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By CityCry Wolf
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Cry WolfNot The Shining, but better than most horror flicks
2005-10-05
Article Written by: Sami Jo
Even with the lame scenes of terror, the ever-so predictable plot, and the less than spectacular acting, I still found myself engrossed in Jeff Wadlow's Cry_Wolf. In 2002, Wadlow won the first ever Chrysler Million Dollar Film Festival. He was awarded $1 Million to produce the feature thriller, which takes the timeless tale "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" to Hollywood. A group of spoiled kids with nothing better to do play lying games for entertainment. When a "townie" is murdered in the woods, they take the opportunity to play their game with the entire school. As one lie turns into another, the friends find themselves - surprise, surprise - having trouble trusting each other.
Beau Bauman and Jeff Wadlow's formula written script includes all the horror flick basics: people running off by themselves with a murderer on the loose, backs turned on wide open spaces, pranks on the paranoid, and, of course, a boy willing to do anything for a girl in a private school-girl's outfit and thigh-highs. In this case, though, simplicity serves the story well. The film focuses more on plot than gore and brings a fundamental horror story to modern times. Cell phones and instant messaging are used throughout the film to terrorize the already scared characters.
The cast includes Jon Bon Jovi, Jared Padalecki (TV's "Gilmore Girls"), Julian Morris (Spin), and Lindy Booth (Dawn of the Dead). While the acting isn't quite Oscar worthy, it is infinitely better than the acting in most horror films. Bon Jovi is almost believable as a high school teacher (I wish my teachers had looked like that). Padalecki's performance start out rough - a far cry from the kind his audience is used to on the WB's "Supernatural" - but by mid-movie he starts warming up to his character. Morris and Booth show off a fairly decent on-screen chemistry.
Even without huge Hollywood stars (come on, Bon Jovi is known for his MUSIC) and a textbook script, the film serves its purpose: it entertains. Final thought: Next time you are running away from a murderer in the woods, toss the cell phone!! I mean, really!
