The Messengers 2 – The Scarecrow (2009/Sony DVD)
Picture: C Sound: C+ Extras: D Film: D
After the
overrated Pang Brother’s gave us The
Messengers (2007), you would think after it only did marginally well at
bets, that would be it, but thanks to the bottom line and squeezing out every
last penny from the lamest of ideas, the film has a sequel. For more on the original disaster, try this
link:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/5483/The+Messengers+(2007/Blu-ray
Where the
first film had so many crows that the only thing they did not ad was a Heckle
& Jeckle joke, The Messengers 2: The
Scarecrow (2009) offers a new couple and young son who move to the house
get to deal with a killer scarecrow.
Well, since it works for Batman
and The Wizard Of Oz, why not? Because it is a very bad idea that never
works and when the anthropomorphic bundle of hay and old clothes finally comes
to life, it is one of the most inane creature effects in a while.
The
people involved here were hired by the Ghost House Pictures Company (giving
Horror a very bad name) were involved
with the unfortunate U.S. version of The
Grudge and very unfortunate 30 Days
Of Night in a sequel that may have been intended for theaters, but hardly
opened. It is no mystery to see
why. Boring, boring, boring and the
climax is far from one. Add the child in
jeopardy desperation and you have one of the most unnecessary sequels in a
while and in the current sea of unnecessary sequels.
The 1080p
1.85 X 1 has been stylized for the worst, is too soft for its own good and has
been additionally manipulated in clichéd ways that work against it. The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix has some punchy
surrounds and sudden spikes in volume, but they are harsh and dialogue
recording is not great either. The
combination is weak. The only extras are
trailers for other (sometimes better) DVD and a writer/director commentary that
is pointless. The result is nothing to
crow about.
- Nicholas Sheffo
