This premise borrows heavily from the gothic horror tradition. The film sets its tone immediately: the castle is not a royal palace, but a sprawling, decaying manor known as Kaiser Gardens. Jim arrives with the intention of selling the property to pay off his debts, a pragmatic motivation that grounds the fantasy in modern economic reality. However, upon entering the estate, he discovers that he has inherited much more than real estate; he has inherited a lineage of guardianship and a curse that has plagued his bloodline for generations.
Do not watch Julia Leigh’s film expecting a fairy tale. Watch it expecting a tone poem about the end of innocence. movie sleeping beauty 2014