One place, besides graveyards, that evokes true terror is the morgue. Imagine a room filled with lifeless bodies – a chilling thought. Now, picture one of those bodies behaving strangely or possibly being linked to the occult. This is the premise of the movie 'The Autopsy of Jane Doe.'
The storyline follows Sheriff Sheldon and his team as they investigate a family murder. Their discovery of a stranger's body buried in the basement adds an unexpected twist. In a race against time, Sheriff Sheldon brings the beautiful Jane Doe to coroner Tommy Tilden (Brian Cox), urging him to determine the cause of death before morning for the sake of the press.
Meanwhile, Tommy's son, Austin (Emile Hirsch), prepares for a night out with his girlfriend, Emma. However, he decides to stay and assist his father with the autopsy. As the night unfolds, amidst the stormy weather, they unravel eerie and unsettling secrets about Jane Doe, plunging them into a night of terror and mystery.
The movie's terror lies in the constant anticipation of something sinister unfolding within the already eerie setting. As viewers, we're primed for creepiness, bracing ourselves for the inevitable frights. The film wastes no time in delivering on its promise of chills, leaving audiences on edge from the get-go.
As the plot unravels and we learn more about Jane Doe's past, the tension escalates, and the sense of unease intensifies. 'The Autopsy of Jane Doe' effectively transforms the morgue into a haunted house, offering a fresh take on the classic horror trope.
Gruesome without being gory, the movie achieves real scares with a minimum of special effects. The colours are dark and dense, and the acting is modestly downbeat. Music is muted — the grisly snap of bones and squelch of peeling flesh predominate — while the camera maintains a cool, observational stillness.
