Film Review - Jakob's Wife (2021)

As far back as the 1920s, the wide-reaching landscape of cinema has been littered with films depicting the folklore of vampires. There has been a substantial amount of films about Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Sheridan le Fanu’s Carmilla, Countless Elizabeth Bathory among countless other original vampire tales have been brought to life throughout the last century.

As the decades ed and filmmakers and filmmaking techniques evolved, as too did vampire films. The lore of vampirism has continuously been expanded upon, adding more depth and breadth to the blood-sucking, nocturnal creatures. Subtexts and undertones became richer and more elaborate, showcasing there is more to these mythological entities than looming in the shadows and shapeshifting into bats on their quest for vitalism. Certain vampire films focus more specifically on the action and violence, while some are more carnal and overtly sexual. A subgenre within the horror realm spawned a multitude of subgenres within that very subgenre such as vampire hunter films, erotic vampire films and comedic vampire films.

Next to sink its fangs into the jugular of the vampiric subgenre is Travis Stevens’ future cult classic Jakob’s Wife.

Starring horror film titan Barbara Crampton as the titular character and the multitalented cinematic all-rounder Larry Fessenden, Stevens’ horror-thriller follows Anne Fedder (Crampton), a middle-aged woman alongside husband and small-town minister, Pastor Jakob Fedder (Fessenden) as their long-term marriage hits a bump in the road. After an accidental encounter with an ancient vampire known as The Master (Bonnie Aarons), Anne uncovers a newfound thirst for life…as well as a newfound thirst for human blood.

As the film opens with gorgeous naturalistic lighting and eye-wateringly bright and vibrant colour palettes via cinematographer David Matthew’s humanistic gaze, the mood of the film is juxtaposed against the look of the film by the cold and vacant iveness of Anne. It is immediately established that Anne is a shadow of her former self. Throughout her marriage to Pastor Jakob Fedder, the joy has deteriorated more and more each day to the point she is simply existing, coasting through life under the thumb of Jakob. Anne’s devotion to her husband and his faith is not the life she would have chosen to lead, but rather unwillingly adopted it. Jakob’s vocation has seemingly impeded Anne’s progress, motivation and enthusiasm in life. It is intentionally relatively bleak and a sad affair to witness within the opening moments of the runtime.

Outside of the church, Anne’s life is equally as desolate. Jakob isn’t a especially a wonderful husband to Anne. In fact, he is really, really detestable. He has next to no likeable characteristics. Jakob shows his wife very little respect inside and outside of his work. He constantly undermines Anne, talking over and interrupting her during any given conversation. She never has the option to speak her mind before he butts in. As a man of devout faithfulness to his religion, the same level of commitment can not be replicated for his lover. His actions and attitude are completely deplorable. When watching the film, you’re Team Anne 100% of the way 100% of the time which is very obviously the angle director-writer Stevens alongside co-writers Kathy Charles and Mark Steensland were going for. Fessenden is absolutely dead on as Jakob! You really despise him with every fibre of your being.

After her accidental encounter with The Master, Anne is given a new lease of life. And after a brief spell of confusion and bewilderment into her newfangled way of living, Anne begins to embrace her transition into vampirehood, all the while reclaiming her womanhood. Anne’s longing for blood and fulfilment changes her persona entirely. She begins to think for herself rather than for Jakob or her marriage. She finds her backbone. Anne develops a fiery ferocity about her and it very quickly stifles Jakob, making him feel uneasy and incessantly question Anne’s attitude and life choices. The tonal shift from subdued housewife and church mouse to a minister to an outgoing, imioned woman is heroic. Crampton is a spectacle in Stevens’ film! Truly outstanding from beginning to end amidst Anne’s ever-evolving character development, transitions and shifts. Crampton’s acting abilities are evidently shining just as bright now as they did in the earlier portion of her career.

Applaudable dramatics and character arcs aside, the horror of this vampire horror-thriller film is somewhat aloof. Unlike a vampire that hides away from the light, Jakob’s Wife does not. Rather, it embraces the light and fully immerses itself into its B movie qualities and goofiness – often expelling itself from the serious of the more poignant scenes. Similarly to Stevens’ last outing Girl on the Third Floor, the makeup and special effects on display are undisputedly top notch. The attention to detail in all things macabre is meticulous for maximum gross-out. Yet still, there’s a sense of slapstick humour to all of the horror-heavy scenes. The gore is so over the top that it provides for riotous comedic moments. Often, I found the on-screen kills and the body count build-up to be comedic device comparative to an Evil Dead or a Peter Jackson Braindead splatterfest. However, I highly doubt that Stevens’ film is intended to be horror comedy vampire flick. It isn’t as purposefully daft as Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi’s What We Do in the Shadows for example. The comedic spells intricately shower throughout Jakob’s Wife as drama-relieving moments whilst not fully deviating from its core drama-driven horror elements.

Perhaps most impressive of Stevens’ film is its rich undertones and deep feminist subtext.

Barbara Crampton as Anne Fedder-Jakob’s Wife_Photo Credit: Shudder

“Who are you and what do you want?” Anne repeats to herself over and over again while staring into a mirror. Something Crampton’s character asks both outwardly and inwardly after her encounter with the ancient mythical creature. In the morning after her discovery of becoming a bloodthirsty (near) nocturnalist, Anne treats her transformation like it is a living, breathing entity that is unwelcome. An uninvited guest that is parasitically inhabited inside of her. If you acknowledge Anne’s age, her unbalanced, declining relationship with Jakob and you’re able to look deep enough between the lines among the face value vampirism, you should be able to chalk up that Jakob’s Wife is a sincere and forward-thinking allegory for a women living through a midlife crisis and is afflicted with menopause.

Though Jakob’s Wife is lead by Crampton’s potent and weighty performance, Stevens’ screenplay alongside co-writers Charles and Steensland should also be championed. In near-perfect harmony horror, drama, comedy and provocativeness are crafted together for an end result that has plenty of bite! The old-school vampire horror film themes and profound subtexts are genuinely compelling. Only on his second outing as a feature-length director, Stevens is on course for greatness. Like a Alfred Hitchcock, a John Carpenter or a Wes Craven, I believe Travis Stevens could eventually become a household name within horror films.