Something Wicked

'SOMETHING WICKED': Two and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

This ultra-low budget horror flick will probably be most well known as being Brittany Murphy's last film. It was also shot entirely in Eugene, OR (in April of 2009 through June of that same year; just months before Murphy's death in December), and made on a budget of just $3 million! It's finally being released (five years later) and it wasn't worth the wait. I had no idea that Murphy's career had hit such a low; that she was resorting to doing supporting roles in really bad B slasher flicks (and she, like the rest of the cast, is pretty terrible in the movie). Like almost all fright flicks it does have it's pluses too though and the ending is killer (even if the rest of the movie is painful to watch).

Shantel VanSanten stars as Christine, a young college student who was just admitted to 'Oregon University' in Eugene (I'm assuming they mean University of Oregon). John Robinson costars as her fiancé James, who makes a living working at a local sawmill. As the film opens James asks Christine's parents (Betty Moyer and Lance Rosen) for their blessing to wed their daughter. They say the young couple must wait until Christine is done with school (which really upsets James and Christine). Then while James (being the designated driver) is driving them all home, from dinner, their car is struck by a train and Christine's mother and father are killed. The story then flashes forward multiple months when Christine is now attending school (as planned) and being stalked and terrorized by someone. Could it be another student, her obsessive police officer brother Bill (James Patrick Stuart) or Christine's parents back from the grave (making sure she follows their wishes). Murphy plays Bill's wife and Christine is now living with the couple as well.

The flick was directed by Darin Scott (who's directed a few other micro budget slasher films, like 'DARK HOUSE' and 'CAUGHT UP') and written by Joe Colleran and Joseph Mungra (the two also collaborated on the film 'THE American GANDHI'). It does seem like it was made by people with little to no experience (in making movies) and felt awfully amateurish (almost like a Syfy Network flick). I did really dig the ending though and although VanSanten sucks most of the movie she is memorable in the film's climax (and sexy throughout, especially the ending). I have to give the movie some credit since it was accomplished on such a low budget and filmed in my home state of Oregon (it also features a cameo by a friend of mine, Broderick Boyd, as a valet). It is a bad film but it's not horrible. Brittany Murphy was a much better actress than this though and she deserved a better swan song.

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Please, do not hate on this movie - it caps off Britt's amazing career, so show it some respect. She was a beautiful , if profoundly troubled, soul. RIP Britt, you are beautiful.

This being Brittany's last movie I had to see it and finally did on Soap2day.cx. This felt a lot like a Lifetime movie the way their story goes. The end was odd and they made you think it was based on a true story. I am standoffish about this movie because it was enjoyable but some parts made you roll your eyes. It was good to past time or a one time viewing, but not more then that. I loved Brittany Murphy's acting abilities and she is sorely missed that is for sure!

I read another review that said this was not one of Murphy's best movies and what ppl forget is she just loved to act! Weather it be in a box office hit or just a low budget. If any true fan has seen all her work like I have you would know that not all her movies were "Note Worthy". IF I could act, not all mine would sail either, I am sure of that. This movies was better than Abandoned or in my opinion Across The Hall.

You know that feeling, when it's just pouring outside, you are in no mood for anything but a movie, most likely a horror, something not too easy, not too hard, that will go along perfectly with a beer and some chips? You might hit jackpot with this one.

So is it really that good? Well, no, but it is a fun ride, made with a tight budget, good actors, a better plot than most and some decent kills. It's just one of those movies that you won't desire to replay but you do wish for at a certain point, if we were a few years back, it would be the perfect thing on TV at that exact moment when you were ready for something to fill in the time. So, if you can relate to what I'm saying, I think you'll enjoy this one.

Now all you have to do is grab yourself a beer, some chips and wait to rain. Let the movie wait, it needs a good environment to be played in.

Cheers!

This is a bad movie. It took years to get released and there is a reason for this. It is truly bad. The acting is terrible. Everyone in it is truly bad. It is filmed like a cable movie. Both the direction and cinematography are amateurish. Even the editing looks like something out of "The Room," which is the movie this most reminded me of. But where "The Room" became a midnight movie laugh fest, one which its creator now insists was intended to be a dark comedy, "Something Wicked" takes itself very seriously. Which makes it all the worse when you are laughing out loud at how bad it is. The only thing redeeming is the ending - and it is not worth the trouble of sitting through this piece of junk.