Curse of the Scarecrow

There's been quite a few scarecrow movies over the years. This one is not one of the good ones. I can't say that I liked it at all. 2/10

...produced a two buck movie and that just about sums up this atrocious excuse for a horror movie.The acting was absolutely abysmal from everyone,which in turn tells you how bad the director is,or,how little they cared.I could go on further but really,there is no point,the entire movie sucks in every way,shape and form from beginning to end.

According to local legend, on a cold winter night some time back in the 1800's, the people of a small village killed a man they thought had stolen from them by hanging him on a cross in the middle of a cornfield and letting the crows peck him to death. Just prior to dying, however, he swore a curse upon them and for that reason his soul returns in the form of a scarecrow to that same location every 20 years and kills anybody he finds wandering about the field where he was murdered. Fast-forwarding to the present day, a young woman named "June" (Kate Lister) is recovering from a traumatic episode she experienced 20 years earlier when she and her brother "Carl" (Tommy Viles) witnessed their parents being killed by a scarecrow in a small village not too far away. Her therapist, "Karen" (Cassandra French) has almost convinced her that the trauma she experienced has caused her to imagine the assailant was something unnatural and the best way to convince her otherwise is to return to that same house in order to obtain closure on this horrific incident. However, when she calls her brother to let him know that she is coming to visit him at that same house where he now lives, he stridently advises her against the idea because of the legend which has the scarecrow coming back that very night. Not long afterward she is told by the authorities that her brother committed suicide. Now, more determined than ever, she makes the decision to revisit the house and takes her good friend "Nancy" (Louisa Warren) and Karen with her for support. What none of them realize, however, is that sometimes old legends have an element of fact behind them and the scarecrow is there and waiting for them. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this movie had a pretty good foundation to build upon but the director (Louisa Warren) just wasn't quite up to the task as it lacked the horror and tension necessary for a film of this sort. Likewise, other than possibly Tiffany-Ellen Robinson (as "Chanel") and the aforementioned Kate Lister the acting could have used some improvement as well. Be that as it may, while this wasn't necessarily a terrible film, I didn't think it was nearly as good as it could have been and for that reason I have rated it accordingly. Below average.

A problem with feeding on so much fictional horror content - as I do - is that often you can have a sense of déjà vu. This happened with 'Curse of the Scarecrow' - about half way through, I wondered if I had seen it before and had forgotten. The film I was actually thinking of was 2019's 'Tooth Fairy', which in turn had reminded me strongly of 2018's 'Scarecrow Rising'. They had all been directed by Louisa Warren, often using many of the same players and locations.

Warren, like Andrew Jones, has proven to be a prolific director (and occasionally actor) of micro-budget horror films. Also like Jones, she seems to have liking for dolls and scarecrows as villainous beings. Once more we have a predominantly female cast menaced by a bloke with a sack on his head. The three main women are flawed - in fact, apart from June (Kate Lister), quite hapless. The peripheral male characters are wetter than wet.

The production is afflicted as low-budget films often are, and none of this would matter at all if the story or characters were in any way interesting. Sadly, despite some competent performances, they are not, and the dullness that hits you after the pre-credit sequence begins is never fully shaken off. If we could care more for the characters, and not have their various plights and tragedies overtly hurled at us, then things would be a lot more successful. As it is, Warren's films have thus far been interesting without being compelling (of the ones I have seen).

There are a few good scenes. Nancy (Warren) being stuffed with straw is my favourite. With less restraint on blood and gore, it would have been even more effective. The ending is satisfying and seems to be setting things up for a possible sequel. My score is 5 out of 10.

This film had me laughing throughout. Of all the wrong decisions I have seen people make in horror movies, these dummies take the prize. Every decision they made was head scratching and laughable. I am sure I even saw scenes where they were trying not to laugh. If you want comedy, watch this steaming garbage................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................