UNDERTOW

Can bad editing ruin an otherwise good movie? The answer is yes. The proof is David Gordon Green’s ‘Undertow.’

Within the opening credit sequence alone, ‘Undertow’ makes use of just about every trick that comes with even the cheapest editing software. It repeats scenes. It uses slow motion. It shows us negative images. It freezes frames. And all to absolutely no effect other than to ensure that audiences cannot lose themselves to the story.

Throughout the film, a pattern emerges. Just when the story of two brothers on the run from an evil family member hooks you in, ‘Undertow’ uses some ten cent editing trick to take you right back out of the spell the story has cast. It’s an extremely frustrating experience.

What makes the editing catastrophe even more frustrating is the fact that the film at heart is often beautiful. David Gordon Green gets poor country folk exactly right, creates memorable, fully fleshed-out characters, and has an ear for natural dialogue like few others. His cast is good to superb, with the two child leads especially shining brightly.

The plot is one part ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,’ two parts ‘Night of the Hunter,’ and a healthy dose of ‘The Dukes of Hazard.’ There are also biblical references, folklore, and more to sift through. Thankfully, there’s no need to catch any of these references in a story of two poor kids whose lives go from bad to worse when an uncle comes for a visit. The film is enjoyable on its surface alone. Enjoyable, that is, until in-your-face editing gimmicks break the spell and shatter all the beautiful realism that has come before. It could have been a small masterpiece, but 'Undertow' (and you) will have to settle for a pretty decent flick.

MAYBE SO (6/10)