From left, Robert Duvall as Jean Pepe, Christian Bale as Augustus Landor and Harry Melling as Edgar Allen Poe in “The Pale Blue Eye.” Credit: Scott Garfield/Netflix via TNS

Netflix’s first original movie of the year, released Friday, comes in the form of a period piece mystery thriller titled “The Pale Blue Eye.” Written and directed by Scott Cooper and based on Louis Bayard’s 2003 novel of the same name, “The Pale Blue Eye” thrusts viewers into 1830s West Point, New York, where retired veteran detective Augustus Landor (Christian Bale) investigates a series of murders at the United States Military Academy with the help of a young military cadet, Edgar Allan Poe (Harry Melling).

Cinematographer Masanobu Takayanagi’s opening landscape shots of the frigid Hudson Bay mixed with an eerie score perfectly set the scene, as “The Pale Blue Eye” holds a strong opening act. While investigating the death of the hanged Cadet Leroy Fry, it is discovered his heart was removed from his body, and senior officers at the academy hope detective Landor will solve the odd mystery.

Lucky for Landor, he is not alone, as Poe enthusiastically offers his assistance to help solve the murder. Melling manages to steal nearly every scene with his portrayal of the young literary figure and to do so while opposite of Bale speaks volumes to his performance, which often gave the movie life when needed. Melling, who has gone from portraying Dudley in the “Harry Potter” franchise to Roy Laferty in 2020’s “A Ballad of Buster Scruggs,” has once again delivered a captivating performance for viewers to cling to in what is ultimately a bumpy ride.

Though the strengths of “The Pale Blue Eye” are not limited to Bale and Melling, the sheer immersion of the production surely deserves applause. Whether it be location, sets, wardrobe or dialect, every piece of the movie feels like it was pulled out of the frigid 1830s Hudson River. It becomes clear that period-piece storytelling is not going anywhere for Christian Bale, who is a seasoned veteran in the genre.

Where so many things went right for “The Pale Blue Eye,” and its ensemble cast, the story itself disappointingly falls flat by the time the second act comes around. Before long, Landor and Poe begin to solve a number of deaths around West Point, but the focus ceases to remain on the dynamic pair, and the story eventually feels convoluted in the absence of a grounded plot. The pacing remains an issue within the story, and most of the writing failed to deliver as it should.

Despite some occasionally good twists, the story doesn’t tie together until it’s far too late. Certainly a slow burn, audiences might feel removed from the movie with a majority of its runtime still remaining. However, most should appreciate the redeeming qualities it possesses, as “The Pale Blue Eye” serves as nothing more than a safe murder mystery that did some things right but certainly fell short of its potential.

Rating: 3/5