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This movie is highly UNDERrated....why? It has teen stars and was therefore promoted to a teen audience that was expecting another "Scream" or "I Know What You Did.." movie. This was one of the biggest studio marketing mistakes ever because this movie is WAY TOO DEEP for a teen audience. The symbolism and theology coupled with a complex storyline was geared for adult moviegoers in the fashion of "Memento" or "The Sixth Sense". No, this movie doesn't compare to either of those, but in no way is this movie as bad as the young reviewers will have you believe. Some moron studio exec thought they could make more money by taking the movie down to a PG13 rating and selling it to teenagers. Those teenagers were overwhelmed by this flick and weren't expecting a thoughtful suspense movie, they wanted another "Jason" thrasher gorefest, which this isn't. So they trashed it because they don't GET it. The editing could have been better and the very final scene stinks, but overall this is a well filmed, slightly erotic, captivating film that will make you think. 7 stars out of 10.

Soul survivors, like a few other supernatural movies that have come out recently, leave the viewer wondering what is really happening. This one I think it slightly better done than the others since the ending is less predictable and more fulfilling.

Melissa Sagemiller did quite a good job playing Cassie, the movie's lead. An emotional wreck after a car accident, she is convinced that people are trying to kill her, but for some reason no one else ever sees the assailants or even seems to believe her. Melissa's portrayal is quite convincing, and I feel never goes off the deep end like in too many horror movies.

The supporting cast did a rather decent job. Wes Bentley plays the creepy former boyfriend. And comes across as a creepy former boyfriend. Basically the same as in American Beauty, but with a movie sinister edge. Eliza Dushka, the best friend, does a good job as well, although her work is a little over the top. Luke Wilson is excellent and convincing in his role as a priest.

Overall the movie was quite enjoyable. The tension was rather unrelenting, but actually used to pretty good effect. The biggest flaw is that the ending (the part after the surprise twist) was rather too saccharine but that is only a couple of minutes. Another slight problem is the beginning takes a little too long to develop. The middle of the movie is pretty solid however. It may seem a little disjointed, but it works and makes sense for the movie as a whole.

I thought this movie was actually pretty good. It was just enough to keep you wondering, but not desperately trying to be scary. I didn't think it was all too scary, but still worth watching. The one thing you must know if you see this movie is it's more of a psychological thriller than a "scary" movie. It'll make it seem better if you know what you are going to see than just guessing that it's a scary movie. Overall I thought it was ok, but kind of confusing. Some of my friends hated it, but only because they didn't understand it. With a strong plot and a talented cast, I say this movie is worth looking at.

Like a relative that gives you a bad gift, Soul Survivors has its heart in the right place but trips up with a bad execution. Stephen Carpenter's writing/directing effort borrows freely from other, better films, such as Jacob's Ladder and Abre Los Ojos (Open Your Eyes). For those who haven't seen either of these films, I won't give the premise away; suffice to say it's not nearly as well handled here than in those two superior films.

Melissa Sagemiller stars as Cassie, about to go away to college. Her current boyfriend Sean (Ben Affleck) and ex-boyfriend Matt (Wes Bentley), both friends, and Annabel (acerbic Eliza Dushku) are in a car accident after being pursued by two killers (?) in transparent masks. She survives the wreck, but while attending college has visions of the hospital ordeal and dead people reappear and disappear, leaving her in a state of total confusion: who is dead? Who's alive? What's real?

Soul Survivors has the look of a bad been-there, done-that, gore-filled, blood-splattered, body-stacking teen exploitation flick. True, it has its share of killer-stalking-the-victim scenes (plentiful, repetitive, and mind-numbing), but at least it attempts to build suspense through ideas rather than cliches, unfortunately rather unsuccessfully. It breeds confusion much more often than cohesion, as the story becomes jumbled, messy and incoherent near key points of the mystery (predictable as it is.)

Horror fans who pick up a copy will have no idea they are in for a film that is more concerned with building an uneasy facade of reality than delivering a body count. Credit goes to Carpenter for attempting to create something beyond a derivative teen horror flick; too bad he's created a derivative psychological thriller. Sagemiller also deserves kudos for showing strength in the central performance, actually developing her character and evoking some sense of emotion as the unraveling Cassie. It's great the filmmakers try something different, but the film ends up a mixed bag and failed experiment.

4 out of 10

A direct ripoff of Carnival of Souls 1998 version, only with a slightly different ending. A college student who is about to move away from her boyfriend decides to go clubbing with their friends, but after leaving the club they are involved in a mysterious car accident that kills her boyfriend. He friends are supposedly moving on, but there behavior has changed. She is being stalked by people at the club, she keeps seeing her dead boyfreind on campus, and she keeps having weird and disturbing visions. Is she going crazy? Or has her boyfreind returned from the dead?

Figuring out the answer to the mystery is very easy, but the film is done with style, has a few well done and exciting chase sequences, and a very appealing cast, especially leading lady Melissa Sagglimer who is a real find in her first feature length performance. However the ending is rushed and the film suffers from a feeling of deja vu, especailly since it has been done before and done better with other films.