Neil LaBute's remake of the British horror classic is as wooden as its titular effigy... and wholly unnecessary.
The Wicker Man (2006)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:100
Fresh:15
Rotten:85
Average Rating:3.5/10
Consensus: Puzzlingly misguided, Neil LaBute's update The Wicker Man struggles against unintentional comedy and fails.
Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for disturbing images and violence, language and thematic issues
Runtime: 1 hr 46 mins
Genre: Dramas
Theatrical Release:Sep 1, 2006 Wide
Box Office: $23,607,080
Synopsis: Neil LaBute's THE WICKER MAN stars Nicholas Cage as Edward Malus, a policeman thrust into some dangerous detective work by a series of strange events that begin with a horrific car crash. This... Neil LaBute's THE WICKER MAN stars Nicholas Cage as Edward Malus, a policeman thrust into some dangerous detective work by a series of strange events that begin with a horrific car crash. This incident leaves the cop haunted, with images of the accident replaying in his heavily medicated mind. Edward's hiatus from work is interrupted when he receives a mysterious letter from his ex-fiancé, pleading with him to help find her missing daughter, Rowan. Against his better judgment, Edward travels to the remote, privately owned island of Summerisle, home to a close-knit, secretive community with a clear dislike for outsiders. Considering Edward an intruder, the Sisters of Summerisle offer little information regarding the missing girl. Edward is at a loss, finding even his ex-love Willow to be little help. With vacant eyes and a strange, listless way about her, Willow should be the first of many red flags to send Edward running. But in firm horror-movie tradition, the seasoned cop throws caution to the winds, staying in the place longer than seems smart. This 2006 remake veers away from the 1973 film in several key ways. For one, it replaces the original's eerily upbeat folk soundtrack with a tasteful Angelo Badalamenti score. With a mild PG-13 rating, the 2006 version is relatively tame compared to the original. While the 1973 film freely mixed pornographic elements with horror themes and musical numbers, the new film confines itself to horror, abandoning that strange mixture of genres that made Anthony Shaffer's film a cult classic. While LaBute's film adds a back-story and romantic interest, it requires equal suspension of disbelief. Despite their differences, both films end in the same disturbing way, leaving an indelible image that may haunt viewers long after the credits roll. [More]
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Ellen Burstyn, Molly Parker, Leelee Sobieski
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Ellen Burstyn, Molly Parker, Leelee Sobieski, Frances Conroy, Kate Beahan, Diane Delano, Michael Wiseman, Erika-Shaye Gair
Director: Neil LaBute
Director: Neil LaBute
Screenwriter: Neil LaBute
Producer: Nicolas Cage, Randall Emmett, Avi Lerner
Composer: Angelo Badalamenti
Producer: Nicolas Cage
Studio: Warner Bros.
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Reviews for The Wicker Man
The '73 film is brilliantly constructed and ends with a punctuation mark that was shocking in its day. LaBute's movie attempts to shock, as well, and does: Given the names involved and the casting of Cage, it is shockingly bad.
Part of the original's effectiveness derived from the main character, whose strong religious convictions were ultimately used against him in the most sinister of ways, a dimension the new film is sorely lacking.
Nearly all of what made the 1973 film such an unforgettable cinematic experience is lost in translation.
Cage lumbers around in full-on shouty mode and his character is never particularly likeable ... whilst decent actresses like Frances Conroy and Ellen Burstyn are given very little to do beyond trying to keep a straight face.
Neil LaBute’s utterly misconceived remake of Robin Hardy’s 1973 cult horror film is a boring, fright-free catastrophe.
The blatancy of the outcome siphons any intended suspense, already padded by an overbearingly atmospheric score.
I've seen many ill-advised horror remakes in my time. The Wicker Man may be the worst ever.
This film falls into the 'good wierd' catagory-even if you don't care for it, you will love telling people about it.
A castration-anxiety companion piece to 'The Da Vinci Code,' only this time the 'suppression of the female' is responsible for a murderous island cult of goddess-worshipping honey harvesters...
Neil LaBute's remake is a disastrous miscalculation, shucking religion completely and instead fashioning the tale as a battle between upstanding male dominance and wicked feminist doctrine.
Let's just say that sometimes the best-laid plans of mice and men -- and movie-makers -- go up in smoke.
So hilarious it's entertaining, "The Wicker Man" is fairly aflame with ridiculous moments.
The Wicker Man occupies some silly, nebulous middle ground between mystery and horror.
...doesn't much bother with such niceties as a credible creed or an internally consistent plot.
I may be alone in this -- and you'll have to give it the benefit of a lot of doubt -- but I thought it was interesting.
Despite retaining significant chunks of Shaffer's dialogue to go along with the basic story structure, LaBute has transformed the eerie, disturbing psychological thriller into an unintentional comedy.
The plot is nonsensical but the cast and Edenic setting is worth a look.
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