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IDLE HANDS
Here’s a movie without an original bone in it’s body.
It blatantly lifts from the back pocket and the inside
coat pocket of EVIL DEAD 2, BUFFY THE
VAMPIRE SLAYER, FRIGHT NIGHT, AN
AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON, DEATH
BECOMES HER and several others.
And I had a blast with it. This isn’t a perfect film, but
I’ll be damned if it ain’t worth a matinee at the ol
theaterama.
I walked into this one knowing that it came from the
director of LEPRECHAUN 2 and THE UNBORN.
That Dr Evil’s son had a major role in it, and that it’s
alleged premise was to steal a single 5 minute bit
from EVIL DEAD 2, and then stretch it into a feature
length film.
Not just any five minutes either, but what I believe
will be analyzed as one of the great scenes of
slapstick in the history of film. Bruce Campbell’s
performance with his possessed hand was GENIUS.
How dare some hack director, and a couple of never
before heard from hack writers desecrate the memory
of this great film!
I’m so glad they did. Now, I’m gonna be real upfront
with this. I know for a fact that a lot of genre fans
can not stand bits that are stolen from previous films.
But you know what? I feel for ya man. I really do.
To let the fact that these bits have been done before in
classic films get in the way from enjoying this
wonderfully frantic film... well... it just depresses me.
The film does have a couple of MAJOR problems
though that keep it from garnering higher praise, the
main problem being.... Vivica Fox. To say she is
awful in this film is to be kind. For the life of me I
can not conceive of what anyone thought they were
doing casting her as this character. Every second she
is on screen is a second that we are kept from being
entertained. It wasn’t just me, the audience I saw the
film with seemed to groan in unison upon her every
appearance.
Then there’s the truck dude (I believe he’s played by
Jack Noseworthy), and comes across as some sort of
Bon Jovi look alike.
Both of these characters would have been well served
to be killed off early in the film thus sparing us their
presence.
This film does have a bit of a manic energy that I
enjoyed. And whenever Seth Green and Elden Ratliff
appear on screen the movie is just... several levels
higher than when they are not.
Now, you know who Seth Green is, but you might not
remember Elden Ratliff, who turned in one of the best
performances of 1998 period in the under-advertised
and mis-marketed THE MIGHTY. A film that
deserved to live for a very long time, but I get the
feeling that it’s cable and video life will be akin to the
life that STAND BY ME has. Anyway he’s been
coming a long way from his years in a Mighty Duck
uniform, and I really cannot wait to see what happens
with him in the future. He’s incredibly charismatic
and talented as all hell. Even with all the insanity in
this film, he nearly walks off with the movie.
Now, there is another side of looking at this movie
this week. With our televisions, radio and
email-newsletters sending in info after info of what
happened in Colorado, well.... It’s hard for one to not
carry in to the movie all the feelings of anger at the
media over their condemning of violent films.
I mean, here we have a movie where a ‘seemingly
normal’ high school kid becomes a serial killer,
killing friends and other citizens all with a wink and a
smile.
What will the effect of this movie be on the YOUTH
that will get to see it?
They’ll have a fucking blast ok? They’ll get in there
and laugh their rears clean off. All this is, is a grand
guignol version of the THREE STOOGES. Noone
can take this film seriously. And if they did... If they
did try to look for hidden meanings, it would be a
condemning of lazy behavior which leads to your
own destruction.
But you know what.... You would have to be severly
uncool to be looking at this film with that set of eyes.
This is a FRIGHT NIGHT type of film. Remember
that period of films that were kinda like that?
When teenagers got caught up in phenomenally
bizarre situations like in: WARGAMES, FRIGHT
NIGHT, THE MANHATTAN PROJECT,
GOTCHA, THE LAST STARFIGHTER, RETURN
OF THE LIVING DEAD, etc?
Well this film is right in there in the middle of that
group somewhere. It’s just for fun. It’s not about the
advancement of the filmic form. It’s not about
bringing something new to the genre.... But then
sometimes when you follow and capitalize on a
formula well enough, you can get away with murder.
Sometimes you go to the movies to just have fun.
This is one of those. And I have to say that from here
on out I’m gonna keep my eye on Rodman Flender.
He started out in the Roger Corman school of film,
and ya know? Every now and again somebody
graduates out of there and does something...
remarkable. This film ain’t quite that, but it doesn’t
take much precognitive abilities to look at this film
and think.... You know... this director, these writers....
They might be on to something really cool.
So let’s keep their eye on them.
If you are trying to flip a coin between this and
ENTRAPMENT... I have to tell you to go see this.
It’s the vastly more entertaining film. And if you are
hung up on Catherine Zeta Jones’ ass.... Well, Jessica
Alba is one hot as hell eye pleaser for the adolescent
fantasies of those in the world that give into those
urges.
Not me of course... I’m an objective reviewer that
doesn’t allow his little head to take over and review
films.... It’s too hard to type one key at a time
anyways...
Enjoy the film. I did, and I’m going back.
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