'The Limehouse Golem' Is a Riveting Victorian Mystery Tale

The Limehouse Golem is a mystery film based on Peter Ackroyd’s 1996 novel Dan Leno and the Limehouse Golem.  Set in Victorian England, it follows a seasoned Scotland Yard inspector named John Kildare (Bill Nighy) who is assigned the task of solving a series of grisly murders in the district of Limehouse, which are sensationally attributed to a mythical golem.  Amid the probability that he’s simply being set up to fail, he proceeds with the investigation, leading him to a clue that determines a possible witness: music-hall star Elizabeth Cree (Olivia Cooke), who is recently put into trial for supposedly poisoning her husband.  Now, the detective must work to find the links that connect both cases, or if there are any connections at all, in order to identify and catch the murderous maniac before Elizabeth is condemned to hang.

I love mystery fiction in general.  But growing up reading about Sherlock Holmes, C. Auguste Dupin, Hercule Poirot, and Thomas Pitt, I’ve particularly adored mystery stories set during the Victorian Era.  Truly, there’s something quite romantic about it.  Plus, a detective who solves a mystery without the help of modern technology is more special and impressive.

With this in mind, The Limehouse Golem appealed to me greatly.  Though it’s not perfect, it still hits all the right notes that fully convey the charm of a Victorian mystery tale.  Hence, I found it completely riveting from start to finish.

One interesting facet of the mystery plot is the motif of artistry and legacy – concerns that many of the characters have to deal with in one form or another.  It truly makes the overall narrative much richer and more beautiful in its own twisted way.

Aside from being a mystery, this is also supposed to be a horror story.  However, though it shows scenes of gruesome, horrific murders, much of their impact is lessened because most of them are simply the result of the detective imagining the suspects – among of which are real-life historical figures Dan Leno (Douglas Booth), George Gissing (Morgan Watkins), and Karl Marx (Henry Goodman) – committing the deeds.

The narrative is not necessarily predictable.  It actually does a bang-up job in executing its twists and turns.  But guessing who the “Limehouse Golem” is is kind of easy.  But maybe it’s just the pitfall that a mystery story succumbs to when trying to avoid the obvious solution.  As it tries to eliminate the suspicions around the correct perpetrator, setting up red herrings and all, it only ironically points to him or her.

The cast is great.  Bill Nighy here is almost as endearing, but not as vulnerable, as the old Sherlock Holmes that Ian McKellen played in Mr. Holmes.   But the one I was most especially enthralled of is Olivia Cooke.  She’s so mature here that it took me a while before I realized she was the same girl in Me and Earl and the Dying Girl.

All in all, The Limehouse Golem offers a solid, praiseworthy Victorian mystery tale, powered by stellar performances, painstaking production value, and a well-themed script.  A must-see for fans of period piece mysteries.