The Lovely Bones

After the colossal success of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy and the failure of his "King Kong" remake, director Peter Jackson was brave enough for another challenge that doesn't pay off entirely but delivers to some extent. Jackson and his writing partners adapted the novel by Alice Sebold which is about a murdered teenage girl who watches over her devastated family and her murderer who still haunts her in the after life. The biggest challenge with the story is how to show the afterlife or the space that's neither earth nor heaven since nobody has seen it also no way to research it. Of course being Peter Jackson, he and his team create a visually stunning realm that's a question of personal taste and aesthetic. What Jackson gets right is the tragedy of a young life cut short and the devastating consequences on the family that's heart wrenching and delivers a punch or two to the viewer. The stunning visuals and saturated look of the film can't relief the agony at the core. The solid cast includes Saoirse Ronan, Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon, Mark Wahlberg and Stanley Tucci in a genuinely creepy role that's disturbing to say the least. YRCinema's coverage of films on DVD.