LAWRENCE KASDAN
Bil’s rating (out of 5): BB.
Idiotic science-fiction film that begins enjoyably by hanging off the appealing interplay between its main characters, then shucks them off in favour of hideous gore and cheesy special effects. Four friends, psychically linked to each other thanks to the help of a fifth, mentally challenged boyhood friend, go for a trip to a cabin in the woods and encounter a virus inflicted on the local residents by a nasty alien. It eventually becomes apparent that their destiny is involved with this lifeform’s visit to earth, completed only by the mysterious pal they owe everything to but don’t bother to spend any time with. Damian Lewis, Thomas Jane, Jason Lee and Timothy Olyphant are terrific in the leads, but Morgan Freeman‘s dialogue as the alien hunter is embarrassing and his role is completely incongruous to theirs in the mixed up screenplay. You’ll laugh more than scream, and the chuckles won’t be intentional.
Castle Rock Entertainment, Village Roadshow Pictures, NPV Entertainment, Kasdan Pictures, WV Films II
Screenplay by William Goldman, Lawrence Kasdan, based on the novel by Stephen King
Cinematography by John Seale
Produced by Lawrence Kasdan, Charles Okun
Music by James Newton Howard
Production Design by Jon Hutman
Costume Design by Molly Maginnis
Film Editing by Raul Davalos, Carol Littleton
