2hotFeature
one of my absolute favorites!
Hayden Kane
There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes
Roxie
The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;
FlashCallahan
When Los Angeles attorney Jeff Mills and his friend Derek rescue Miranda Reed from an abusive boyfriend, the trouble starts. Miranda has no home so Jeff offers her to stay at his house. Jeff becomes involved with Miranda and the mystery that surrounds her. But as the two become closer, Jeff learns that Miranda is on the run from a witches' coven.The coven wants Miranda as a sacrifice at the winter solstice. She must come to them of her own free will, and the coven try to force her into doing so, using sorcery to taunt the two of them. Miranda tells Jeff, but not the entire truth, and Jeff helps Miranda out of her troubles, but in doing so creates his own........From the trailers and the one sheet, I was expecting nothing more than a romance with a mild thriller/horror element to it. And for the most part of the film, that's exactly what it is, apart from two really random scenes involving a cut price Hugo Weaving running about like he needs the toilet before his head combusts, and a random scene in a lawyers office where an old woman goes nuts.They are certainly out of place in this film, but then the film really turns on its head in the last fifteen minutes, and it really makes the film worth watching, despite some really glaring plot holes.The cast are fine, we are given red herrings galore, and the chief bad guy looks like a cross between a really elaborate over the top Las Vegas Magician, and a catwalk Highlander, so that quenches any thirst you have for your eighties fix.Present as usual is perfectly fine as the apparently innocent Miranda, which makes the final fifteen all the more satisfying.The makers have obviously homaged The Wicker Man in essence, but that's not a bad thing if it's done right, and the final shot ends the film perfectly.Well worth seeking out..
clanciai
Every time I see this film I am amazed at its fantastic efficiency. First of all, it's a brilliant script, a very good story, which in spite of its supernatural elements sticks to logic all the way, unlike for instance "Rosemary's Baby", which lacks in realism and credibility, although more professionally made. For me this is the best of all occult films I have seen, especially for its dramatic structure, culminating in a climax which leaves you in a state of maximum impression and shock. Although basic story-telling, this is no uncomplicated story, and one of the most interesting ingredients is the Japanese police lieutenant, the only who vaguely guesses at what is going on but is realistic enough to be aware that he can do nothing about it - while he leaves you with the suspicion that he certainly will go on with his investigation. The main triumph of the film, though, is Tim Daly as the successful lawyer in the beginning of his career, he is the most promising young man with everything good to expect of life, and he finds this irresistibly beautiful woman in a distress which he simply can't dismiss, and the characterization of his case is absolutely convincing all the way, affected by the blindness of love, can't suspect anything evil about her, (she is actually nothing more than just pretty and has even healing powers,) and only gradually her complication steals into his life, catching him in a trap which he can't understand and therefore can't get out of, which is why he does everything wrong. Instead of reasonably trying to cope with the situation by analysis, he makes things worse, getting angry, losing control, and so on. It's a traumatic cul-de-sac of a nightmare situation of no return, he is just an ordinary brilliant man, and this could happen to anyone like him. Sometimes he even reminds of James Mason in this hopeless case of a romantic tragedy.To this comes the very intriguing circumstances and complications of this affair of extreme occultism. Could it actually happen? Satanists do exist, and no one really knows about their activities, since their society is covered in mystery as the most secret of all. That is why this is an important film in its effort to unveil something of this enigma. The Japanese police lieutenant is perfectly aware of how dangerous this kind of coven could be, his coldness is chilling and almost forbidding, but it's realistic. This is a film to wonder at while at the same it has the amazing faculty of each time you see it being like a new adventure.None of the names in it, like Janet Greek (director), Tracy Tormé (writer), Timothy Daly (the star) or Kelly Preston (the marvelously beautiful Miranda as femme fatale to the extreme) I have seen in any other production. Perhaps this is a unique film for them all - and it's definitely unique of its kind.
Bizandplez
I watched the first hour of this thing and I thought the guy had to be the most doubting Thomas I had ever seen, bordering on retarded. I started thinking it was going to have a disappointing ending like that Nicholas Cage movie about him on the Witch Island in Washington and like Blaire Witch did. Turned the channel and came here to figure out what was going to happen. One guy wrote not to expect a nice ending out of this thing and thanks for that as I hate evil endings.I think IMDb ought to have some sort of rating system for films so a person could figure out if Good wins over evil or some other counter culture thing happens.
trashgang
A long time ago, more then 15 years I guess a friend of mine gave me a VHS with this movie on it. I was stunned. This movie really got me, in fact I started to search a decent version of the movie but I failed. No where I could find it. Then the internet appeared and again I searched for it, no luck in the states until some Australian send me an official version on a sub label of MGM. The circle was round, I had my copy. For me this movie is full of surprises and plot changes. It starts off with a guy making trouble with a girl, of course someone is helping the girl and from there on it starts going. The filming and the acting is excellent, it is strange when I'm talking to a lot of geeks out there that only 5% knows this movie. It isn't gory but the blood flows. And it has suspense and some creepy scene's. Even those bootleg sellers doesn't have copies of this underrated flick. And Kelly Preston stars in this movie, as did Tim Daly. But at the end of the day all I would say, get yourself a copy, only available in Australia.
