What Lies Beneath

Amazon.com

A good old-fashioned thriller that wears its Alfred Hitchcock pedigree proudly on its sleeve, What Lies Beneath stars Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer as picture-perfect married couple Norman and Claire Spencer, who seem happy and content with a fabulous house, college-age daughter and still-active libidos. When said daughter heads off to college, Claire starts obsessing about her new neighbors, and becomes convinced that the moody husband killed the neurotic wife, and that the wife's ghost has a desperately important message for her. Yes, it's true, there is a ghost, and there is a message, but it has decidedly more personal--and life-threatening--implications for Claire and Norman. Suddenly, that car crash last year that Claire can barely remember and the circumstances surrounding it start falling into place, and Claire begins to realize Norman may have a secret.

Director Robert Zemeckis loads the first half of What Lies Beneath with humorous cheap thrills (the suddenly ringing phone, etc.) that poke fun at Claire's dilemma while simultaneously making you tense beyond belief. Between each goofy thrill, though, is one true one that will make you jump out of your seat, including a bathtub that keeps filling itself. And all the while, Zemeckis subtly telegraphs the fissures in the Spencers' marriage, slowly revealing that all is not well between these two. Yes, it's a blatant Hitchcock homage to movies such as Rear Window and Suspicion, but it's sleekly made, entertaining and engrossing. Ford does his stoic thing well (and looks great doing it), and Diana Scarwid provides a refreshingly lighthearted turn as Claire's best pal, but it's pretty much Pfeiffer's movie all the way, and she carries the film on her not-so-fragile shoulders. And the third act is a suspense tour de force, complete with a breathtaking sequence featuring Pfeiffer and that menacing bathtub. In a time of obvious horror films, What Lies Beneath is an intelligent, fun thrill ride that will leave you breathless. --Mark Englehart

Description

In this exciting supernatural thriller, Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer play a seemingly happily married couple who uncover a terrible secret…a secret so disturbing it threatens to destroy them.
When Claire Spencer begins seeing ghostly images and hearing mysterious voices in their home, her husband Norman suspects it's just her imagination - until the images turn real. Now, together they must uncover the truth, confront their worst fears and find "what lies beneath"…with twisting and terrifying results.

Customer Reviews:

Just what I wanted!.......2007-09-15

I'd seen this movie before, loved it, wanted it and got it here! No worries!

GOOD CHILLER & HOMAGE TO HITCHCOCK!.......2007-09-01

Surprisingly good chiller even if it is a little predictable. Pfeiffer carries this movie for the most part and having Harrison Ford and James Remar switch their usual roles throws you off for a while, but ultimately makes you skeptical. It's a good little ghost story,but it does have a few pimples. One thing I did not like about the DVD itself is that when you put it in your DVD player it plays parts of the movie before going to the menu screen. If you are seeing the movie for the first time, skip this section as it spoils the film a little! A great homage to Hitchcock and it does have a few good scares. The DVD transfer looks very good.

A performance driven Hitchcockian thriller........2007-08-19

Amazon's review really nails this film for the intelligent, old-fashioned edge-of-your-seat thriller that it is, but it is a flawed film too.

No need to rehash the plot as both Amazon's review and the product description tell you enough about the film, so I'll get right to what I loved, liked, and disliked about this film, but let me warn you in advance that this review contains serious SPOILERS that I feel I can't ignore while writing this review as it specifically connects to the flaws the film contains.

This film's strengths: Don't let the box title fool you with Harrison Ford's name being first, which is based upon his considerable star power, this film belongs to Michelle Pfieffer and to her alone although a very young Miranda Otto from The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Flight of the Phoenix, and War of the Worlds gives a noteworthy supporting performance. Ford himself really plays second fiddle to Pfieffer in this thriller and although he gives a good performance, he seems out of place being a supporting actor and looks rather uncomfortable during most of this film.

The script is intelligently written and slowly reveals the plot in such a way that we feel we know what is coming, but we are as unsure as Pfieffer's character as to the "truth" of things. The direction is first-rate by Robert (Back to the Future and Forrest Gump) Zemeckis as he experiments with playing Alfred (The Birds and Psycho) Hitchcock. He builds this little masterpiece up to a compelling and chilling conclusion that doesn't disappoint even though it does leave us scratching our heads a bit.

The film's weaknesses: Simply put . . . it's Harrison Ford's presence in this film which ends up being rather distracting. At the time he was too big of a star to play such a supporting role and one keeps scratching his head wondering just why he's in this film. In addition, Ford himself seems so uncomfortable not being the main attraction. I don't mean that he's too egotistical to play a supporting role, but he had been a number one box-office draw for nearly two decades at this point that I just don't feel he knew how to fade into the background in a less starring role. Lastly, while he makes a (spoiler alert here) remorseful guilt-ridden bad guy, he does not make a believable self-serving psychopath and the faulty script at the end attempts to make him BOTH.

That is the film's other serious weakness. Ford's character is supposed to be guilt-ridden over an affair he had with a college student that ended with him murdering her. Ford is actually very good at playing flawed characters as many of his heroes are such, but the script also has him as a lunatic at the end. First he's genuinely sorry for his affair, his part in the death of his lover, and the pain this has caused his wife to experience, and we, the audience buy that as Ford is great at playing stronge but emotional characters as with his great performances in The Fugitive and Air Force One, but the script then has him enjoying his attempt at murdering his wife (Pfieffer). He jokingly asks her if she would rather have hot or cold water in the tub as he attempts to drown her and then even loving plays with his dog as she is drowning before his eyes. Is this the same man who was crying, literally, to his wife over what had happened with that other woman. In an otherwise intelligently written and well-acted film, this is a glaring inconsistancy in a character and it doesn't add up. Add that to an already uncomfortable performance by Ford in a supporting role and you get an ending that is somewhat murky if not still thrilling and suspenseful.

Well, I don't want to end this review on a negative note as this film deserves all four stars that I gave it, but it's not without its flaws. This slickly, well-executed thriller is worth both your time and money, but just don't be surprised if you find yourself scratching your head a bit when it's all done.

"She looks like me...only she had green eyes..".......2007-07-15

I love this movie! I saw it in the theater when I was in college and bought it when it was released to video. I know that a lot of people complained that Michelle and Harrison had little to no chemistry, and I agree! However, they were married a long time, and there were "serious" issues there. I thought the plot was great, and I stayed interested until the end. I've watched it many times, and think it's a great mystery/thriller.

Secrets and lies.......2007-06-02

I wasn't sure what to expect with this movie when it first came out. I've always enjoyed Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer, but wondered what this movie was all about. I was pleasently surprised, as it was far better than I thought it would be, and I didn't anticipate the twists and turns.

Harrison and Michelle play Norman and Claire Spencer, a happily married couple who are adjusting to their new positions in life. Their daughter has just gone off to college, and they are now pseudo empty nesters. While Norman still has his work as a college professor, Claire finds herself a bit bored. Their new next door neighbors have become an object of fascination, as they have passionate fights and reconciliation. Clarie eventually becomes convinced that the husband murdered his wife when she sees some strange things in the middle of the night. After attempting to contact spirits on the Ouija board and some odd goings on here and there, Claire becomes convinced that the wife's ghost is trying to communicate with her. When she confronts the neighbor, he explains, once his wife appears at his side, that he didn't kill his wife. Embarrassed, Claire leaves with her tail between her legs, thinking it's just some paranoid fantasy.

But there really is a spirit trying to connect with her, just one not in association with the neighbors. It's of a university student who disappeared last year named Madison. Who Norman had an affair with. Who Claire walked in on, ran away in shock, had a car accident, bumped her head, and forgot about.

It's a juicy tale, to be sure. It's a good, old school kind of thriller, without blood and guts, and keeps the suspense going until the very end. A good movie to rent some night when you want some lite entertainment and a little horror mixed in.

Average customer rating:

A Stylish, Engrossing Tale from the European Front Before 911

A Few Days in September
Starring: Juliette Binoche , and John Turturro
Manufacturer: Koch Lorber Films
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000SAAT7Q
Release Date: 2007-09-11

Description

Juliette Binoche, John Turturro and Nick Nolte star in this edge-of-your-seat conspiracy thriller. Ten days before 9/11, Elliott (Nolte), a CIA agent who is holding top secret information on the immediate future of the world, disappear appears. Irène (Binoche), a French agent, along with Elliott's abandoned son and daughter, follow the trail from Paris to Venice in a race against time to uncover the truth.

Customer Reviews:

A Stylish, Engrossing Tale from the European Front Before 911.......2007-09-13

Quelques jours en septembre (A Few Days in September) is an intelligent, classy little film that boasts not only a unique story as written and directed by Argentinean Santiago Amigorena, but a fine cast of both seasoned and fresh young actors who capture our attention and hearts as they progress through Europe on a mission that has a lot to do (in 2001) with September's indelible imprint on the world. It is a film that contains biting humor, black humor, love interests, and bizarre sidebars that make the final moments of the movie all the more troubling.

Irène Montano (Juliette Binoche) is an agent in Paris who is somehow connected to secret intelligence in making a meeting with one CIA agent Elliott (Nick Nolte) who holds top-secret information that could change the world... Irène is instructed by cellphone to look after Elliott's estranged French daughter Orlando (Sara Forestier), who loathes the father that deserted her when her mother died, and Elliot's young son David (Tom Riley) from the US who adores his father and has come to Paris to see him. Various meeting places between Irène (accompanied by Orlando and David) and Elliot are aborted until finally the three are told to travel to Venice for a definite meeting. This all takes place between September 5th and September 10th and it is soon suggested that the elusive Intelligence Service Elliott hold information that will impact the world.

As the three characters progress through the streets and cafés of Paris and of Venice they are stalked by a very odd assassin William Pound (John Turturro) who divides his time among reciting poetry, in cellphone consultations with his psychiatrist, killing people and planning the assassination of Elliott. While Orlando and David are at first at odds, separated by language and by disparate feelings about their shared father, the presence of Irène joins the two in friendship and more while acting as a guide and escort through the dangers that lie constantly before them. It is not until the last few minutes of the film that we actually meet Elliott (Nolte) and in these few minutes not only are there changes that occur in the estranged relationship between Orlando and Elliot, but also rapid fire events that breathlessly lead to the moments before the shattering events of 911 in America.

Cinematographer Christophe Beaucarne captures all of the allure of Paris and Venice while keeping the focus of the film intense with well-lighted spaces and camera angles. Laurent Martin has found the right mixture of music types to fit the various moods of the film - from amorous to innocent to terror. The film is in both English and French (subtitled in English) and it is refreshing for a groups of actors to move so graciously between the languages. Binoche is in peak form, creating a fascinating woman whose role is so very pivotal to the entire story. John Turturro adds another character role to his repertoire and provides most of the dark humor that peppers the film. Nolte is strong in his small role, but it is the pleasure of watching newcomers Tom Riley and Sara Forrestier, so adroit at being natural, that adds to the success of the movie. While the topic of the film (911) is still difficult to assimilate, this version of how Europe was responding and the suggestion of how our own CIA had prior information make for a seamlessly exciting way of filling in some of the holes that remain to be examined. Strongly recommended on all levels. Grady Harp, September 07

Average customer rating:

One of the worst big budget Hollyood movies in a long time
It keeps you guessing
Basic Incompetence By Everyone Across The Board!
I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT I LIKE THIS MOVIE!
A movie worth watching

Basic
Starring: John Travolta , Connie Nielsen , Samuel L. Jackson , Tim Daly , and Giovanni Ribisi
Director: John McTiernan
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00009L1TA
Release Date: 2003-07-08

Amazon.com

If you thought The Recruit was full of surprises, Basic will spin your head around. Assuming that cleverness is its own reward, this military mystery shares many of The Recruit's strengths and weaknesses, offering multi-layered deception as its dramatic raison d'etre. Copping plenty of machismo attitude befitting a semi-effective thriller from Die Hard director John McTiernan, John Travolta stars as an ex-Army Ranger-turned-DEA agent, recruited by an Army investigator (Connie Nielsen) to solve the fratricide of a reviled Sergeant (Samuel L. Jackson) who was allegedly killed while commanding a Special Forces training mission in the hurricane-swept rainforests of Panama. Two survivors (Giovanni Ribisi in a showboat role, and Brian Van Holt) recall the ill-fated mission as the truth unfolds, Rashomon-style, in a series of repetitive flashbacks. Tricky enough to hold one's attention as it grows increasingly irrelevant, Basic is so enamored of its bogus ingenuity that its ultimate twist is a letdown. A second viewing might prove rewarding, if only to confirm that it all holds together. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

One of the worst big budget Hollyood movies in a long time.......2007-08-25

Roger Ebert wrote an interesting review of this movie, calling it a "Jerk-around-movie". It's full of twists and turns but in the end, it doesn't make any sense. perhaps if one would watch it over and over again, one could find the logic in it, but "Basic" isn't worth re-watching. In fact, it's not even worth watching even once. The script is dreadful, trying desperate to be clever, but succeeding only to bore the viewer. Samuel L. Jackson's and Giovanni Ribisi's performances feel like parodies of their performances in better movies.

"Basic" may just be one of the worst big budget movies to come out of Hollyood in recent years and there is no need to waste time or money to see it.

It keeps you guessing.......2007-05-16

I need to provide some backstory on my viewing experience of John McTiernan's 2003 military thriller "Basic". Is there such a thing as a "military thriller"? Ah, never mind. Anyway, I rented a copy of "Basic" and let it sit on the DVD player for a few days before I got around to watching it. Big mistake. Between the time when I picked up the disc and when I popped it in the player, I came down with a serious cold. I'm talking a SERIOUS cold. The type of cold that makes you wish they sold Kleenex by the metric ton. The sort of cold where you breathe through your mouth because your nasal passages feel like someone packed them full of cement with a cannon ramrod. I did the only sane thing a person could do: I loaded up with cold medication. Cough syrup, aspirin, anti-histamines, cough drops, nasal spray--you name it, I was taking it by the handfuls. The resulting effect of my medicinal intake, I must say, can only be described as kaleidoscopic. I felt like my head had turned into a balloon filled with laughing gas. It was in this state of mind that I viewed "Basic".

That was a big mistake, as we'll see shortly. "Basic" begins by showing us a routine military training mission in the jungles of Panama. Amidst a raging hurricane, Sergeant Nathan West (Samuel L. Jackson) runs his team of Army Rangers ragged. He's a tough guy, as tough as a steel pipe, and all of the members of his squad despise him. Then a tragedy unfolds out in the jungle, a tragedy that claims the life of West and several other members of the squad. Only two survive, in fact. In order to figure out what happened, the Army brings in crack investigator Tom Hardy (John Travolta) to solve the mystery. Tom's an ex-Ranger and a DEA agent currently under investigation for unethical behavior. The base's commander and Hardy's pal Styles (Tim Daly) teams Tom up with a southern belle, Lieutenant Osborne (Connie Nielsen), and the two start interrogating the first survivor, Dunbar (Brian Van Holt). Tom's a whiz at questioning suspects, and he gets Dunbar's story--which we see unfold in flashback--in quick order. It's a weird tale about murder and mayhem out in the jungle. Of course, several details don't really match up with the facts, so Hardy and Osborne must move on to the next survivor.

Kendall (Giovanni Ribisi) lies in a hospital bed recovering from his injuries when our two heroes show up to start the questioning. His story, which we also see in flashback, differs from Dunbar's tale of woe in significant ways. As Hardy and Osborne begin to examine the threads winding their way through the two stories, they uncover more than they bargained for. They keep going back and forth between the two, Dunbar and Kendall, trying to pry more information out of them after confronting each one with their inconsistencies. Most alarmingly, Kendall suddenly dies in his hospital bed after bleeding out of every orifice in his head. Is this an attempt by someone or several someones to get him to shut up? Yes, yes it is. It can't be Dunbar because he's still locked up in another room on the base. Could it have something to do with one of the base physicians, Dr. Vilmer (Harry Connick, Jr.)? Maybe Colonel Styles knows more than he's letting on. He's Hardy's friend, but that doesn't mean he shares everything with him. Heck, what about Osborne? She seems like a straight arrow, but she couldn't get Dunbar to talk (which necessitated the arrival of Hardy). Maybe that was all an act to hide something.

I'm not going forward with more plot points because I don't want to spoil the film for you. Not that I could, mind you, since "Basic" ranks highly on my "Most Confusing and Convoluted Films Ever to Emerge from Hollywood" list. McTiernan and writer James Vanderbilt offer the viewer so many flashback scenarios, red herrings, and numerous plot twists that my head started hurting. Even more confusing was the tendency to tell further stories in the middle of flashbacks. Ouch! I just bailed on the story, blew my nose a couple of times, and tried to focus on things that made sense, like the performances. They're good. Travolta plays smart aleck pretty well, and Sam Jackson knows how to play an overbearing jerk. Connie Nielsen does an acceptable job, but that southern accent has to go, like, yesterday! It's nice to see Tim Daly in a major motion picture, and Giovanni Ribisi goes over the top as Kendall. The movie's atmosphere works well for such a murky murder mystery/conspiracy story, but the wind and crashing rain tend to drown out the dialogue. I was always fiddling with the volume control trying to understand what the characters were saying. I fiddled in vain.

I highly recommend you don't watch "Basic" while under the influence of cold medicine. A confusing film like this one becomes nearly unwatchable on Nyquil and anti-histamines. Having said that, I actually like it enough to give it four stars. I enjoy watching Italian murder mysteries called giallo, which often achieve heights of confusion more labyrinthine in execution than what "Basic" offered, so it's all to the good. The DVD version of the film offers us several extras, none of them very interesting. We get a boring commentary track with director McTiernan, an extended interview with writer Vanderbilt, and a lengthy lovefest with the actors. You've seen this last supplement a million times. It consists of interviews with the cast where everyone heaps praise on the film and on their fellow actors. Yadda, yadda, yadda. Whatever. If you're feeling adventurous, give "Basic" a shot. I hope you like it.

Basic Incompetence By Everyone Across The Board!.......2007-01-25

This movie should be shown to classrooms of aspiring screenwriters and directors as an example of how not to be sucked into the Hollywood junk machine. The screenwriter of this movie obviously had some ideas about a coherent story that he wanted to tell about moral relativity and corrupt military officials. This film's story structure is mostly influenced by the classic film Rashomon. Well, so what happened? How did this ungracious disaster of a movie make it to the big screen? The biggest culprits are easily the movie stars, John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson, using their bloated star egos to force the screenwriter to rework his material into something they ultimately found more suitable to their star personas. Disgusting! Travolta was supposed to be a bad guy and Jackson was supposed to bite the bullet, but no way would the two Hollywood jerks allow that!

SPOILER ALERT: Who in their right mind was surprised by the ending? I knew Sam Jackson was in on it from the get go and soon enough he would grace us with his presence. Lo and behold, his bald head emerges at the end of the movie wearing a white outfit like an angel of some sort. I hate this movie, it's an insult to the audience! John McTiernan, ( Predator, Die Hard ), the director of Basic should be ashamed of such a lackluster effort on his part. But what could he do when faced with the two morons who played the leads! A sad joke of a movie, avoid it unless you just love junk.

I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT I LIKE THIS MOVIE!.......2006-11-24

My husband, ex-military and combat veteran , doesn't watch war movies, but a friend recommended this movie and, when it arrived, my "MAN" agreed to watch it with me. Well, Honey, what do you think? HE SAID: "HOLLYWOOD TRULY IS A LAND OF IMAGINATION AND FANTASY." I SAID: "THAT WAS A GOOD WAR MOVIE." HE SAID: "THAT WAS NOT A WAR MOVIE, IT WAS A MOVIE ABOUT PERSONALITIES: THERE WAS NO WAR IN THAT MOVIE." Well, he's right, but, I LIKED THIS MOVIE, AND, I THINK, MOST OTHER PEOPLE WILL TO.

A movie worth watching.......2006-04-30

Definitely a very good movie, Basic, is a military mystery that brings to the screen the story of a U.S. Ranger training mission gone awry in Panama. Subsequently, an ex-Ranger is teamed up with the base investigator to try and shed light on the mysterious circumstances that led to the near annihilation of the entire squad.
The film combines drama, mystery, action and adventure making it one of the best of its kind.
John Travolta, Samuel Jackson, Connie Nielsen, Giovanni Ribisi, Brian Van Holt, and the rest of the cast have truly outdone themselves with their performances, which are outstanding to say the least! All the actors, without exceptions, give it their 100% and it really shows (the chemistry is AMAZING)!
The plot, the setting, the dialogues, the special effects, and the music are all wonderful!
In short, it is a movie definitely worth watching! Strongly recommended along with Black Hawk Down, A Few Good Men, Rules of Engagement, and Courage Under Fire. 4 1/2 Stars

Event Horizon (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

A VERY REAL CONCEPT OF TIME TRAVEL/SPACE TRAVEL
In Space, No One Can Hear You Gag
GOOD COMBINATION OF SCI-FI AND FANTACY HORROR
Rent it
Efficient horror/sci-fi crossover

Event Horizon (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition)
Starring: Laurence Fishburne , Sam Neill , Kathleen Quinlan , Joely Richardson , and Richard T. Jones
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000E1NXAY
Release Date: 2006-04-18

Amazon.com

Drawing from Andrei Tarkovsky's heady science fiction meditation Solaris by way of Alien and Hellraiser, this visually splendid but pulpy piece of science fiction schlock concerns a mission in the year 2047 to investigate the experimental American spaceship Event Horizon, which disappeared seven years previously and suddenly, out of nowhere, reappeared in the orbit of Neptune. Laurence Fishburne stars as mission commander Captain Miller and Sam Neill is Dr. Weir, the scientist who designed the mystery ship. Miller's T-shirt- and army-green-clad crew of smart-talking pros finds a ship dead and deserted, but further investigations turn up blood, corpses, dismembered body parts, and a decidedly unearthly presence. It turns out that the ship is really a space-age haunted house where spooky (and obviously impossible) visions lure each of the crew members into situations they should know better than to enter. The ship is gorgeously designed, borrowing from the dark, organic look of Alien and adding the menacing touch of teeth sprouting from bulwark doors and clawlike spikes inexplicably shooting out of the engine room floor. Unfortunately the film is not nearly as inventive as the production design--it turns into a woefully inconsistent psychic monster movie that sacrifices mood for tepid shocks--but the special effects are topnotch, and ultimately the movie has a trashy B movie charm about it. --Sean Axmaker

Description

The year is 2047. Years earlier, the pioneering research vessel Event Horizon vanished without a trace. Now a signal from it has been detected, and the United States Aerospace Command responds. Hurtling toward the signal's source are a fearless captain (Laurence Fishburne), his elite crew and the lost ship's designer (Sam Neill). Their mission: find and salvage the state-of-the-art spacecraft. What they find is state-of-the-art interstellar terror.

Customer Reviews:

A VERY REAL CONCEPT OF TIME TRAVEL/SPACE TRAVEL.......2007-09-15

Very real space movie. They were extremely accurate with the facts of space and gravity. There is always a fear of the unknown. So when the actor says...you messed with the laws of physics! That is today's' unknown. I do not think that if we used magnetic fields to bend space, that we would find Hell. God only knows what we would find, but the concept behind this movie is soooooo fascinating! I loved it and I have always labeled it as Hellraiser in outer space. I cannot even point my finger and say that is what I loved about this movie. I do not know why I love it so much, I just do!!!

In Space, No One Can Hear You Gag.......2007-08-28

The movie wasn't what I'd expected, which was a mix of future science fiction and the supernatural. That makes it admittedly hard to be impartial, because what you do get is a gore fest that must have exhausted Hollywood's supply of fake blood for months. The bad part is that this goulash of gruesomeness is by and large pointless, other than to shock and disgust the viewer.

A rescue ship is sent to find the Event Horizon, an earlier space craft that was launched and then vanished. It is found indeed, and (it's never quite clear) turns out to have gone to Hell and back, literally, or at least to some warped dimension. The ship is possessed. To further complete this religious image of hell and horror, the captain of the Event Horizon even spews a little Latin while the screams of the damned surround him on a record found by the rescuers.

There was trouble right off the bat in the movie when the rescue ship nearly rams the EH. Hey guys, if you read the ship on your sensors but can't see it through all the nebulae, slow down. Further making it hard to take this movie seriously, other than the endless butcher shop scenes, is its characters' actions. If you've left your son on earth and you're now at the other end of the solar system, and yet you see him running around on the EH, get a clue. He ain't really there.

It's legitimate to criticize the movie for its firehose-connected-to-a-slaughterhouse scenes because they're so gratuitous, unlike the mess in "Saving Private Ryan" or even "300." Because I'm afraid my disgust at the blood-soaked dementia portrayed in the movie might unfairly bias me, I err on the side of generosity and give it three stars, barely. The show's premise was both promising and interesting, but its execution was middling to fair. And there's more to a good movie than just making spectators squirm in their seats.

GOOD COMBINATION OF SCI-FI AND FANTACY HORROR.......2007-08-11

This movie is MUCH better than alot of the reviews have lead to believe. Relased in 1997, this is one of those movies that didn't have a sucsessful run in the theater, then throughout years, developed a cult following.
As the movie starts, We are given some brief info. concerning the history of the space program, as well as THE EVENT HORIZON itself. Aparently, THE EVENT HORIZON was an experimental spaceship designed to explore the boundaries of the galaxy. As the E.H. was preparing to launch, it disappeared. Seven years later, a signal from the E.H. was found in an orbit around NEPTUNE. The opening scene is really good, very 'dark' but colorfull at the same time, it sets the tone for the rest of the movie.
We are then introduced to DR. WEIR, who seems to be a troubled man, who is preparing for his new assignment, acompany a salvage crew to find out what happened. The salvage crew consists of: CAPT. MILLER(LAURENCE FISHBURN) STARK, SMITTY, JUSTIN, D.J., PETERS, AND COOPER and you really get the impression that none of them want to be there. Once they reach NEPTUNE'S orbit, DR. WEIR informs the crew about the history of the ship, as well as a single message that was slavaged. Upon listening, D.J. is able to translate the message as LATIN: "Liberate' me'", "save me". As the crew investigate what happened to the ship and her crew, bizarre things start to happen, and the crew slowly realize that the ship brought 'something' back.
EVENT HORIZON is similiar to ALIEN, with a H.P. LOVECRAFT twist, it has an effective 'other-world' vibe to it. The biggest flaw, in my opinion, is the editing. The movie 'feels' like it moves way to fast.EVENT HORIZON was originally rated NC-17 and there were major cuts to the movie to get an R-rating for release. Unfortunatly, this was before the DVD boom and the footage was discarded and lost. The lost footage, from what I've heard, consists of the gore-flashes in the latter part of the movie.
Great acting, Great story(although moves a little to fast), and good editing(considering R-rating) 4.5 out of 5!!. Fans of fantacy horror will NOT be dissapointed!!!!!

Rent it.......2007-08-06

Think The Shining set in space, with touches of Alien (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) and Hellraiser. That would be the film but not as good as any of them. The movie's concept is great and could have been a scary film but drops the ball. The movie was somewhat predictable and the cgi wasn't that great. If the space ships were cgi, then the cgi for the items floating around in the space ships weren't the greatest. The cinematography was excellent but again, the story falls short and almost close to boring. As it stands, the best horror movies out there are:
Hellraiser, The Exorcist (The Version You've Never Seen), The Exorcist 3, The Thing (Collector's Edition), Saw - Unrated (Two-Disc Special Edition), Saw II - Unrated (Two-Disc Special Edition) and Saw III (Unrated Widescreen Edition).

Efficient horror/sci-fi crossover.......2007-07-24

Formulaic sci-fi shocker that while not being as good as, say, Aliens, still manages to pack a punch. The plot seems to be made up of elements of Aliens 2 and Sphere (and Solaris); you'll see what I mean when you watch the movie. Laurence Fishburne wheels out his Matrix role to play the big, butch captain of the spaceship, while Sean Pertwee (son of Dr. Who Mk. III actor John Pertwee, fact fans, he even has the same voice), Kathleen Quinlan and the ubiquitous Sam Neill provide support. The acting is generally more efficient than inspired.
There's more bloodshed in this than many other sci-fi flicks, and fans of the horror genre may find stuff here to get their teeth into. The effects are pretty good - extra credits for the powerful sound FX - but at times they come close to overshadowing everything else (sound familiar?).
A typical 4-star movie, then.

Average customer rating:

Still one of the best
Another classic hard-boiled detective flick
Excellent
Fantastic movie
Light another cigarette

The Big Sleep
Starring: Humphrey Bogart , Lauren Bacall , John Ridgely , Martha Vickers , and Dorothy Malone
Director: Howard Hawks
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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ASIN: B000FFJYA2
Release Date: 2006-07-25

Amazon.com essential video

Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall made screen history together more than once, but they were never more popular than in this 1946 adaptation of Raymond Chandler's novel, directed by Howard Hawks (To Have and Have Not). Bogart plays private eye Philip Marlowe, who is hired by a wealthy socialite (Bacall) to look into troubles stirred up by her wild, young sister (Martha Vickers). Legendarily complicated (so much so that even Chandler had trouble following the plot), the film is nonetheless hugely entertaining and atmospheric, an electrifying plunge into the exotica of detective fiction. William Faulkner wrote the screenplay. --Tom Keogh

Description

L.A. private eye Phillip Marlowe takes on a blackmail case...and a trail peopled with murderers, porographers, nightclub rogues, the spoiled rich and more. Humphrey Boart plays Raymond Chandlers' legendary gumshoe and director Howard Hawkes serves up snappy character encounters (particularly involving Lauren Bacall), brisk pace and atmosphere galore in the certified classic.

Customer Reviews:

Still one of the best.......2007-09-06

This is one of my favorite movies of all time. However, I just finished reading Raymond Chandler's novel, "The Big Sleep," and I am astounded by how much the screen version deviated from the original story. Apparently, most of this was done to provide a bigger and better part for Lauren Bacall. And, of course, a film made in the 40's could not be as sexually explicit as Chandler's novel which meant that Carmen Sternwood could not be accurately portrayed. I will just say that the original Chandler story is so much tighter and more believable than the screen version. Another thing I realized after reading the book is that Humphrey Bogart probably wasn't the best choice for a Phillip Marlowe. Marlowe was 33 in "The Big Sleep," very tall and good looking. While Bogart nailed Marlowe's cynicism and wit, he lacked all of the physical attributes. Dick Powell's Marlowe in "Murder, my Sweet" is a much closer match. Either way, "The Big Sleep" is a great, classic movie and the book is even better.

Another classic hard-boiled detective flick.......2007-09-01

Philip Marlowe is called upon by a wealthy widower to investigate a blackmail scheme involving one of his daughters. Draw into a complex web of blackmail, shady gambler and a mysterious disappearance of a former IRA soldier. Marlowe trades quips with the older daughter who is trying to find out what her father hired him for. Murder and murder leaves a trail to a shoot-out with the gamblers hired guns. A top-notch detectiver yarn.

Excellent.......2007-08-27

"The Big Sleep", based on the detective novel of the same name by Raymond Chandler, is one of those old classic movies that everyone knows about but very few people seem to have actually sat down and watched. But take it from me, this movie is definitely worth watching.

In addition to being based on Chandler's classic hard boiled novel, the movie stars film giants Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. And the screen play was written by none other than William Faulkner himself (during his Hollywood writing phase).

Not having read the original novel, I'm not sure how much of the screenplay is Faulkner and how much is original Chandler, but the dialogue is crackling with wit. Brilliant one liners are flying around so fast it's difficult to keep track of them all. And Bogart does a great job delivering them as the wise cracking detective.

My only complaint about this movie is it seemed to go one a bit too long for my attention span. But maybe that's my failing instead of the movie's. Like a lot of detective stories, just when you think you have everything all wrapped up, a twist gets thrown in and it turns out the story is only half over.

Still, 60 years later this film can hold its own with any of today's Hollywood blockbusters. If you haven't seen this film yet, check it out. It's one of those classic films that doesn't feel at all like a stuffy classic film when you're watching it.

Fantastic movie.......2007-08-09

Ordinarily I don't care for mystery or detective movies or TV shows. The rhythms and conventions of the genre are unfamiliar to me, so I usually miss the shorthand in such films, and get lost in the plots. "The Big Sleep," however, has the amazing quality that it is at once supremely convoluted and simply direct. Perhaps that's because it's a great Chandler novel adapted for the screen by Leigh Brackett (writer of "The Empire Strikes Back," the best of the "Star Wars" movies) and William Faulkner (!). With writers like that, how can you go wrong? The special features note that the two of them wrote the film in 8 days, each writing half. That does explain the fact that something like an ending happens halfway through this movie. Hey, I said it was convoluted.

The stars aligned for this film, with fantastic performances all around, a great screenplay, and the trademark Howard Hawks direction of fast dialogue with no surplusage. Of course, Bogart and Bacall have their usual magic - perhaps because they were married by the time the film was done shooting. The special features on this DVD are not extensive, but they are interesting and worthwhile.

Even people who are not film noir mavens or devotees of all films black and white, but who just enjoy good film, will like this movie. "The Big Sleep" is at least worth a rent.

Light another cigarette.......2007-08-01

It's got 1940's cars, offices, clothes, phones, cabs, guns, clubs, dames, rain, fog, hats. It's got Bogart and Bacall. It's got Elisha Cook Jr (in a small but effective role). It's got a long convoluted story that allows Bogart to be Bogart scene after scene. And Bogart IS in charge of every situation. Every dame, EVERY dame, in the film throws him a look that he feels in his left front hip pocket. There is the omniscient Max Steiner score that tells us how Bogart feels, and how we feel about every scene/situation. The terse tought bantering conversations. There is a restaurant scene with Bogie and Bacall, where ostensibly they are discussing race horses. But we realise they are actually revealing to each other their love making styles/preferences. It is sexier then any between the sheets body double close ups of body parts "love scenes" we experience nowadays. This is Warner Brothers, Bogart, Bacall, Hawks etc in top form.

The Wicker Man (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

Who Needs a Remake?
Weird but cool!
Don't Bother to see the Re-make, this is the ORIGINAL!
Awesome!
Cult Classic Fearful of Faith

The Wicker Man (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Juliet Cadzow , Ian Campbell , Walter Carr , Diane Cilento , and Michael Cole
Director: Robin Hardy
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000JVT1U0
Release Date: 2006-12-19

Amazon.com

Typically categorized as a horror film, The Wicker Man is actually a serious and literate thriller about modern paganism, written by Anthony Shaffer (Sleuth) with a deft combination of cool subjectivity and escalating dread. (Despite this promising directorial debut, British filmmaker Robin Hardy didn't make another film until The Fantasist, a little-seen thriller released in 1986.) We're introduced to the friendly but mysterious residents of Summerisle (located off the west coast of Scotland), where the isolated community enacts rituals that seem, at first, to be merely unconventional. When called in to investigate an anonymous tip about a missing child, mainland police sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward) is treated as an outsider, and the ominous Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee) has the inside advantage. As the repressed policeman is taunted by the island's sensuous atmosphere, his investigation leads to increasingly disturbing implications.

With phallic symbols and soothing music at every turn, Summerisle is a pleasant haven for those who perform the pagan rituals of Lord Summerisle's maverick ancestors. These earthy ceremonies are presented with alluring authenticity, and the island's tempting eroticism is fully expressed by the landlord's daughter (Britt Ekland), who fills Howie with barely suppressed carnal desire. (Sirens took a comedic approach to a similar situation in 1994.) And yet the mystery of the missing girl remains, with clues that hint at a darker reality beneath the colorful local customs. When that reality is ultimately discovered, Howie becomes the crucial element in the islanders' most elaborate ritual, which is where the film's title comes into play. It may not be horror, but it is horrific, and this makes The Wicker Man an unforgettable film. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Special 2 - Disc Collectors edition of the Original movie filmed in 1973. Released to coincide with the release of the 2006 Wicker Man starring Nicholas Cage. Features:
Extended version with 11 minutes of additional footage
Theatrical Version
Brand new audio commentary with director Robin Hardy, actors Christopher
Liee and Edward Woodward and moderator Mark Kermonde

Customer Reviews:

Who Needs a Remake?.......2007-09-10

I have not seen the remake of *The Wicker Man*, starring Nocholas Cage. Having seen (and owning) this film, the original version, my question is, "Why would Hollywood do a remake?" This version of *The Wicker Man* is a thriller, and it keeps the viewer's attention all the way through to the surprise ending. The acting is excellent, the story well written, the directing and cinematography first-rate. Having said all this, this film might not appeal to today's general audience. (Hence, the remake?) It's a British film, it's somewhat dated, and it has no special effects. It's still one heck of a film, though, for those who enjoy a good thriller or horror flick.

Weird but cool!.......2007-08-23

Not your typical movie. I knew nothing about it going in accept that it is a cult classic and Nick Cage had done a crappy remake. It is definitely original. Part horror, part suspense mystery, part musical. I don't think I have ever seen anything like it before or since. I recommend if you like films that are very original.

Don't Bother to see the Re-make, this is the ORIGINAL!.......2007-07-08

I have seen BOTH versions of this movie and the newest one w/ Nicholas Cage left me empty. The cast was vapid and the whole thing was totally unbeleiveable and silly. It has no message whatsoever! This version has a lot more to offer a thinking audience.

I saw this movie cut down for American broadcast TV. That was what some 20-25 years ago now (I was in high school at the time) and it made a huge impression on me. I always wanted to see this one again so when I finally came across it at the supermarket of all places I bought it right away before the two copies they got in were gone! I also bought this movie to show my husband who is African that white people have their pagan sacrifice and rituals. He really loves this movie too. We have watched it several times over now.

In this version the director really builds the suspense. The first time you really do not know what is going to happen. Imagine my surprise when I saw the UN-CUT version with all of the fertility rituals! The whole film comes together really because of the location and real pagan information the writer used in telling the story as well as costuming, time frame etc. I am not going to explain all the details as (unlike other reviewers) I do not want to give the movie away...You can take away whatever message you retrieve from this film. Really a cult classic! The whole thing will blow your mind.

Awesome!.......2007-07-07

Exactly what I have been looking for! I have been searching for a copy of the longer version of The Wicker Man for years.

Cult Classic Fearful of Faith.......2007-07-02

The Wicker Man is a film about a pious Catholic sergeant's visit to a small island off the coast of Scotland called the Island of Summerisle. His name is Neil and he is there to investigate the disappearance of a girl. His investigation reveals that the island is enamored with a neo-pagan religion. They worship the sun instead of Jesus. They engage in pagan fertility rituals instead of Neil's proud pre-marital chastity. They believe in reincarnation where the Christian canon Neil is devoted to does not. As if the islanders are telepathically connected, Neil receives absolutely no help from anyone in his investigation. He gradually puts together more and more details about the inhabitants' practices and is suspicious of everyone.

A May Day festival approaches and Neil becomes concerned that the girl who is missing may indeed be the latest sacrifice to appease nature. But as the Island owner Lord Summerisle reveals, Neil too is a virgin and is both wise and foolish. He comes as a king representing Her Majesty's government. He also arrives to a place of sacrifice by his own free will. The final sequence of the Wicker Man is the ultimate warning toward blind faith. Anyone who misses the point here, like the makers of the 2006 remake of the Wicker Man did, will clearly find little resolution in the end but others willing to enjoy and exercise their imagination a little bit will have much to mull over.

The film's music is one of its strengths and the detail of the pagan references and how they are convenient roots to many Christian traditions (i.e. Easter icons and Beltane or May Day) help to make the overall vision of the Wicker Man even more compelling. All of the elements within the film melt together and everyone working it must've understood these ideas in perspective.

The funny thing about the Wicker Man is it is often referred to as a Horror film. There really isn't anything else to call it but it is almost too unique and exceptional to be deemed a horror film. It isn't scary like a typical horror film is. It doesn't elicit fear and disgust the way all other horror films have. There are no zombies, vampires or murdering sociopaths. There are no supernatural forces and there is little blood to be spilled. It isn't characterized by that one note creepy music or menacing Hitchcockian suspense. It doesn't rely on knives and masked killers stalking in the night. It doesn't even need a seemingly indestructible villain. The Wicker Man is a film that relies exclusively on its all encompassing atmosphere and it also relies on our own understandings of religion and faith. It is sunny, it is bright, it is cheerful, but for all of the wrong reasons to many of us. It is compelling all throughout. Somehow on this island paganism resurfaced and the worshippers are fiercely and irrationally devout. That point's layers of commentary aside, the Wicker Man is very much a horror film and it is probably more intelligent than any other movies within its genre.

Average customer rating:

all good........
The Bermuda Triangle unravelled
Brillant
I loved this movie !
Well acted high concept mini-series, mediocre execution.

The Triangle
Starring: Eric Stoltz , Catherine Bell , Lou Diamond Phillips , Bruce Davison , and Michael E. Rodgers
Director: Craig R. Baxley
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000E5N6B6
Release Date: 2006-03-28

Customer Reviews:

all good...............2007-09-07

superb............
love to have it in my dvd collection... will advise to any sci-fi fan......

The Bermuda Triangle unravelled.......2007-07-08

The Triangle is a miniseries originally broadcast on the Sci-Fi channel and now available on DVD. I rented the DVD over this weekend because it's about 255 minutes of running time broken into 3 episodes. This is a very original take on the Bermuda Triangle and time travel discrepancies.

You will enjoy this DVD if you enjoy other science fiction series like The 4400 - The Complete First Season or Heroes - Season 1. The producers include Bryan Singer, director of first 2 X-Men films and Superman Returns (Widescreen Edition) as well as Dean Devlin, producer of Stargate (Ultimate Edition) and Independence Day (Single Disc Widescreen Edition). The cast is exceptional with Eric Stoltz, Sam Neil (Jurassic Park (Widescreen Collector's Edition)), Lou Diamond Phillips, Catherine Bell, Bruce Davidson (twice in X-Men as Senator Robert Kelly), and Michael E. Rodgers. There is also two South African actors in the series with brief roles: Marius Weyers, still with a thick South African accent after all these years and Hakeem Kae-Kazim, originally from Nigeria but primarily based in South Africa. I've met Hakeem a few times and he has awesome energy about him.

The plot is simple - it seems. A very rich shipping magnate Eric Benirall (Sam Neill) recruits a group of misfits that include a journalist for a tabloid, a deep ocean resource engineer, a man with genuine psychic abilities and Meteorology professor. They band together in desperate times as they find weird coincidences or as Freud called them uncanny happenings. On the surface it seems straightforward, Benirall's company controls about 1/5th of all ships on the sea at any given time through his cargo company and has lost 6 ships in a short space of time. Later on more deeper reasons emerge as it turns out Benirall lost a brother in the Bermuda Triangle. Each one of the main cast have personal circumstances which adds depth to their characters. The navy it turns out is building a huge machine to counter the effects of the infamous Philadelphia Experiment, in which a ship allegedly disappeared in a scientific experiment in 1943. Please Google this name and read more about it. It has been an integral part of many conspiracy theories over the decades.

In summary this is a great action packed, sci-fi thriller. It's also reminiscent of the The X-Files - Fight the Future in many ways and pays homage to mixing hard core scientists, with sceptics, with soothsayers. This is a highly recommended DVD to all those who enjoy suspense, unusual events mixed with great science fiction and excellent performances by the cast. Just a final note - I was really chuffed this mini series was shoot mostly in Cape Town.

Brillant.......2007-07-04

The Triangle was a brillant DVD. I loved it, but then, im partial when it comes to nature movies. It gives you some insight to the Bermuda Triangle, whether factual or fiction

I loved this movie !.......2007-06-20

I saw this movie on the SciFi channel when it first came out. I loved it immediately and vowed that I would buy it as soon as it was available on Amazon.com. Since then, I have watched this movie many times and I am still not tired of seeing it. The actors are all very believable in their parts and the plot never leaves you bored. The whole mystery around the Burmuda Triangle is very interesting in itself. The movie presents several possibilities as to what is causing the disappearances of ships and planes in this area. I found them to be facinating whether or not any of them are true. Bottom line here -- this movie is interesting all of the way through.

Well acted high concept mini-series, mediocre execution........2007-02-25

Hyped as the first co-production of Bryan Singer (Director of X-Men) and Dean Devlin (producer and writer of Independence Day) this should be a sci-fi spectacular. Alas, while a satisfying enough diversion for a while, it does not tread any new ground, ideas, or benchmarks in sci-fi.
The story revolves more around technobabble than character development, despite some fine acting from almost all involved. Sam Neill is a multi-millionaire shipping magnate who offers a huge sum to a disparate group of experts to solve the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle. As time goes by, it becomes clearer that his motivation is more personal than he at first admits, and that there is a time constraint, as things head from mystery to countdown to disaster.
An interesting subplot revolves around the excellent Lou Diamond Phillips, who is one of the victims, experiencing alternate realities as a result of his encounter with the Triangle. Did I say alternate realities..? Yes, you'll have to get used to listening to theories on `exotic matter', `parallel universes', `ripples in space time', `government conspiracies' and `electromagnetic disturbances'.. however the end does tie things together - with the help of a substantial dose of belief suspension. In fact, the ending is just a little too neat and ideal to be truly satisfying. That said, there are plenty of interesting ideas here to keep this fresh enough to be worth viewing.
The effects are just up to small screen standard, but never believable enough to make you forget they are special effects. However the acting is, for the most part, excellent, and it is this, particularly from Phillips and from Eric Stolz, that help us suspend belief to make this mini series work.
Over the disc we get the three episodes, each just under 1 ½ hours, plus some interview snippets with the principals and a making of documentary.
Overall, at the price offered by Amazon, well worth a buy, as long as you do not keep too high expectations. Fine acting, good pitch of an idea, but not so impressive in execution of story.

The Wicker Man (Widescreen Unrated/Rated Edition)

Average customer rating:

why bother?
Incoherent and Pointless Remake
The worst movie ever made
Good But Comes in Second
Please listen to me!

The Wicker Man (Widescreen Unrated/Rated Edition)
Starring: Nicolas Cage , Ellen Burstyn , Kate Beahan , Frances Conroy , and Molly Parker
Director: Neil LaBute
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000JYW5DW
Release Date: 2006-12-19

Amazon.com

Nicolas Cage stars in The Wicker Man as a traumatized police officer investigating a lost girl on a mysterious, mist-shrouded island of imperious women and dimwitted men. Summoned by his ex-fiancee (Kate Beahan, Flightplan, who seems to have borrowed her lips from Angelina Jolie), Edward Malus (Cage, Adaptation.) blusters his way into a closed religious community by flashing his out-of-state badge around and insulting everyone he meets. To describe The Wicker Man any further would deprive viewers of enjoying the staggering ineptness of this absurd remake of the fairly creepy 1973 original. Despite a talented cast (including Ellen Burstyn, Requiem for a Dream, Molly Parker, Deadwood, and Leelee Sobieski, Joy Ride), the performances are uniformly awful, with Cage leading the pack; his overwrought cries of "How'd it get burned?!?" will provoke barks of laughter. Arbitrary wierdness abounds--ranging from animal masks to a body-stocking of bees--in a flailing effort to distract the audience from the narrative running madly off the rails. Maybe writer/director Neil LaBute (In the Company of Men, The Shape of Things) aspired to create a fever dream of male fears about women, but the result is a deformed hybrid of Invasion of the Bee Girls and The Village. A future camp classic. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Out patrolling a California highway, police officer Edward Malus (Nicolas Cage) stops a station wagon to return a little girl's lost doll. Moments later, a runaway truck slams into the station wagon, igniting it into a fiery wreck with the mother and child trapped inside. Edward fails to save them before the car explodes...and then spends months of his life choking down pills to get the image of their faces out of his head. But Edward is about to get a second chance. A desperate letter from his former girlfriend, Willow (Kate Beahan), arrives at his home with no postmark. Willow came into his life and left just as unexpectedly years before. But now, her daughter Rowan has gone missing, and Edward is theonly person she trusts to help locate her. She asks him to come to her home on a private island - Summersisle - a place with its own traditions where people observe a forgotten way of life. Edward seizes the opportunity to make his life right again, and soon finds himself on a seaplane bound for the islands of the Pacific Northwest. But nothing is what it seems on isolated Summersisle, where a culture, dominated by its matriarch Sister Summersisle (Ellen Burstyn), is bound together by arcane traditions and a pagan festival called "the Day of Death and Rebirth." The secretive people of Summersisle only ridicule his investigation, insisting that a child named Rowan never existed there... or if she ever did was no longer alive. But what Edward doesn't know is that Willow's plea for help has invited more into his life than a chance for redemption. In unraveling Summersisle's closely held secrets, Edward is drawn into a web of ancient traditions and murderous deceit, and each step he takes closer to the lost child brings him one step closer to the unspeakable. And one step closer to the Wicker Man.

Customer Reviews:

why bother?.......2007-09-16

this is by far the worst movie ever made with nic cage. mark my words you will be sorely disappointed. ranks right up there with "the village" by that m knight shamallayayallanannn guy. it sucks bad. dont want to ruin it for you but the best part was seeing nic burn alive for taking this role.

Incoherent and Pointless Remake.......2007-09-16

Neil LaBute's remake of "The Wicker Man" is possibly the worst film of the decade, probably worse than "Battlefield Earth" and "Epic Movie," considering that the former film actually stars two Oscar winners, Nicholas Cage and Ellen Burstyn (the latter with strangest make-up on the face). And their acting is very disappointing.

What you see here is beautiful landscapes and an utterly incoherent story about a missing girl and a police officer. The truths are obvious from the moment when Nicolas Cage's policeman landed on a remote, privately owned island off the coast, but our dim-witted hero never knows the right thing to do. Instead he does many silly things and perhaps his "bear" costume part would be the worst. But there are more to come before and after that, as many other reviewers rightly pointed out.

But what made me really sad is the presence of Leelee Sobieski as Sister Honey. I just couldn't believe what I am seeing during her "brawl" scene and its terrible results. If director wanted to make a point about war between men and women, he surely made it with dreadful portrayal of Sister here, or any other terribly-acted Sisters and heavy-handed metaphor of bees.

Please. We don't need any more "re-imagined" version of classic films. Also, British films should be left untouched if you don't have a more suitable idea to update them. The concept of female-dominated society may be intriguing, but that idea is hardly compatible with the eerie world of "The Wicker Man."

The worst movie ever made.......2007-09-16

I don't write many reviews, but this movie is so bad it deserves this many words about it... "________________". And I normally love Nicolas Cage movies. What a disappointment.

Good But Comes in Second.......2007-09-04

Nicholas Cage stars in an ambitious re-write of the cult classic. Cage plays a highway patrolman who is unable to save a mother and daughter from a tragic accident. The failure haunts him until a letter from a past love gives him a chance at redemption. She lives on a small island in the Pacific Northwest and her daughter is missing. She has asked Cage to help. Seeing a chance to save a child Cage sets off on the wild adventure.

On the island he meets a strange group of women who don't like him being there. They also don't believe there is a girl missing. Cage knows there must be something going on and bullheadedly continues his investigation. Nothing seems to make sense but something about an upcoming festival seems to be at the heart of things. Eventually we get the shocking surprise ending we all expect.

Although there are Pagan beliefs in this film, it lacks the true Christian/Pagan conflict of the original. We are also missing the Christopher Lee character and the wrinkle about what if it doesn't work (Lee's life was on the line in the original). But still, the film manages to elicit many of the same feelings as the original while also being fresher and newer. This one, while quite good, will never replace the original in the hearts of its fans. Check it out.

Please listen to me!.......2007-09-04

This was Horrible!!! Don't listen to anybody who says this was a good movie. Don't waste bandwidth by downloading via bit torrent.

Average customer rating:

Creepy...
Are you ready for some fun? here we go:
I was once obsessed with this movie
Wonderfully unique premise, but bad execution
Nicely Done...

The Langoliers
Starring: Mark Lindsay Chapman , Christopher Collet , Christopher Cooke (II) , Kymberly Dakin , and Frankie Faison
Manufacturer: Republic Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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