A chilling psychological horror that will have you perched on the edge of your seat is now available on Netflix, making it an ideal choice for thrill-seekers.
Featuring the esteemed Brian Cox and Emile Hirsch, The Autopsy of Jane Doe stands out as one of the most riveting films on the platform, packed with unexpected twists to keep you engrossed and your pulse racing.
This sinister thriller kicks off in a haunting setting, tracing the journey of father-son coroner duo Austin and Tommy Tilden. Tasked with performing a late-night autopsy on an unidentified woman, aptly named Jane Doe, their routine assignment soon spirals into a nightmare.
As they delve deeper into the mystery surrounding the woman’s identity and cause of death, they encounter bizarre objects and inexplicable scarring, intensifying the enigma.
The suspense builds up to a climax in the final 20 minutes that will leave you gasping for breath and perhaps craving a stroll in the open air – albeit not alone, reports the Daily Record.
This film marked the English language debut of Norwegian director Andre Øvredal in 2016, following his acclaimed 2010 fantasy-horror cult classic Trollhunter.
Despite a lukewarm reception at the box office, grossing just about $6 million, the film has since been unearthed as a cult classic, earning ‘certified fresh’ status on Rotten Tomatoes with a stellar 86% rating. One critic said: “In this horror story much closer in spirit to Stephen King’s novels than to cheap horror films, Ørvedal makes us feel and live with his revenge nightmare.”
Another critic was equally impressed, stating: “It redefines gooseflesh. Hell your scalp will crawl right off of you and into the seat beside you and then demand some of your popcorn, if you let it.”
For aficionados of Stephen King’s typically eerie tales like IT or The Shining, King himself endorsed the film, tweeting post-release: “Visceral horror to rival ALIEN and early Cronenberg. Watch it, but not alone.”
While some reviewers praised the film’s novel and chilling approach to horror, others remained sceptical about its merit. The Guardian’s Mike McCahill described the movie as: “Functional Video On Demand filler, but chilly with it.”
Awarding it a modest two out of five stars, he further critiqued: “The second half is merely morbid runaround, punctuating its soundtrack crashes with self-justifying footnotes on historical misogyny.”