I've been curious about this film for a long time. I've read so many bad reviews about it. People don't say it's "so bad that it's good", just bad. It's held up as an example of a remake that is far behind the original in quality. However, I have the (dis)advantage that I've never seen the original, so I could watch it without bias. And guess what? I enjoyed it.
The opening scenes immediately drew me in with their atmosphere of peace and tranquillity. Nicolas Cage is convincing as a policeman with an agenda. He also seems to have too high an opinion of himself. He's a traffic cop who thinks of himself as a detective. On the island he tries to bluff his way through, claiming that he's on official police business, although he's only doing an ex-girlfriend a favour while he's off work sick.
It's not perfect as a film. The accident at the beginning points to a supernatural element that isn't present in the later development of the film. I don't mind a director throwing in "red herrings", but the accident doesn't make sense in the context of the film. I also fail to see why the pilot was murdered after he had obviously done what was expected of him.
I intend to go back and watch the original version. Maybe it's better. I'll let you know. But I do think that the remake is worth watching in its own right, and it's unfair to put it in the runnings for the worst film of all time.
The original is creepy. I felt creeped out by the cop (Edward Woodward), not the Earl and his people. And the fact that the cop was a super righteous uptight Christian just added to the cool ending, which I didn't see coming at all,even though I am a little bit familiar with the film. Britt Eckland's succubus nude dance scene on the other side of the hotel wall was primally erotic (to me anyway). Is that island real? I thought everything up in that part of the world was wet, cold and barren. Maybe the gulf stream does it? I haven't watched the remake with the crazy Cage guy, although I do like him as an actor. He was great in that movie where he plays a guy who dresses like Elvis and is always in and out of jail.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to watch the original of "The Wicker Man" soon. Everyone says it's better than the remake. I'll let you know what I think. Keep reading my blog.
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