Hey folks, Harry here with some none too happy of news. Wednesday night in Plano, Texas Robert Zemeckis and crew did a test screening of WHAT LIES BENEATH. So far, I've only heard from one person that attended, so you have to realize that there is a chance that this is that person who's filmgoing opinion you wouldn't trust one single iota. Also, you have to take into account that this was the first test screening of the film... anywhere. This is where Zemeckis finds out where things don't work or do work in his film. Now, I am an unabashed fan of Robert's work. He's never made a film I didn't enjoy, now saying that... I have always felt this script was a little on the weak side, as has Moriarty... but we had both hoped that the draft we read, which was from before Zemeckis' attachment to the project would undergo massive rewrites, because... at the film's heart there is a very strong hook to the story. The following reviewer calls the film "a large, steaming pile of shit." Well, that's pretty hardcore. It should be noted that the film is not near completion, that there is a possibility of reshoots, re-edits, additional effects and a delay in release to give Zemeckis the time needed to fix the problems. It should also be noted that the post-production of this film has been a bit odd, since Zemeckis has been filming on CASTAWAY and has interupted the Post-process on the film. Hopefully, the film Hatchet Harry saw... won't be the film that you and I will see in theaters late July... but if it is, then all the problems he has... were script problems that we saw in early drafts that were just never fixed. Here's hoping, eh? NOTE: THERE ARE SOME MODERATE SPOILERS ON THE FILM BELOW. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!
Hey Harry!
This is my first time to write a review for your web site. I check out aint-it-cool every day, but I never interact with all of your minions in the talk backs. However, last night I attended a screening for the new Robert Zemeckis/Harrison Ford/Michelle Pfeiffer extravaganza and I felt compelled to give a heads up to all the movie fans out there. The name of the movie is "What Lies Beneath". After seeing the movie I know exactly what lies beneath......a large, steaming pile of shit.
Harrison Ford has always been my favorite actor. The list of hits is well documented, but this man has got to start choosing better material and fast! He needed a big hit after that 2 hour snooze fest called Random Hearts and WLB is not it. Not even close. There are a few early moments in the film where he reminded me why I've always loved his work. There's an arrogance - a confidence that most actors could only dream of when he delivers certain smart-ass lines. He's always known how to hit the perfect note when it comes to sarcasm. And the chemistry with Michelle early on is very good. But things start to slip away in the middle third of the movie.
Basically, the plot of the movie revolves around a happily married couple in the northeast(Ford/Pfeiffer). The beginning of the movie has the parents dropping the kid off at college and showing how much love Michelle has for her kid. Later we find out that it's her child from a previous marriage. Let me stop right here before I go too deep and say this:
I hated this movie. It was not a finished copy(glitches, music, etc...), but it's pretty much pure shit. I don't even think THE BEST EDIT JOB IN THE WORLD COULD SAVE THIS MOVIE.
OK, I got that off my chest. Now, the basic premise is fairly interesting. Pfeiffer is haunted by the ghost of a young girl - the girl's image keeps showing up in the reflection of the lake and the bathtub.The front door opens voluntarily, appliances switch on and off, and a picture keeps falling and breaking The questions are: who is the girl and why is she haunting Pfeiffer? At this point I'm in to the movie, but I can also sense that it better go somewhere original quick or I'm gonna tune out. Needless to say, I tuned out. This movie goes into a million different directions. It's a perfect example of a great "idea" for a movie that never materialized on the page or on the screen. Instead of developing the original idea, the creators decide to camoflauge a weak story with boring,dull subplots that never go anywhere. The beginning drags a little, but I was willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. The middle went from fairly interesting to down right stupid. One example: the girl turns out to be a former student. She disappears.
Did she run away? Is she dead? Pfeiffer realizes it's the girl she's been seeing in the reflections. How did she die? Did Ford have anything to do with it? At this point I'm still with the movie. Then Pfeiffer becomes an "investigator" and goes to the girl's house and talks with the mother. She steals a lock of hair, which she uses(along with a Ouiji Board) to call the girl from the dead. The girl's spirit takes possession of Pfeiffer long enough for her to start having inflagrante delecto with Ford until she realizes what's going on. The movie came to screeching halt right then and there. Zemeckis pulled the emergency brake. I think everyone in the audience subconsciously leaned forward in their chairs, almost falling out without a seatbelt. From there, it really becomes the most predictable movie I've seen in a long time. And last of all there was a finale that had many people in the audience, most notably myself, laughing out loud. This movie will be a huge bomb and there's nothing the studio can do to help it out.
I saw this in Plano, TX at a very nice Cinemark theater. I'm interested to see other people's reactions that may have also been there with me.
Too bad what was lying beneath wasn't a good screenplay.
Later Harry and call me....
Hatchet Harry
