosphere. The protagonists’ workplace and the hallway are the main locations of the film, and they are significant. Due to the work, it is quite sterile, empty, and quiet. This creates a palpable coldness and oppressive atmosphere.
This means that the film does not need spectacular events. Just slight changes like an open door or a reflection provide the necessary eeriness.
It is also particularly good that the camera is often pointed at the face of the corpse, which is actually just lying there. As a viewer, one becomes slightly paranoid and wonders if something has just moved after all.
The rain and the weather that one perceives outside creates the feeling that the protagonists are locked in before they even realize it themselves.
Unfortunately, the second half lags a bit. The first half of the film is truly fantastic and creates an oppressive atmosphere. In the second half, the situation escalates a bit, and typical horror situations arise that do not manage to reach the level of the first half.
Nevertheless, the second half also works well, as it doesn’t exaggerate and uses techniques like jumpscares more subtly. The Autopsy of Jane Doe is overall really good and works especially well alone and when it’s nice and cold outside.
Where can you watch the film? The film is currently available for free streaming in the ARD Mediathek. You can watch the film until October 31, 2024.
Since the film has a 16+ age rating, you can only watch the film after 10 PM if you haven’t verified your age. If even such a film is too light for you, you might be happy with Terrifier 3: A new horror movie for 18 begins so intensely that viewers flee the cinema
