Earthquake Bird
- Director: Wash Westmoreland
- Writer: Wash Westmoreland; Susanna Jones
- Producer: Ridley Scott; Ann Ruark; Georgina Pope; Kevin J. Walsh
CGiii Comment
Earthquake Bird has [nearly] all the ingredients to make a mighty fine film, Oscar-winning actress, a director who directed Julianne Moore to Oscar glory, Ridley Scott as producer and Chung-hoon Chung as the cinematographer...so, what went wrong?
The script...that's what went wrong. It's so...lacklustre and, in places, [totally] incomprehensible...not in an intended psychological way either. For example, Alicia Vikander goes on a weekend trip to a small island with her boyfriend and friend...climbing up a hill, she becomes all woozy and - basically - conks out. When she wakes, she finds that her BF and friend have buggered off to continue - without her - their sightseeing! WTF! Ask yourself: What would you do if that had happened to you? 
C'mon, it would be an abrupt end to both relationships. But, no...she goes chasing after them [and finds them rather quickly]. Duh!
Then...there's the big reveal. Sharp in-take of breath, it wasn't as predictable as it seemed. Phew. The only problem is...the big reveal turned out to be a major glitch in the script! And from that point on...the film and the story [totally] collapse in on themselves.
But...hey...it sure does look good! Just goes to show...even with the best recipe, no matter how good it looks, the proof is in the tasting. Eathquake Bird leaves no lasting, pleasure-inducing flavour.
Trailer...
The(ir) Blurb...
Lucy (Vikander) is a buttoned-up, MUJI-clad translator who has been in Japan for five years and is desperate to blend in. Her reticent nature hides old scars. There’s also the fact that people around her keep dying – accidentally or otherwise. After a street encounter with hot photographer Teiji (Naoki Kobayashi), she quickly finds herself under his spell, despite all the warning signs. And the pot is stirred further when American nurse Lily (Riley Keough) – all blowsy sexual confidence and cultural naïvety – arrives in town and Lucy experiences some frightening impulses. Wash Westmoreland (Colette) has crafted a moody and intriguing update on 1980s psycho-sexual thrillers, shifting the emphasis onto the psychology of the female protagonist. Alicia Vikander is astonishing in a role that explores cultural fascination, belonging and obsession.
Kate Taylor
Cast & Characters
Alicia Vikander as Lucy Fly;
Riley Keough as Lily Bridges;
Jack Huston as Bob;
Kiki Sukezane as Natsuko;
Ken Yamamura as Oguchi;
Akiko Iwase as Mrs. Kato;
Crystal Kay as Nightclub singer;
Yurino as Receptionist at tanslation office;
Niclas Ericsson as Swedish man;
Naoki Kobayashi as Teiji;
Kazuhiro Muroyama as Kameyama;
Yoshiko Sakuma as Mrs. Yamamoto;
Yaeko Kimura as Grandmother on train;
Burger Hasegawa as Police desk clerk