The Wisdom of Crocodiles (1999)

Well Deserved Praise

Masterful Movie

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

The film opens with an automobile wedged in a tree. I haven't seen anything like this since my company stopped supplying me with rental cars. (Rental cars are magic. They can do anything.) We soon find out that Steven Grlscz (sic) is a vampire who courts women then kills them. He can taste emotion in their blood and keeps a log book. The film takes place in the non-metric part of England that measures speed in miles per hour instead of kilometers per hour.Steven becomes intrigued by Annie Labels (Elina Löwensohn), an engineer with a French accent and B positive blood. About the same time the police (Timothy Spall who would later become a rodent in those Potter films) also becomes interested in Steven who has lost two girlfriends in the last few months.The film was also released under a different title, "Immortality." It is an interesting and different vampire film. The character of Steven was intentionally dead pan for much of the movie which weighed the film down in a number of scenes.I would of liked to have seen Steven's character more developed through dead girlfriends instead of just the one we get to see. Worth a peek if you like vampire films. It is currently available on a multi-pack called "8 Horror Classics" which includes "Dracula 2000" and "Dawn to Dusk" both of which should be in any horror collections.Parental Guide: F-bomb, sex, nudity (Elina Löwensohn)

It should be stated that the films name is Immortality - if you look at even the name on the outside of the picture its stated Immortality.I couldn't find the film under his filmography and finally checked the dates and just started clicking randomly to find that they are calling it the wisdom of crocodiles.I went to blockbuster to rent it, turns out its not wisdom of crocodiles its Immortality. Frustratingly enough there is no way to correct this incorrect title.The movie itself is wonderful and anyone watching would love this movie. Jude Law really goes all in for this film. Its a movie you can get lost into.

I gave the film an 8, not just for the qualities of the film everyone else years ago have mentioned, but for Jude Law's performance. Such a pleasure to stumble across this at Netflix instant watch. I always thought Law was completely overrated save for his savvy performance in A.I. I thought he was dreadfully cast in just about everything, showing no emotion I could connect to or subtlety of acting. I was wrong and am not ashamed to admit I was completely intrigued by him in this film. He was absolutely fearless and I don't know whether that is a testament to the director, to the director and script, or to Law/Director/Script.It is as odd and wonderful as if you just stumbled over The Man Who Fell to Earth, which is not your stereotypical sci fi film. This is not your stereotypical vampire film and I highly recommend it.

For all of you Jude Law fans, don't go picking this film just because he is in it. That was the mistake I made. "Immortality" a.k.a. "The Wisdom of Crocodiles" attempts to present a modern day view of a vampire, although it's still a bit sketchy in the end that that is exactly what he is (he seems mostly disturbed and sick). The film is about the handsome Steven Grlscz (Jude Law) and his seduction of women for his blood craving. The romantic tragedy arrives when he falls in love with one of his prey.Steven Grlscz is everything a woman could want, handsome, smart, well-to-do, and works as a doctor to boot. But this female "dish" is best not served at all, lest the diner becomes the dined. Undescribed in the film, Steven suffers from some sort of modern day vampirism where he needs blood to survive. He describes blood as being more than just fluid in the veins and that is contains feelings/emotions. Why he forms relationships with beautiful women only to kill them all is weak as is the police investigation after they find one of his victims. Steven's ability to remain cool in the hottest of situations is also a bit unnerving at times. The only real evidence we get to satisfy our cinematic preconceptions of what a vampire should be, other than his biting women on the neck and taking their blood, is one brief scene in which he is able to move quickly. There aren't any effects from sunlight, no garlic, and no fangs. The ending's predictability of a dying Nosferatu just left me with a frown and shaking my head. 2/10