Director: Travis Stevens
Notable Cast: Barbara Crampton, Larry Fessenden, Bonnie
Aarons, Nyisha Bell, Sarah Lind, Mark Kelly, CM Punk
In my humble and often questionable opinion, most vampire
films can be placed into two categories: hoity-toity castle artsy vampire
cinema and buried in a dirty grave fun vampire flicks. Not that films can’t be
both to some degree, as is the spectrum of film, but those are the two ends for
me. Judging by the strong casting, the poster artwork, and the title, the
expectations that came with Jakob’s Wife seemed to lean heavily toward
hoity-toity. It would fit with the current state of horror trends and, quite
frankly, I was sold on that idea. However, this film easily leans towards the
latter category, albeit in a smart way. It’s a cinematic mixture of classic
elements and modern twists. Not only are fans loving it, but critics seem to
share the appreciation of the quirks and strengths of the film’s oddities in
its choices. Jakob’s Wife is a stellar example of a team of creatives
taking a tone and embracing both the silliness and the intelligence of its
messages and delivery.