When this film hit the cinema I decided I didn’t want to see it because of the poor trailer. When the movie cam out on video I wasn’t going to waste £3.50 renting it out for the night. Then it appeared on Sky Moviemax….I should have avoided it.
Let’s get something straight though…I like the Horror genre, I’ve watch all sorts of horror movies, including teen slasher flicks, creature features, and gore fests. I loved the Scream Trilogy and thought the Blair Witch Project was superb (ooerr controversial!).
I also appreciate films with good acting and that isn’t something that’s mutually exclusive of my like of horror movies. Believe it or not, some horror films DO have good acting. See Event Horizon, The Omen, Scream, Day of the Dead…OK maybe not Day of the Dead.
This should go towards explaining why Cherry Falls was a disappointment.
QUICK PLOT OVERVIEW - Person killing teenagers - Mystery over the killers identity - Gruesome murders - Town Sheriff investigates - Teenagers have a party
Sounds familiar?
OK, let’s elaborate and add some things that are exclusive to Cherry Falls:
- Person killing VIRGIN teenagers - Mystery over the killer’s identity – IS IT A MAN OR A WOMEN (actually there isn’t really any mystery, it’s bloody obvious!) - Gruesome murders (ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE GORE HAS BEEN CUT TO GIVE THE MOVIE A 15 RATING) - Town Sheriff investigates (THE TOWN SHERRIF IS NON OTHER THAN MICHAEL BIEHN .. MORE TO FOLLOW) - Teenagers have a party (TO LOOSE THEIR VIRGINITY AND HENCE NOT GET MURDERED!)
I really wanted this film to be good since it featured Michael Biehn who has appeared in some of my favourite movies (Aliens, Terminator, The Abyss). But his performance in CF is pretty poor. Saying that, it’s actually the best performance from the whole cast that consists of many unknowns.
There appears to be a little confusion as to whether the film was meant to be a true horror, a spoof or a dark comedy. The title of the movie clearly plays on the nature of the murder, and the idea of a teenage orgy when multiple killings are taking place suggests it’s a very dark kind of humour.
The real problem with the movie really does stem from the poor direction and poor acting since they are barriers to the communication of the story. Yes that’s right the attempted acting actually gets in the way of the film.
SO IS IT MEANT TO BE A FRIGHTENING HORROR FILM?
I can’t see why. There is no tension in the murder scenes, most of the gore has been cut so there’s nothing to make the viewer squirm, and since all the characters are irritating as hell you have no compassion for the victims.
IS THERE ANYTHING GOOD ABOUT THE MOVIE?
I’ll have to get back to you on that one…
SO WHO IS TO BLAME? According to IMDB the movie was directed by Geoffrey Wright who also produced the classic Romper Stomper … it doesn’t make sense.
WHAT TO DO WITH THIS MOVIE
Avoid…even if it is 2am on a Wednesday night and you can’t get to sleep.
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Cherry Falls, the eponymous small town inCherry Falls, has some dirty secrets--secrets ... more
that come to light when a psychotic killer starts killing teenagers. But the killer has an unusual criterion: only virgins are marked for death.Cherry Fallsis a stri...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Cherry Falls, the eponymous small town inCherry Falls, has some dirty secrets--secrets ... more
that come to light when a psychotic killer starts killing teenagers. But the killer has an unusual criterion: only virgins are marked for death.Cherry Fallsis a stri...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Temporarily out of stock. Order now and we'll deliver when available. We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon...
Cherry Falls is a quiet little town - until the night that a serial killer begins preying ... more
on its youth. After a third teen is found slain the killer's modus operandi emerges: the victims were all virgins. Sheriff Marken (Michael Biehn) is concerned f...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Cherry Falls is a quiet little town - until the night that a serial killer begins preying ... more
on its youth. After a third teen is found slain, the killer's modus operandi emerges: the victims were all virgins. Sheriff Marken (Michael Biehn), is concerned f...
Advantages: Quite amusing in places - unintentionally of course! Disadvantages: Takes itself too seriously, nothing to make it stand out from any other teen horror.
Pumpkin 05.05.2001 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Cherry Falls (DVD)
![Cherry Falls [DVD] [2000]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78549016.jpg "Cherry Falls [DVD] [2000]")
May 23rd, 2002
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