Review by Adam Stephen Kelly
Stars Mads Mikkelsen, Jessica Schwarz, Valeria Eisenbart, Tim Seyfi, Thomas Thieme, Heike Makatsch, Stefan Gebelhoff, Suzan Anbeh, Corinna Borchert, Rudiger Kuhmstedt, Nele Trebs | Written by Jan Berger
UK certification 15 | UK RRP £17.99 | DVD Region 2 | Runtime 103 minutes | Directed by Anno Saul
An adaptation of the novel Die Damalstür by Akif Pirincci, The Door is a consistently compelling German drama with a supernatural flavour, no shortage of suspense, and an excellent lead performance from Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen, who many will be familiar with thanks to his roles in last year's Clash of the Titans remake and as Bond Baddie Le Chiffre in 007 reboot Casino Royale.
Mikkelsen plays David, a wealthy artist whose life is turned upside down when his daughter tragically drowns in their pool while he's across the street sleeping with a neighbour. Five years later, as a guilt-riddled, broken man continuing to mourn the loss of his child and the wife who left him, he decides that suicide is the only thing he has left to do, but is saved in the nick of time by his best friend. Upon his return to the house, he discovers a strange tunnel that transports him out of the winter and into the past on the exact day of his daughter's death, just minutes before the accident. He manages to intervene and save her, before taking the place of his past self in the family home with the intention of righting all his wrongs, only this cloudy form of time travel is not all it seems.
With a plot that revolves on an axis of life, death and second chances, the film plays out like a Stephen King sci-fi yarn, twisting and turning as we delve deeper into the story and the mysteries of the two worlds – past and present – become clear. It's unique, moralistic and verges on becoming a thriller when the intensity of the drama reaches its peak.
Aesthetically pleasing in its cinematography with the framing of David's picturesque suburban neighbourhood as the sun beats down in beautiful spring or summertime, The Door is almost a complete package. My only real qualm with the film is that the tunnel itself could have had greater exposition, but otherwise this almost dark German fairytale is a gripping viewing experience that is most definitely one to see if you're interested in modern European cinema.
EXTRAS ★★ A behind the scenes feature comprised of 11 minutes worth of b-roll footage; cast and crew interviews; 12 deleted scenes; and the trailer.