 'The Wicker Man'
(Nicolas Cage, Ellen Burstyn, Leelee Sobieski, Frances Conroy, Kate Beahan, et al / R / 87 mins / Universal)
Overview: In Neil LaBute's remake of the 1973 horror classic, Nicolas Cage stars as a sheriff investigating a young girl's disappearance from an isolated, mysterious island off the coast of Maine. As he digs deeper and uncovers evidence of disturbing pagan rituals, he realizes there's something very strange about the local community.
Verdict: If you didn't already know, 'The Wicker Man' is a remake of the 1974 horror film. And it was a really cool horror film, about a missing child and mysterious cult-like goings-on. I won't spoil any of it for you. Just go watch the original and skip this stupid, unnecessary update! A lousy thriller but a damn good accidental comedy, 'Wicker Man' (2006) fails to bring enough to the table to fully distance itself from the original in so many ways. Producing scenes with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer, this new version (update, therein) is a muddy, methodical slog, with a so-called 'surprise ending' that is anything but!
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