Film Reviews

Burke and Hare

• Rating:
• Director:
• Starring: Andy Serkis
• Details: UK/94mins 15A

Marking a return to mainstream cinema for 80s stalwart John Landis, this fascinating, but somewhat fantastical "true story" is a moderately fun watch. Pegg and Serkis make for an engaging pairing, and the tone only ever veers into grim when the "true" elements of the story need to wrapped up towards the end.
Pegg and Serkis are the titular Irish immigrants, William Burke and William Hare; two men struggling to make some coin in 1820's Edinburgh. When they have to get rid of the body of an elderly deceased tenant in their building, they realise they can make as much as five pounds selling the still fresh remains to Tom Wilkinson's respected surgeon Doctor Knox - for him to dissect in class. When he encourages them to find more cadavers, the lads soon turn to murder to fill their pockets.
While films that aren't screened for critics are generally dire affairs, Burke and Hare succeeds in surpassing this reviewers sufficiently lowered expectations. It's mostly played with a knowing wink by a recognisable cast, and Landis's wry sense of humour shines through in even the most gruesome scenes. Where the film fails is in its hokey depiction of actual events, passing them off as coincidental. One character reveal in particular at the end is frustrating given the obvious potential.
Still, it's refreshingly unpretentious stuff and while there are few belly laughs along the way, the chuckles, for the first half at least, are plentiful. Both leads carry the film sturdily enough, even if the difference between an Ulster and Scottish accent is sometimes indistinguishable. Tom Wilkinson is always a welcome presence, as is the great Tim Curry, and you really want to see more of them. In fact, an entire production based around their rivalry might have been a better idea to dramatise.
Hardly perfect Halloween watching, despite its horror-esk marketing, this is worth a gander on DVD at worst.

Review by Mike Sheridan