When most people hear the name Jim Carrey they think of all the comedy films he’s been in. The number of Golden Globe awards as well as nominations he has received for his performances in comedies has been unbelievable. However as of late Carrey has been in a number of films that require him to take on a more serious role. The Number 23 is far from a comedy. It’s a psychological thriller that is full or turns and twists. It’s a film that you’ll have to hit the pause button on your DVD player if you need to use the bathroom or get something to eat. Because each scene is a key that leads up to the ending.
I’m going to brief about the synopsis of this film. Mainly because it’s a story where the ending can easily be given away. On that note; The number 23 is about a guy named Walter Sparrow (Carrey) who on his Birthday is given a book to read by his wife. That book is titled The Number 23. While reading the book Walter realizes that their is something strange about the book. He then begins to obsess about the number 23 and goes on a search to find out who the author of the book is and where to find him. however in his search he learns that the writer has actually murdered someone and that if he gets to close it could put him and his family in jeopardy.
The script for this movie is full of many twists, it starts off a bit slow and id kind of slow though the middle of the film, but towards the end it picks up as the mystery is being unraveled. The story is very hard to follow for most of the film however, director Joel Schumacher is able to make this story come to life on screen by his use of imagery and colors which help with the symbolism surrounding the plot. Schumacher also uses a look in the story sequences that look very similar to the look of the film Sin City, where each character presented has an adaptation to the set. The film could be considered nior style, the plot is dark and the overall atmosphere is has that gloomy depressing look to it.
The acting is great, Jim Carrey has proved time and time again that he is more than just a comedy actor. I’m not sure if his performance in this film will garnish him another nomination for a Golden Globe, but nonetheless he still did a great job with this role. Virginia Madsen was also very good a Carrey wife in the film, but one can’t help but point out the great performance given by Logan Lerman as Carrey’s son in the picture, this kid’s got some talent and I’m sure this role is going to help land him bigger parts in future films.
The production value for this film is near perfect, there is really not much in terms of special effects unless you count the CGI backgrounds and some blood here and there. Everything production wise is great in this movie, from the backdrops to the sets everything is top notch.
Overall, The Number 23 is not a film for everyone, It’s a cinematic thriller that is probably more for the film buffs than it is for the fans of Carrey. It’s an artistic piece of cinema with a very twisty plot. I think fans of mystery films and film noirs would enjoy this movie. The average fan, might think its boring and terrible, but this is not a film meant for the average moviegoer.
The DVD is full of a lot of features. You can watch the extended Uncut edition of the film or the theatrical version. There is also a behind the scenes featurette as well a alternate ending and sixteen deleted scenes. The disc also provides a few small documentaries about the film and the creating of the world of 23, there is also some trivia about the film and a director’s commentary track. This is all on the infinifilm version of the disc and let me tell you the picture quality is out of this world. The overall disc is well worth the money for the ton of feature on this disc.
– Horror Bob
- Interview with J.R. Bookwalter - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
