Grave Secrets (Secret Screams): 4 out of 10: Decent story about a haunting at a bed and breakfast is let down by a poor script, unfocused direction, and some poor acting choices.
The Good: Of all the actors in this I am willing to give Renée Soutendijk a pass. Considering what she is often given to work with she certainly seems to be trying to put together a character. She also has a semblance of charisma and screen presence.
Though they look funny today the special effects really are not all that bad. Well okay, they are sometimes that bad but they are fun and cartoonish and good lord at least something is happening onscreen.
The Bad: Paul Lemat has the charisma of wet toast in this and David Warner has what amounts to an extended cameo. Outside of a couple of townies and a perky female assistant, there are really no other characters in this film. The majority of the film is Renée Soutendijk telling Paul Lemat to leave her house and Paul basically ignoring her wishes in a way that could charitably be described as creepy in this me-too era. This is not as entertaining as one would think.
The story goes down some surprisingly dark paths. Too bad the script doesn't. The story is some horrifying content that is beyond dark but the script and the direction treat this as an extended Scooby Doo episode. Imagine Requiem for a Dream done by the American Pie people.
The Ugly: There are some interesting ideas in this film that are simply taken out back and shot. The film starts with our ghost hunting professor Lemat being visited by possible femme fatale Soutendijk. Lemat is in his office like Sam Spade with shadows and rain and the like. It is actually a really good start. Their next meeting one would expect in a smokey bar or on a foggy dock. Nope, a mall food court. It is as if the movie had a good idea and just forgot about it.
Speaking of forgotten about the local townie is clearly being set up as a jealous lover, former rapist, jealous of city folk threat to our leads (He throws an axe at them which they blame on the ghost.) He seems destined to have some sort of part to play in the stories resolution. Nope seems like the movie just forgot about him two-thirds of the way through.
In Conclusion: You know the AP style guide says that the modern preferred spelling of axe is ax. Apparently, axe is both old-fashioned and British. Am I so old that the language has changed on me? When did this happen?
As for the movie? Meh. Takes forever to finally get going and when it does the script pulls the stories punches. Skippable.
The Good: Of all the actors in this I am willing to give Renée Soutendijk a pass. Considering what she is often given to work with she certainly seems to be trying to put together a character. She also has a semblance of charisma and screen presence.
Though they look funny today the special effects really are not all that bad. Well okay, they are sometimes that bad but they are fun and cartoonish and good lord at least something is happening onscreen.
The Bad: Paul Lemat has the charisma of wet toast in this and David Warner has what amounts to an extended cameo. Outside of a couple of townies and a perky female assistant, there are really no other characters in this film. The majority of the film is Renée Soutendijk telling Paul Lemat to leave her house and Paul basically ignoring her wishes in a way that could charitably be described as creepy in this me-too era. This is not as entertaining as one would think.
The story goes down some surprisingly dark paths. Too bad the script doesn't. The story is some horrifying content that is beyond dark but the script and the direction treat this as an extended Scooby Doo episode. Imagine Requiem for a Dream done by the American Pie people.
The Ugly: There are some interesting ideas in this film that are simply taken out back and shot. The film starts with our ghost hunting professor Lemat being visited by possible femme fatale Soutendijk. Lemat is in his office like Sam Spade with shadows and rain and the like. It is actually a really good start. Their next meeting one would expect in a smokey bar or on a foggy dock. Nope, a mall food court. It is as if the movie had a good idea and just forgot about it.
Speaking of forgotten about the local townie is clearly being set up as a jealous lover, former rapist, jealous of city folk threat to our leads (He throws an axe at them which they blame on the ghost.) He seems destined to have some sort of part to play in the stories resolution. Nope seems like the movie just forgot about him two-thirds of the way through.
In Conclusion: You know the AP style guide says that the modern preferred spelling of axe is ax. Apparently, axe is both old-fashioned and British. Am I so old that the language has changed on me? When did this happen?
As for the movie? Meh. Takes forever to finally get going and when it does the script pulls the stories punches. Skippable.