 | MOVIE DETAILS • Name: Jakob’s Wife • Year: 2021 • Country: USA • Director: Travis Stevens • Main cast: Barbara Crampton, Larry Fessenden, Bonnie Aarons • Runtime: 98 minutes • Production company: AMP International, Eyevox • TRAILER
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Like many vampires movie, Jakob’s Wife (2021) has a strong romantic background. Only this time it is not a cheesy love story, but a story of loving yourself. Because the poor Jakob’s wife is yield and submitted to his husband to a point that she sees herself as nothing but a piece of furniture, like a clothing complement. And she is aware of that. And she hates that. But she is not able to find a way to fight that. So this is a situation many women around the world would feel related to. The woman being obedient to the man. Only not everybody is lucky enough to get converted into a vampire and taste the power, some supernatural powers they couldn’t even dream of, and that now they conceive no alternative of life but enjoying of them.
Jakob’s Wife (2021) is both a horror movie and a women-empowering drama in equal parts. Without the social side, it would be just another low-cost vampires-terrorizing-a-small-town flick, and without the horror side, we wouldn’t have the supernatural awakening of self-esteem the main character feels in her own flesh.
The role of Jakob’s wife is perfect for a performer like Barbara Crampton, who not only is the star of the film but is also one of the producers and spent years shepherding the script to the screen. Larry Fessenden, her partner on the screen, reunites with her after We Are Still Here (2015), and they both share perfect chemistry. And it all works smoothly under the order of director Travis Stevens, who already worked with the main actors having been one of the producers of We Are Still Here (2015). The sense of camaraderie and complicity between the stars and the director is manifested during the entire running time.
Then, with characteristics like these, how comes Jakob’s Wife (2021) was not an instant hit, and instead, it’s just another title drifting around the 2021 horror panorama? The main answer would be because the script is not in line with the expectations this film would deserve. And not only the chemistry between the actors and their director is fundamental for a movie to blast off. After watching it, one has the feeling the filmmakers were conforming with making an acceptable film, and never aimed higher. Indeed, budgetary factors are always important in order for a production to make one step forward, but conformity is an even worse enemy than lack of funds.
Besides that, Jakob’s Wife (2021) is an interesting watch. Especially when we are having those close-ups on the face of Barbara Crampton, how much she can express without saying a word. Those were the most exciting moments of the movie. Together with some explicit gory moments and The Master vampire played by Bonnie Aarons, a much cooler creature than what she had to perform in The Nun (2018).
After premiering at the South by Southwest Film Festival in March this year, Jakob’s Wife (2021) is coming out on Shudder on August 19, 2021. And it won’t be the most celebrated release on the streaming platform, but it surely is worth a watch.
RATE: 6/10
IMDB URL: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt11908982
