The Rage

I really love the first Wishmaster movie. I even think that the second one is really good too. Both are with Andrew Divoff, who I had the pleasure of meeting personally at a convention. But more about that on a forthcoming Wishmaster review. Andrew Divoff plays a Russian scientist, that's all I'm going to say (which doesn't spoil anything), but never fully develops any of his previous screen charisma (apparent especially in the Wishmaster movies, but also in smaller roles (see Brisco County Jr. and others).

Robert Kurtzman, who also directed the first Wishmaster movie, and was part of the famous KNB-FX Group (K being his initial of course), alone was a guarantee that the movie would be good ... well at least that's what I thought ... boy was I wrong! Relying on CGI rather than on "hands-on" Special FX, which Kurtzman could've done himself (and pretty good) was one of the baddest decision he could make ... saying it looks fake, would be a disgrace to the word "fake".

The acting? Apart from the aforementioned Divoff, there's only Reggie Bannister who could work as a saving Grace. But the Phantasm star, doesn't have a chance to do so ... But then again, it's not the most original script they're working with, so I don't know, if you really can blame any of the actors (well maybe some of them at least). Of course, a movie like this does not rely on acting and or a fancy story. But as the CGI doesn't work, but against the movie, the sparse real effects, cannot elevate this experience into any level, that makes it really feel like entertainment. It's bloody alright, but you can and should expect more than that! Not to mention that the soundtrack (sounds) can and do get pretty annoying! Problem if you watch it at a theater? You can't turn the volume down, neither fast forward! But just because you can at home, doesn't mean you should try it ... I strongly recommend against that!

Of course there are movies, worse than that (quite a few actually), but this also isn't an argument and/or point that works for the movie! I really hate to say it, but stray away from this movie (I didn't even get into the video quality and other stuff)

The Rage (2007) is a movie that I recently watched on Prime. The storyline follows a scientist (Andrew Divoff, aka The Wishmaster) who has captured some test subjects in the woods for a new serum for super soldiers, one that makes people go insane and eat and destroy everything. When a subject escapes, dies and is eaten by some vultures...no one in the woods are safe.

This movie is directed by Robert Kurtzman (The Wishmaster) and stars Andrew Divoff (Wishmaster), Erin Brown (The Lord of the G-Strings), Sean Serino (Glory Road), Christopher Allen Nelson (Halloween, 2018) and Louie Kurtzman (Black Friday).

It's too bad the CGI was hit or miss and the vultures in this were so bad...because there's a lot to like about this movie. The storyline is a bit of a ripoff of 28 Days Later and the dialogue and acting are pretty bad. However, the horror elements outside of the use of CGI are entertaining. The gore and eating scenes are awesome. The effects to create the infected skin and wounds were top notch. The blood looks authentic and like actual blood. The blood splatter is excellent. Almost all of the scenes in the woods laboratory are great. Andrew Divoff delivers a solid performance too.

Overall, this isn't a good movie, but there's enough worthwhile scenes to get a horror enthusiasts attention. I would score this a 4/10 and only recommend it to horror diehard fans.

Fans of trashy horror rejoice, for Robert Kurtzman, the 'K' from awesome effects team KNB, has given us The Rage: a demented, dumb gore-soaked film that manages to go from simply mad in the first half, to completely insane towards the end.

Featuring terrible acting, dodgy CGI effects, and bucket-loads of cheesy gore, this film sure isn't going to be to everyone's taste, but those who dig crazy schlock horror will have a blast: Kurtzman throws in everything but the kitchen sink to guarantee an enjoyable ride for gore-hounds.

Andrew Divoff (who also starred in Kurtzman's The Wishmaster) stars as Dr. Viktor Vasilienko, a Russian scientist who decides to punish capitalist society after a money-hungry drugs conglomerate steals his cure for cancer (because their 'preventative' medicine is far more profitable than a cure), discredits him, and sends him to an insane asylum. Vasilienko eventually escapes and plots revenge, creating a virus called The Rage, which turns victims into uncontrollable bloodthirsty maniacs; only when his cancer cure is publicly acknowledged will he release the antidote.

Things go awry, however, when one of the mad scientist's test subjects escapes into the woods, dies and become vulture fodder: the birds also contract The Rage, and become airborne killers, which is not good news for a bunch of 'twenty-somethings' (including Erin Brown AKA Misty Mundae, star of many a soft-core sex flick) who are travelling through the area in their RV.

With shonky vomiting mad-vulture puppets, a death-during-sex scene (always a winner), a killer hunchback dwarf wearing the face and hair of a little girl (and grunting silly phrases such as 'kiss the monkey'!), giant leech attacks, and CGI feces (seen as a pole is rammed into the ass of a bald, blind 'zombie' called Gor!), The Rage is sheer low-budget lunacy from a film-maker who is obviously having loads of fun entertaining us.

A crazed Russian doctor (Andrew Divoff of Wishmaster) experiments with a deadly new virus that turns people (and birds) into bloodthirsty mutants gets in hot water when the virus gets loose and starts infecting those in the surrounding area creating havoc for a group of teens who were out partying at an outdoor Mushroomhead concert in the nearby woods. Woodenly acted from an awfully stupefying script. The movie quite knowingly seems to be a homage to '80's cult films (mainly Evil Dead & Re-animator), but lacks the wit to pull it off as a good movie itself, despite the presence of otherwise talented Divoff, Erin Brown, and Reggie Bannister (the latter in more or less a cameo). May be perfectly acceptable fodder for 2:15 AM after a night of bar-hopping, but watching it unintoxicated is not really recommended.

Eye Candy: Angela Gasparec gets topless

DVD Extras: Commentary by Director/Writer Robert Kurtzman and writer John Bisson; an 80-minute Making-of featurette; photo stills gallery; 2 music videos by Mushroomhead;and Trailers for "Trailer Park Boys: the movie" & "Big bad Wolf"

So, let me start by saying the special fx are pretty good in this movie. No, not the low budget CGI, it was crappy as to be expected for what you got from low budget CGI at the time this movie was made. No, the actual made props and masks and what have you were all really pretty good.

It's also a real shame when a good, credited actor is stuck forced to be in a movie with other garbage actors. Andrew Divoff is a good credited actor, he did the wishmaster movies, or some of them at least, I can't remember if he did them all. Anywho, he did great as the main bad guy, the rest of them? I've seen high schoolers act in high school plays better than they did. Not one of them a saving grace and "Kat" was the worst. Especially when she was attacking or killing a monster and "going off" ranting while doing it. It was so fake and not believable, just awful.

If you can tolerate the bad acting and bad low budget CGI it's an ok watch for the SFX and blood and what have you. Up to you.

P. S. Oh, almost forgot, if you're a mushroomhead fan, then you're not allowed to skip it, sorry lol just watch and you'll see.