The Wisher

Spliced (or The Wisher as it goes by in some circles) is an average addition to the straight to video horror glut of the early 2000s. It's no better or worse than its contemporaries, but does have a decently creepy looking villain if that's any help.

A young woman goes to see a horror movie called The Wisher against her parents - ahem - wishes due to her nightmares (involving bleeding birthday cakes) and she suddenly starts seeing the villain from the film lurking around every corner and, every time she makes a wish, bad things happen to the people closest to her.

Spliced can't quite make up its mind if it wants to be a traditional slasher or a supernatural one. Even at the end, we're never quite sure if there's something more cosmically sinister at foot. The acting ranges from passable to shrill, especially from the lead who the audience can never warm up to. She seems seconds away from a mental breakdown before the horror even starts.

The whole thing looks and feels like a slightly bloodier feature length episode of Nickelodeon's Are You Afraid of the Dark?, which isn't always a bad thing, but there aren't many thrills or interesting twists here to make it rise above the pack. It's ok for putting on in the background when you're cleaning house.

I recognize fully well that the writing and special effects of the movie within a movie are intended to be ham-handed and over the top. The thing is, this feature itself isn't too far removed from those same vibes. The plot initially impresses as purely an invention of movie magic, with no explanation given for why "the wisher" should latch onto protagonist Mary - and once the truth is revealed, it feels like it falls somewhere between Standard Slasher and Lifetime Original Movie. The characters and large swaths of the dialogue are customary, often juvenile High School pablum. I can forgive recognizable ideas borrowed from other stories, but beyond that, even as it throws a number of ideas at us - some of them very good! - it's a little familiar and predictable. Meanwhile, the dialogue, music, characters, direction, and overall tone all date very distinctly to the late 90s/early 2000s. Even smaller inclusions somewhat bewilder - why does the school counselor have a lava lamp in his office? Why does the school have a slushie machine that freely available to students? Why does the counselor meet with Mary in the school gym instead of his office? This is to say nothing of the attempts by the filmmakers to jump onto the bandwagon and emphasize the Internet as much as they can at a time when the web was first truly beginning to flourish as a cultural staple.

I don't think 'Spliced,' also known as 'The wisher,' is altogether bad, but this also doesn't make it easy to earnestly engage with. The blood, gore, and stunts and effects look great. I like the costume design for "the wisher," and in a more general sense I appreciate the hair and makeup work. I'd love to see the cast in other films, as I trust they'd prove themselves, though here it really seems like they're forced into a corner, whether by Ellen Cook's screenplay, Gavin Wilding's direction, or both. Suitable narrative ideas are at first thrown out somewhat haphazardly; I acknowledge that this may have been intentional, feeding the audience multiple concepts so as to throw us off from what the precise course of events may be - but it's still off-putting. When those ideas do come together, it's not entirely convincing, and the plot itself seems unfocused at times. The scene writing ably conveys tension and suspense more than not, but some moments altogether raise a skeptical eyebrow, definitely including the specific use here of a computer at the climax.

Ultimately I think this is passably enjoyable, but I hardly feel like I can give any particular recommendation. It's modestly fun if you stumble onto it, and utmost fans of the cast or of slashers as a genre will get the most out of it. Even at that, one should keep their expectations in check, for 'Spliced' is certainly not without its problems. Save this for a lazy day and have a good time, but just remember that there's plenty of other movies much more deserving of 90 minutes of your attention.

This movie is just so funny. It is totally, totally inept. I had expected a decent movie but after a while I realized that this movie had inept acting, dialougue, plot - everything in it was made to be wrong. However, it is very exciting, filled with details and quite intelligent actually in its own inept way. I just found out that this is the same director who made Christina´s House. This movie is WAAAAYYYYY better than Christina´s House which must be one of the worst horror movies ever (I think it got a rating around 2/10 on IMDB). Anyway, The Wisher is incredibly childish and stupid at times in an intelligent, creative way. How old is the director? 10 years or something. It´s like those horror comic scripts I made when I was that age. Moreover, the first scene, where "the father" (who looks about 5 years older than his daughter - I thought it was her boyfriend) says "What did you wish for" and eats the blood-filled (menstrual?) cake. What did she wish for? We will never know.

Eighteen year old Mary (Liane Balaban) loves horror movies, she also suffers from nightmares and sleepwalking. Dad has forbidden her to watch any more horror films but along with her two fellow geekyish friends she goes to watch the horror hit "The Wisher" at the cinema. The killer from the film starts appearing in real life and one by one people around her start getting sliced up! Nightmare on Elm Street is an obvious influence here, not only for the dream sequences but also the killer (the Wisher) has finger blades with which to slash, though oddly they look like they are made of glass. The Wisher himself just looks like some guy from a Black Metal band. Only one recognisable actor here, Ron Silver, the rest of the cast are quite wooden, including Balaban, the poor script only worsens things. Another problem is that the plot can't decide whether this is a supernatural or psycho slasher, the ending is a bit sorry. Mary says "I like the feeling of being scared", sadly there is very little scare factor on offer here. I watched the UK VHS release "The Wisher", which I feel is a better title than "Spliced". Overall I found the movie rather lame but not a complete waste of time, there are many worse horror movies out there! The gorgeous Melissa Repka strips off down to her undies, worth the price of admission alone!

"The Wisher" is a masterfully crafted horror thriller that delves into the darkest recesses of the human psyche. The film tells the story of Mary, a teenager obsessed with horror movies, who defies her father's warnings and watches the film, unleashing a terrifying chain of events. As her darkest wishes come true, Mary is stalked by the sinister character, The Wisher.

One of the standout aspects of "The Wisher" is its ability to create a sense of unease and tension from the outset. The film's atmosphere is eerie and foreboding, with a sense of impending doom that permeates every scene. The special effects are also noteworthy, with The Wisher being a truly terrifying creation.

The cast delivers solid performances, with Mary being a particularly well-developed character. Her obsession with horror movies and her desire to experience fear are both relatable and unsettling. The supporting cast is also effective in adding to the sense of tension and unease.

The film's exploration of the consequences of playing with dark forces is both chilling and thought-provoking. The idea that our deepest desires can be twisted and turned against us is a frightening one, and "The Wisher" exploits this fear to great effect.

If you're a fan of horror movies, "The Wisher" is a must-watch. With its eerie atmosphere, jump-out-of-your-seat scares, and thought-provoking themes, it's a film that will linger long after the credits roll.