Wes Craven, the so-called master of modern horror has a new film out. Well, its not brand new. Its been sitting on a shelf somewhere gathering dust for a year or so, and when you see it youll know why.
Starring Cristina Ricci as Ellie, this typical slasher epic follows the predictable pattern of Cravens other projects, the Nightmare on Elm Street series and the Scream series. Teenagers are chased around by a blood thirsty monster until the inevitable demise of the poor, netherworld creature.
Ellies brother, Jimmy, played believably enough by Jesse Eisenberg, becomes cursed when he and his sister get into a car wreck on Mulholland Drive and are subsequently attacked by a werewolf. The two become creatures themselves, of course, and begin to use their powers to get back at those people in their life that are keeping them down.
Jimmy goes after the wrestling bullies who enjoy calling him a fag. Ellie has it out for a fellow worker at The Craig Kilborn Show. Now thats scary! A cameo by Scott Baio, of all people, does little to enliven this tired take on an old legend.
The Howling successfully modernized the werewolf epic years ago. Its a movie with atmosphere and real terror oh yeah, and a good story. Cursed is too ridiculous to be scary.
Joshua Jackson is the love interest in this film, if that tells you anything. He is opening a club like the Hard Rock Café, only this club is centered around horror films. Why its called Tinsel is beyond me. It looks a lot like the theme restaurant Jeckyl and Hyde to me. Jackson sleepwalks through this picture with his half-closed eyelid routine getting more and more annoying as the story progresses. Once again, heres a movie with a boy playing the part of a man. He looks like he should be opening a school locker, not a club.
I would tell you who done it, but I think everyone deserves the chance to be cursed.