The Gift review: Joel Edgerton's debut film has chills, thrills and a gift that keeps on giving

Horror movies have come a long way. Once known for cheap thrills and gore, the genre has now acquired legitimacy and class, largely thanks to films from the Korean masters Park Chan Wook and Kim Jee Woon. The Gift, directed by actor turned filmmaker Joel Edgerton, harks back to those landmark Korean movies and the results are interesting. The setup is familiar – a young, successful and rich couple Simon (Jason Bateman) and Robyn (Rebecca Hall) move into their ultra posh new home in Los Angeles, and things go horribly wrong. What makes The Gift great is how it subverts every horror cliché in the book. The event that triggers everything the downward spiral is the arrival of Simon’s school mate, Gordo the Weirdo (Edgerton). [caption id=“attachment_2403580” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Jason Bateman and Rebecca Hall in The Gift.[/caption] Gordo lives up to his name – he seems overenthusiastic about rekindling his friendship with Simon even though the two were never great pals. He sends them expensive gifts, like a wine bottle and fish. Simon and Robyn are unsettled by Gordo’s friendliness, but there’s something else brewing between the couple and that’s the reveal that pulls the rug from under your feet. Edgerton’s direction is amazing. He builds suspense like a master storyteller, never once resorting to cheap jump scares and relying instead on buildup of dread. When something weird happens in The Gift, there’s a lingering chill in the scene rather than a passing shriek. Hidden underneath the horror elements are a dark comedy and a brutal character drama, rendered with terrific acting performances from everyone. Gordo is strange, hilariously so. Simon is kind of obnoxious, hilariously so. Rebecca has something else going on in her mind. There are no blacks and whites in the characters – the gray in everyone lends a fine sheen on the story’s suspense. There are no good or bad guys here. The Gift also does a great job of exploring human reactions. What you would do if a person whom you haven’t seen in 20 years forces their way back in your life? Is it okay to question his tactics? Is it okay to be suspicious? Is it okay to call the police? And if you don’t like him, how does one tell such a person to stay away? Edgerton doesn’t deliver all the answers, but he makes you ponder and enjoy the worst possible outcome. The sound and the cinematography of The Gift deserve a special mention. The spine chilling sound design and the sort of austere atmosphere of the film become characters of their own. The final reveal is reminiscent of a certain famous Korean movie, but it’s done in a way that doesn’t seem like it’s borrowed. Purists will probably be disappointed that the film ends on a familiar note, but that’s nitpicking. Edgerton picked the title for his debut movie well because the more you think about it, it is indeed a gift that keeps on giving.