Right in the middle of Edgar Allan Poe season, The Pale Blue Eye should have been a slam-dunk. Sadly, it was not to be. A commentary on male hubris was overshadowed by the sheer darkness of the film itself. Seriously, someone forgot to turn on a light. This story could have been a lot of things, truthfully. However, the sum of its parts never quite comes together as a complete package. 

Dark and Gritty…Literally

It’s been at least a minute since a movie has taken the words “dark and gritty” so literally. In The Pale Blue Eye, this is mostly a distraction. Christian Bale is, well, Christian Bale, but under the cover of a winter darkness. If this aesthetic is meant to be a commentary on the male psyche, it doesn’t work. There is too much male rage that is misdirected and all over the place to really focus this aspect of this part of the story. 

As someone who’s knee-deep in the Alex-Stern-verse, there is something to be said about exploring the dark underbelly of respected institutions. There’s just too much chaotic energy to make this an option. Sure, it’s believable that there’s lots of shady stuff that the US army has gotten up to throughout the generations. This is just the first of many missed opportunities.

Multiple Missed Opportunities

The Pale Blue Eye was also an opportunity to comment on the legacy of Edgar Allan Poe, here played by Harry Melling. One of the most venerated American authors, Poe was certainly no saint. There was a lot of promise in Mellings’ portrayal. It’s kind of great to see such a worshipped artist be taken down several notches. It’s absolutely believable  that Poe was a snivelling husk of a man, talking a much bigger game than he could ever deliver.

The movie was also an opportunity to explore the relationship between science and the great unknown. Many artists through the generations of explored this themes. This story is woefully ill-equipped to add anything new to the conversation. The smoke and mirrors distract what could have been a very cool contrast between two realities. 

Too Little, Too Late

The good-for-her revenge ending comes not a moment too soon. However, this conclusion is far from satisfying. Rather than build up this story, and comment on historical sexism and misogny, the fire and brimstone overwhelms the screen. So many talented performances are just overshadowed by an onslaught of confusion. 

The Pale Blue Eye falls so short of what it could have been. Poe slander could have been so cathartic. Instead, the story devolves into a labyrinth of barely visible scowls and strange accents. Rather than leaning into the weridness, the movie lets the story run wild in the worst possible way. This is an example of what a period piece is, when there is no accompanying historical context to be found. 

The Pale Blue Eye is available to stream on Netflix.