The piper

Anthony Waller's Piper offers a contemporary take on the age-old tale of The Pied Piper of Hamelin, blending supernatural horror with a touch of country eccentricity. A departure from the conventional tale, the film stars Elizabeth Hurley as history teacher Liz and Mia Jenkins as her daughter Amy, as they uproot their lives and settle in the picturesque German town of Hamelin. What follows is a journey through the shadows of the past, the consequences of secrets and the strange legend that hangs over the town.

Anthony Waller's direction (An American Werewolf in Paris (1997), The Guilty (2000), Nine Miles Down (2008)) immediately sets the tone with an amalgam of dark folklore and modern disquiet. The film's opening scenes capture attention with an unsettling urgency, as a mother rushes to the hospital, her child in a trance-like state. The atmosphere is heavy with tension, and it's this atmosphere that Anthony Waller skilfully maintains throughout the film, showing that he has lost none of his visual style.

The film's best asset is its opening moments. The dynamic between Elizabeth Hurley and Mia Jenkins lends authenticity to their characters' tense mother-daughter relationship. As the plot progresses, it becomes clear that Hamelin has a past laden with unspeakable horrors and a connection to the Pied Piper, whose sinister violin ensnares the children. The interweaving of Liz's secrets and the town's sinister history creates a palpable sense of disquiet that leaves audiences on the edge of their seats.

Piper skilfully oscillates between the genuinely disturbing and the humorously absurd. Waller and co-writer Duncan Kennedy recognize the inherent comic character of the Pied Piper premise and seize it with gusto. Scenes of rats invading a train carriage or Liz fighting off the Pied Piper's rodent henchmen with an air of nonchalance inject a welcome dose of playful absurdity. Yet the film doesn't shy away from darker aspects, touching on themes of guilt, punishment and the repercussions of one's actions.

Piper's weakest point lies in its narrative. Anthony Waller juggles several storylines, including the tense romance between Amy and the mysterious Luca (Jack Stewart). While the romantic angle attempts to evoke a sense of Gothic allure, it occasionally distracts from the story's more intriguing elements. The importance of the love story dilutes the film's tension, and viewers might crave a deeper exploration of the town's history and Piper's malevolence.

Visually, Piper captures the sinister atmosphere of its surroundings. Anthony Waller's decision to shoot in Riga, Latvia, lends a misty, timeless quality to Hamelin's streets and forests. The Pied Piper's design is strikingly sinister, reinforced by an eerie musical motif that echoes throughout the film. The film's sound design and cinematography work in tandem to create an immersive experience, particularly as Piper's melody drifts through the medieval town.

Piper is a mix of sinister charm and country fun. Although it occasionally stumbles as it juggles its narrative threads, it offers moments of unsettling brilliance and a unique reimagining of a familiar tale. Elizabeth Hurley's presence, even in her moments of weakness, contributes to the film's offbeat allure. Straddling the border between horror and fantasy, the film offers an original interpretation of the Pied Piper legend that will intrigue viewers looking for a balance between the disturbing and the absurd.

The piper
Directed by Anthony Waller
Produced by Aija Berzina, Alexander Buchman, Gleb Fetisov, Anthony Waller
Written by Duncan Kennedy, Anthony Waller
Starring Elizabeth Hurley, Mia Jenkins, Jack Stewart, Robert Daws, Ieva Aleksandrova-Eklone, Gundars Abolins, Arben Bajraktaraj, Jurijs Djakonovs, Freddy Kattumath James, Evija Koltone, Elizabete Liepa, Alma Rix, Dominik Gabriel Roseti, Madlena Valdberga, Anthony Waller
Music by Wilbert Hirsch, Anthony Waller
Cinematography : Roger Simonsz
Edited by Peter R. Adam, Anthony Waller              
Running time : 105 minutes

Viewed August 11, 2023 (Frightfest press screener)

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