Caffeinated Clint
A blatant rip-off of the “Amityville” movies it may be – the original screenplay, by Todd Farmer, apparently bore little resemblance to the finished product – the Pang Bros’ directed scarefest is still a bit of fun… even if you do know where it’s going (because you’ve seen it all before). Its well shot and the scares have been booby-trapped brilliantly throughout it.
Dylan McDermott, Penelope Ann Miller, Kristen Stewart, John Corbett
There’s a scene at the start of “The Messengers” in which one of the lead male characters tries to slam-dunk a basketball. He misses the mark by a mile – it ends up going way over the top.
While the Mark Wheaton-penned film doesn’t miss the mark ‘by a mile’, it still unwelcomingly plays over-the-top. And like an unimaginative ball player, it’s copying someone else’s moves – in this case, the plays of “The Amityville Horror”.
This one’s set on a farm, where the new inhabitants, The Solomon’s– who have moved from the big smoke for a bit of a change, and, it seems, as a way of straightening out their troubled daughter (Kristen Stewart) – are planning to grown sunflowers.
Soon after they arrive at their new home, 16 year-old Jess and her 3-year-old brother begin seeing ill-omened apparitions that no one else can see, and are repeatedly attacked by something from the other side. Now they must try desperately to warn the rest of the family before it’s too late.
Dylan McDermott (of “The Practice” fame) and Penelope Ann Miller (of “Kindergarten Cop” fame) give reasonably OK turns as the disbelieving parents, but its John Corbett – the likeable heartthrob from “Sex and the City” and “My Big Gat Greek Wedding” – who really gets to climb out his shell here; playing a scruffy mysterious ranch hand. Even better though are the composer; the editor and the production designer.
A blatant rip-off of the “Amityville” movies it may be – the original screenplay, by Todd Farmer, apparently bore little resemblance to the finished product – the Pang Bros’ directed scarefest is still a bit of fun… even if you do know where it’s going (because you’ve seen it all before). Its well shot and the scares have been booby-trapped brilliantly throughout it.
Check it out… on DVD.
Rating : 
Reviewer : Clint Morris
