Cursed (Unrated Version)
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Movie Reviews of Cursed (Unrated Version)
Movie Review: Werewolves of L.A.
Summary: 3 Stars
CURSED is the story of a brother and sister who are attacked by a werewolf and become infected. Prior to this incident, Ellie's (Christina Ricci) biggest problems were an emotionally distant boyfriend and a snotty PR representative at her company, while Jimmy (Jesse Eisenberg) mostly had to put up with the homophobic bullies at his high school. I guess sometimes we just don't know when we have it good. Jimmy, a comic book geek, is quick to accept the possibility of what has happened to them and begins research immediately, while Ellie remains skeptical until the physical evidence becomes irrefutable.
With Wes Craven's track record (even his lesser films at least dealt with more original subject matter) one had to wonder why he wanted to make such a formulaic movie about such a well-worn concept. [Edit: I have since learned that this movie was a result of contractual obligation.] The first act of the movie felt quite tired, with dozens of unimaginative scares that have been seen time and time again. A dream sequence in particular is a real groaner. However, it actually does get better as it goes on. While it still retains an air of predictability, it did surprise me at times. I really thought it was obvious who the lycanthropic antagonist was. I wasn't completely wrong, but I wasn't exactly right, either.
In the end, CURSED is a passably entertaining movie made so primarily by the cast, which also includes Joshua Jackson (THE SAFETY OF OBJECTS) and Judy Greer (ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT). Portia de Rossi (also ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT) appears in a small role, and Scott Baio appears as himself. As a bonus, we get to see Shannon Elizabeth (JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK) get ripped in half. Always a treat.
The unrated DVD contains a number of featurettes: a making-of with cast interview clips, one on effects, one on editing, and a humorous short film on "making a werewolf." There is also effects commentary for certain scenes.
Movie Review: Only a slight howl
Summary: 3 Stars
It's been a while since we've had a good werewolf movie. Is Cursed the film to end the drought? Well, kind of: it's more like a heavy drizzle...it doesn't end the drought but it at least gets things wet. Shedding the metaphors for a moment, Cursed is a decent movie, but it's got too many little problems to really be good.
With direction by Wes Craven and writing by Kevin Williamson, this movie obviously attempts to do for the werewolf movie what the same duo's Scream did for the slasher flick. (Of course, the werewolf movie is not quite as overdone as the slasher movie, so the need for parody is not as great.) As a result, we get a movie featuring characters in their late teens and early twenties who are savvy about the conventions of horror and plenty of references to old movies.
Christina Ricci plays a sort of assistant producer who along with her brother (Jesse Eisenberg) get involved in a car accident on a lonely stretch of L.A.'s Mulholland Highway. They first hit what turns out to be a werewolf, then another car containing Shannon Elizabeth. All three survive relatively intact until the werewolf strikes, leaving only the siblings alive but injured (and cursed). What follows is a slow transformation for the pair which is not fully bad: for the nerdy brother, it is a chance to finally to one-up some school bullies and win the girl of his dreams (shades of Teen Wolf).
The main problem with this movie is that the creators suffer from the success of Scream. In their ambition to repeat that success, they come up short. The result is a film that is often more clever than it needs to be and with humor that is more forced than natural. On the other hand, there are some moments that are genuinely funny and some decent twists. The bad and the good more or less offset each other, leading to a three-star effort. If you are a fan of monster movies, this is probably worth watching, but don't expect too much.
Movie Review: One of the Best Horror Film's of the Year and That's Not Saying Much.
Summary: 3 Stars
After a year of excruciatingly bad horror movie releases, this slick werewolf film is a welcome change. By no means am I saying it's a masterpiece or that it will become a classic of the genre but the film gets major points for being enjoyable and Christina Ricci never looked better.
The story centres around a young woman (Ricci) and her teenage, nerdy younger brother who are involved in a car crash. At the crash site, one of the victims (Shannon Elizabeth) is brutally attacked by a massive beast who also manages to scratch the 2 main characters. The rest of the film deals with Ricci's stormy relationship with the mysterious Joshua Jackson and her slow metamorphosis into a lycanthrope.
When compared to the several horror movie atrocities released in 2005, "Cursed" looks good in comparison. It features an attractive cast and several scenes of intense bloodshed which may please undiscriminating gore-hounds. However, when compared to "The Howling" or "An American Werewolf In London", it's seriously lacking. The film's biggest disappointment is in the uninspired CGI transformations and special effects. If you're a die-hard werewolf film buff expecting an impressive mutation scene, you will be greatly disappointed. But it should be expected since most of the horror movies, especially the werewolf themed ones released within the last 10 years, have relied heavily on CGI.
When will Hollywood learn that CGI is slowing causing the demise of the horror genre?
With that said, "Cursed" is miles away from being awful. It offers the viewer some unexpected thrills, chills and a few chuckles. Even if you vowed never to watch another scary movie ever again (after watching last years "Boogeyman", I did just that) you may find that this rather charming little horror flick is just what you've been looking for. It's not Craven's best but it's definitely one of his better efforts.
Recommended.
Movie Review: It Could Have Been A Lot Worse Trust Me...
Summary: 3 Stars
I have seen many other horror movies that were a lot worse than Cursed. I, after seeing Darkness and so many other sillier horror movies, actually did not think this movie was all too bad. Sure, it had its silly points, the points where you roll your eyes and scoff, but there are other times when it was not too bad of a horror flick. They have their high moments, unfortunately there were a lot of low moments too. I did actually think Wes Craven's film would be better, but I didn't hate it. I wouldn't buy it, but I wouldn't mind watching it on tv once or twice again. It was one of those films you watch with your friends for fun.
The biggest problem with this movie really was it was TOO predictable. I knew almost every single thing that was going to happen. At the end I was not at all surprised who was the main enemy and the whole reason behind this certain enemie's rampage is kind of silly. So yes, the movie does come up a bit short. It kind of saves itself in the final moments of the movie though with a final battle thats was pretty good. Still though, it was no five- star ending, and the whole atmosphere of this film is really a teen movie instead of an adult horror film. You want an adult werewolf film go check out Bad Moon, or American Werewolf in London, but not this- unless you want to just watch it for a few laughs, which is cool to do once and awhile. I mean, honestly, do all horror films need to be so serious? As long as they hold intelligence in the plot which is what Cursed actually held well. Besides, a lot of serious horror films aren't even that scary anyway either, they're usually just more gory.
For you horror fans who haven't watched it yet, it is basically another werewolf movie. I won't spoil anything for you but trust me as you get into the first half hour or so of the film you'll probably already figure out the film's ending like I did. Just enjoy it as more of a fun flick to watch with friends.
Movie Review: Closer to 4 Stars
Summary: 3 Stars
From the creators of the Scream. That was almost enough to sell this movie to me in and of itself. The fact that it was a werewolf story, a subgenre done to death true, but with a fresh point of view did the rest.
Christina Riici(grown into a lovely young actress) stars as Ellie an assistant on the Late Late show, Jesse Eisenberg portrays her brother the typical high school geek. The two are on their way home when a car accident changes their lives for the worse.
I knew when I inserted the DVD into my player not to expect a too serious horror movie. With Williamson's script I expected as many laughs as shivers and found that definitely to be the case. In the screenplay Williamson has seemingly taken the best elements of the lighter side of horror and added his own sendup in inside lines and setting. Williamson also writes young angst really well, and this reviewer would have been more impressed by this aspect but it has been examined by various hollywood scribes to death. The positive side of this critique though is I got the impression Williamson realized this and even kept the angst of teenagehood from being too heavy a subplot.
As stated by others there were some wildly predictable points in the film and without them this movie would have undoubtedly rated 4 stars from me. Point of fact this is modelled after the Scream francise to a great extent so as one should not take An American Werewolf in London or King's Silver Bullet too seriously, so too is this film not meant to be taken too seriously.
The actors including Mya all did a fine job with script given, and Eisenberg is so good at playing the outsider teenager he almost stole the show in this movie.
The special features were interesting but I would have liked some deleted scenes or maybe bloopers. Otherwise I recommend this movie highly bearing in mind it is not a likely Oscar bait movie.