Writer(s): Robert Bolesto
Starring: Marta Mazurek, Michalina Olszanska, Kinga Preis, and Andrzej Konopka
“Silver” and “Gold” are two attractive sister mermaids who survive by luring men into the waters with their beautiful singing voices, then killing and eating them. Actually, the “technical” term for such a creature is a siren; these mystical beings have existed in literature for probably about as long as bodies of water have existed in nature. But Agnieszka Smoczynska's The Lure isn't focused so much on the killings as it is focused on...dance music? Well, in case you weren't already aware, this sentence alone should give you enough clues to deduce that this is not an American film. And it's all the better for it.
When the film opens, Silver and Gold are about to kill the two male members of a musical group, when the piercing scream from the lone female member prevents them from following through. Curiously, the family decides to “adopt” the mermaids, bringing them to the Warsaw nightclub where they perform every night as the “Fig and Dates”. Their job is pretty simple: dance, sing, and strip to the music to entertain the clientele; for the big finish, they get into a big glass cup filled with water, their fish tails out for the whole world to see.
And that is one of the most refreshing aspects of The Lure: the girls' status as mermaids is never kept a secret. Oftentimes in films like this, the girls have to keep their true identity hidden, for fear of being “outed”; in this world, no one is frightened or disgusted by their mermaid appearance. In fact, all are quite thrilled by the sight of these two beautiful sea maidens. Also interesting is that there are no “villains” to speak of, no people who are determined to profit off their exploitation, or who are looking to harm them in any way; the girls are willing, eager participants in everything they do. Imagine that: female characters who are free to control themselves and their own destiny? What kind of world is this?
Instead, the movie is more focused on their relationships, both with each other, but also with those in the new world around them. Gold is more interested in luring men to their doom, chewing out their throats before feasting on their hearts. Silver, on the other hand, is smitten with the bassist of the “Fig and Dates”, and wants to pursue a relationship with him. In an homage to The Little Mermaid, she is given the chance to trade in her tail for human legs, at the expense of losing her voice. Not to be outdone, The Lure takes this idea one step further: If he kisses her but marries another, she has until daybreak the following day to eat him, or else she will turn into sea foam...quite literally.
So this makes for an interesting web of side stories, many of which are never really expanded upon to their full potential. There's the relationship between Gold and Silver over their “creative differences”; Silver's relationship with the bassist, who seems to be as grossed out by her as he is fascinated; the mermaids' relationship with their “adoptive family”, especially as the body count starts to rise. Then there's the cop that seems to witness Gold murdering an innocent man, sings a song about it, and then is completely forgotten. Watching it, one gets the feeling that writer Robert Bolesto suffers from a severe case of ADD. But at the very least, you can call The Lure many things, but "boring" is not one of them.
The leads are both fantastic, but I must confess to being completely smitten with Michalina Olszanska as Gold. She is a beautiful actress on her own, but the seductive looks she gives men as she attempts to entangle them in her murderous web—let's just say it's not a stretch to believe that she could lure a man to his death. It will be interesting to see the trajectory of her career, because she has the looks, and the talent to become an international star. Marta Mazurek reminds one of a younger Nikki Cox, and has the perfect look of innocence that lends credibility to her turn as the one looking for love.
Smoczynska's film is soaked in bright colors and neon lighting, and there's a freewheeling attitude that permeates almost every frame. It is unafraid to take chances, and does so with often reckless abandon, which leads to some severe unevenness. It's never boring, but it's not always as fun as it seems to think it is. The musical numbers are mostly bland and unmemorable (though a couple, including an upbeat number during a punk show, are fantastic), and the kill scenes are both relatively rare and ungraphic; if you were sold on the movie because you thought the focus would be on the murders, then you would do best to completely avoid it. Likewise if you are interested in the studio's synopsis, which is: “Two mermaid sisters become caught in a love triangle when they fall for the same man,” then you should probably avoid it as well, because that never happens.
I guess that just goes to show you just how difficult it is to categorize The Lure. If you like mermaids (or sirens) as my wife does (and myself by extension; her intense enthusiasm for the trailer is what heightened my own interest in it), then you should give this one a chance. If you like musicals, it's hit-or-miss for you, and ditto that if you're here for the horror aspects. It works best for audiences that go in looking to be assaulted with a freewheeling carelessness, and don't mind hitting quite a few bumps along the way.
RATING: 7/10
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