An Entomologist's Wet Dream

Ok, this is my first real post for the blog. I know I've done a couple of trailer reviews before, but that's while I was testing the waters, setting myself straight (even though it took me 8 months to do it). Anyway, so this is my first remarkable post of the new blog, on this quite unremarkable looking movie.

Actually maybe that's a little unfair. The Reaping from Warner Bros. Pictures and Dark Caste and directed by Stephen Hopkins (eh?), follows a paranormal investigator played by Hilary Swank through some remote American hick town that appears to be experiencing the ten Biblical plagues.
Now, when I first learned about the movie, I immediately couldn't give a shit about it. The trailer has been out for quite some time, I just haven't been bothered to watch it. I had absolutely no faith in it. Again, it's from Warner Bros., who just may be experiencing the worst string of consecutive flops in the history of major studio lineups, which is a considerably bad omen to the film. And as much as I like Hilary Swank, this reeked of 'post-Oscar-defining-woman-role' to me. And in a way, I guess it is.

That being said, it was all pre-conception and assumption. Upon finally viewing the trailer, it looks far far far far greater than my expectations had served me, but it still looks like a rubbish supernatural horror.

There's far too many problems included that have become such a cliche in movies these days. Like what the hell is a woman that is as stunning as Swank doing kneeling in reddened bayous and investigating maggots and discovering the anti-Christ? There's something off about the whole production. But in saying that, I'm not denying this movie has a scene, which is included in the trailer, that I absolutely love. That's right, Wave'o'Locusts!


Old Hilary is sleuthing away in some cruddy old shack, and suddenly, the windows are bombarded with huge amount of.... of... something! What could it be? She opens the door, and we see what she sees. Every visible surface completely covered in locusts. It's a totally cool scene, not exactly freaky, but cool. Then she like, walks out into the locust army for some reason. Needless to say, she gets swarmed. As do some other randoms.
Definately the highlight.

Am I looking forward to this movie? No, not really. She'll either find her faith at the end, which would just be a drag, or she'll really discover there IS a scientific explanation for raining frogs, which would just be pitifully stupid. But then again, believability is only one factor. And even a ridiculous premise such as this can open the gates to really nice eye-candy, like fat old people with horrendous sores all over them, and the aforementioned locust storm. Coming off Warner's abysmal year, it may or may not suffer from the box office shits, but I don't have huge hopes of this making a splash. Look out for it's April 6th US release date in 2007.

The Reaping - Warner Bros. Pictures and Dark Castle Entertainment
Anticipation Rating: Mild
Look out for - Um, the locusts, obv!
Trailer Source