the film never really takes off the way it should. It's a compelling sketch stretched too thin, with not enough additional substance to fill out a feature
it can't fully flesh out the story, which reaches its climax with a storm and the discovery of a vessel of dead and dying emigrants. We are largely left with the images, which take us far, if not far enough
is just sharp enough to complicate its cliches with strong performances and a mesmerizing tone that pushes the mopey proceedings into psychological thriller territory. Despite some clunkier moments, it's a notable effort to avoid some familiar traps
by Jennie Kermode [Eye for Film ]
