A.J. Cook ("Final Destination 2") plays Diana Collins, a university student who is the latest person to inadvertently free the Djinn (John Novak) from his imprisonment inside a precious gem. He spends the majority of the movies' running time masquerading as hapless Professor Barash (Jason Connery, son of Sean C. and Diane Cilento), while aggressively seeking out Diana. As we all know, he has to grant her three wishes before his kind can bring about the destruction of the Earth.
Screenwriter Alexander Wright and director Chris Angel don't bring very much that's fresh to this now familiar formula. For the most part, the script is quite routine and uninspired, the execution basically competent but highly undistinguished. There is still some mild amusement to come from the backfiring wishes granted to supporting and incidental characters, but little imagination is shown. The gore is fairly good, and the visual effects passable.
The Djinn remains an interesting franchise character, but it isn't given great material here. Inheriting the role from Andrew Divoff, Novak is okay - he does seem to be enjoying himself - but he lacks the creepy charisma and genuine sense of malevolence that Divoff displayed. (And, for that matter, so does Connery.) Importantly, Cook does have some appeal as the requisite heroine. The supporting cast is attractive, but lacks any truly interesting features.
The only element here that struck this viewer as amusing - albeit ridiculous - was Dianas' second wish, allowing for a new presence to enter the story. This leads to a bunch of truly silly fight scenes that add to the fact that absolutely none of this should be taken seriously.
Followed by the last sequel to date, "Wishmaster: The Prophecy Fulfilled".
Filmed on the University of Manitoba campus, in Winnipeg, Canada.
Five out of 10.
Screenwriter Alexander Wright and director Chris Angel don't bring very much that's fresh to this now familiar formula. For the most part, the script is quite routine and uninspired, the execution basically competent but highly undistinguished. There is still some mild amusement to come from the backfiring wishes granted to supporting and incidental characters, but little imagination is shown. The gore is fairly good, and the visual effects passable.
The Djinn remains an interesting franchise character, but it isn't given great material here. Inheriting the role from Andrew Divoff, Novak is okay - he does seem to be enjoying himself - but he lacks the creepy charisma and genuine sense of malevolence that Divoff displayed. (And, for that matter, so does Connery.) Importantly, Cook does have some appeal as the requisite heroine. The supporting cast is attractive, but lacks any truly interesting features.
The only element here that struck this viewer as amusing - albeit ridiculous - was Dianas' second wish, allowing for a new presence to enter the story. This leads to a bunch of truly silly fight scenes that add to the fact that absolutely none of this should be taken seriously.
Followed by the last sequel to date, "Wishmaster: The Prophecy Fulfilled".
Filmed on the University of Manitoba campus, in Winnipeg, Canada.
Five out of 10.