Reviewed by Robert Hull
Stars Jason Behr, Mia Blake, David Fane, Robbie Magasiva, Caroline Cheong,
Michael Hurst, Nathaniel Lees | Written by Matthew Grainger and Jonathan King
UK cert 18 | UK RRP £15.99 | DVD Region 2 | Runtime 91 minutes | Directed by Peter Burger
Even the most pedestrian, formulaic horror films still have an uncanny way of making you jump out of your seat. So it’s a testament to how wide of the mark director Peter Burger gets with The Tattooist that this supernatural thriller contains no actual thrills. This is a shame, as Burger, and screenwriters Matthew Grainger and Jonathan King (no, not that one) do at least attempt to bring interesting and fresh elements to the screen.
Jake Sawyer (Behr) is the tattooist of the title; part-artist, part-conman, he travels the world exploring new designs and has a bizarre sideline in offering to cure illness with his tattoos. When he meets a group of Samoan artists at an exhibition, he is drawn to their unique vision of tatau (tattoo) and its spiritual nature. He is also drawn to one of the group, Sina (Blake), an attractive, confident woman not afraid to challenge the conventions of her community. When he steals an important artistic tool from the Samoans he unleashes a spirit that has scores to settle, and which puts his friends and lover in danger.
In dealing with the themes of spirituality, tradition and community Burger might have produced a perceptive take on myths, legend and the bogeyman, while also managing to scare his audience. Instead the film gets too bogged down in scene-setting, without making good on the promise of shocks, and ultimately delivers a hero who is too emotionally disconnected to cares what happens to those he puts in danger.
EXTRAS ** A perfunctory audio commentary from director Burger and lead actor Behr, plus a motley assortment of short extras on how the film got its signature colour look, the lowdown on recreating Samoan tattoos and a behind-the-scenes featurette — none of which is particularly revealing or engaging.