The Frightening

Sometimes its true what they say, you reap what you sow, so indeed you get what you hire.

The makers of this movie like so many they have produced in house truly have concoted a wholly uninspired movie, which by ten minutes or so by the end my jaw had dropped to the floor in complete disbelief.

You might be thinking, So much bitterness, but why? David Decouteau and his Rapid Heart Production company have done nothing but churn out in "Rapid Fire" fashion a glut of movies so bereft of any orignal thought or execution its a wonder they are still producing films.

The Opening of this movie reminded me of "The Karate Kid" widowed mother and her maladjusted teenage son move to a new town to start again....Do you know where i'm going with this.

As is director Decouteau's habit, he fills the screen with pretty young things, who do nothing, but hey it's the scriptwriter's job to give them something to do, however Matthew Jason Walsh, the purveyor of this film, gives them nothing but hot air, and we don't want to watch a hot air baloon trying to fly now do we?

As for the ending, why was my jaw so near the floor, Should i spoil, should you really hire this movie. In their wisdom, the filmmakers have borrowed the plot-line, sucker punch from "The Sixth Sense" The only highlight for me in this film was catching sight of Brinke Stevens playing the young lead's mother.

Even after all these years, she still oozes class and sophistication which alas is noth something that can be said for this sorry excuse.

It is Corey Peterson's first day at Hallow End High School when he discovers that there is a rash of murders occurring on campus. It is a battle of jocks versus the geeks and Corey is forced to choose sides.

This film has a very abysmal rating on IMDb. Now, I do not want to be the one to defend it. I really, really do not want to be that guy. But clearly the people voting have not seen other David DeCouteau films. After recently watching his "Ring of Darkness", this one comes off as a masterpiece.

Fans are going to find the DeCouteau they know and love. Plenty of young men with smooth chests to see. Sometimes wrestling, sometimes showering and sometimes just being topless because it feels right. I watch and I wonder what the actors are thinking when they accept these roles. If they are gay actors, I understand. But if not, does it make them feel odd to know they are going to be presented on screen as male playthings? This might be a question for Jason Paul Collum...

It's fine not great but fine. Is there really that many people out of high school that pay to see these movies because for me once I was out of high school I had no reason to remind myself about the stupidity that is centralized on people who are in the lucky sperm club born with money and good looks that immediately fade. I really only wanted to rip this one thing but was forced to type a certain number of words. So at what point was it in fashion for non strippers to wear the extreme fish net top and the what I can only guess is an environmental disaster in terms of making as well as a biodegradable nightmare in the form of pants. I know every generation has the combination of bad music/horrible hair/and clothing that you didn't realize at the time that some adult made with the sole purpose of embarrassing you like they were when they purchased parachute pants, wore a mullet which is turned into a skullet and they now design clothing with only one purpose - REVENGE. I'm guessing that the actor wearing this age specific tonsorial (thank my mom for the word of the day calendar for having to look that word up) nightmare coupled with a shirt repurposed from something to gather food has one purpose going to every garage sale he see's to find copy's of his shame and bury the physical embodiment of a combination of teenage angst and the mistaken belief that all attention is good attention. This movie is everything most of us hate about growing up and what better way to illustrate this accurately then have impossibly attractive 25 year olds wearing clothes that were utilitarian bedroom they were fashion. This did make me search for my swatch search and destroy all evidence of the time I started dread locks as a suburban white kid and my collection of useless single gloves.

The eighteen years old Corey Peterson (Matt Twining) moves with his mother to a small town due a trauma in the past. On his first day at Hallows End High School, he is approached by the student also new arrival in town Mason (James Foley) that tells him about a death of a friend of him in the school and advises Corey to stay away from the wrestler Perry (Jack Carlisle III) and his gang. When two other students vanish, Corey decides to talk to Principal Rizcheck (Robert Donavan), who does not give any attention to him. Together with Mason, they investigate the secret about the school and disclose the dark truth about Hallows End and the missing students.

"The Frightening" has a good premise, but the screenplay and the edition are terrible. The story is flawed, but entertaining and watchable; however, the use of annoying noises and music score, and the successive cuts in many scenes are really irritating. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "Grito de Pavor" ("Fright Scream")

A teenager haunted by visions of accidently killing someone during a wrestling tournament moves to a new town w/ his mother (Brinke Stevens) to get away from it all. At his now school though a series of murders have been occuring and it looks like he could be next.

What is frightening about this film is that it was made and got a pretty decent release into video stores. It totally lacks any character development, its gore and fright scenes are poorly excuted, and it seems like more of an excuse to show cute, well toned young men parade about in their boxer briefs then an actual movie. And by the way, the final twist is as lame as they get.

Rated R; Graphic Violence and Guys Running Around in Their Boxer Briefs