Film Review: Hide And Seek

A CANADIAN production, ``Hide and Seek'' directed by Sidney. J. Furie, begins on a promising note but soon loses focus and becomes a gory drama of murder and intrigue.

The opening shots of the thriller where Ann (Daryl Hannah), a businessman's wife, is kidnapped, are gripping and well shot.

A doctor, Frank (Vincent Gallo) and his loud wife, Helen (Jennifer Tilly) are desperate for a child. So they decide to kidnap the pregnant Ann, and keep her prisoner (in fact in shackles most of the time!). The duo plans to keep the unborn baby.

To avoid arousing suspicion, they stage Ann's death. But Ann's husband Jack White (Bruce Greenwood) is not convinced his wife is dead. Meanwhile, Ann's attempts to escape from the clutches of the maniacs are in vain.

As she gets heavy with her baby, so does the cruel treatment meted out to her. In the midst, of all this, Helen, in a fit of rage, just clobbers her husband... to death! Will Ann ever get out of this madhouse?

Darryl Hannah as the hapless victim is convincing, especially in the scene where she speaks to her husband on the telephone. The other actors have mere supporting roles and they go through it in a matter-of-fact manner.

Jennifer Tilly, as the neurotic Helen, who is blessed with having a baby, starts off well. But somewhere down the line, she begins to look like a caricature of herself. She overdoes things after a point and there is no subtlety left.

The scene where she makes mincemeat of her husband's body (literally!) after killing him is gory and a bit over done.

The fade-in-fade-out technique adds to the tension and suspense.

The slick editing and the sober music heighten the drama. However, there are too many gaps in the script.

``Hide And Seek'' is watchable but not for the squeamish!

SAVITHA PADMANABHAN

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