The Hawk

Directed by David Hayman, The Hawk follows Helen Mirren’s Annie Marsh as she becomes increasingly convinced that her husband is living a double life as a notorious serial killer. It’s a striking, seemingly foolproof premise that’s employed to distressingly lackluster effect by Hayman, as the filmmaker delivers a sluggish, TV-movie-like thriller that’s been augmented with a whole host of distracting and hopelessly incompetent attributes – with the most obvious (and egregious) example of this Hayman’s ongoing reliance on is-this-actually-happening-or-is-it-all-in-Annie’s-head type elements (ie it’s just so tedious, ultimately). It’s clear, then, that The Hawk’s tolerable atmosphere is due almost entirely to Mirren’s typically commanding performance, and although the midsection drags to an often palpable extent, the picture progresses into a comparably enthralling third act that does, at least, ensure it concludes on a compelling note – with the end result a disappointing misfire that generally feels like it should be much, much better.

** out of ****