Wishmaster
Director – Robert Kurtzman (The Rage, Buried Alive)
Starring – Tammy Lauren (The Drew Carey Show, Home Improvement), Andrew Divoff (Night of the Living Dead 3D: Re-Animation, The Dead Matter), and Robert Englund (A Nightmare on Elm St., Strippers vs. Werewolves)
Release Date – 1997
Rating – 3/5
Tagline – “Be careful what you wish for”
The 90s are often panned by horror fans. Most believe that horror films from the 80s are far superior to films from the 90s. This is something I agree and disagree with. In general I typically like more movies from the 80s than any other decade but completely writing off the 90s as a shit decade is stupid and something I was once guilty of myself. The 90s should not be pushed to the side because it was the decade to release some great films.
We have Savini’s remake of Night of the Living Dead, From Dusk Till Dawn, The Frighteners, Dead Alive, Army of Darkness, The Blair Witch Project, The People Under the Stairs and so many more. One film that I remember was popular in horror forums back in the days before Facebook was the 1997 Robert Kurtzman film Wishmaster starring Andrew Divoff. I watched this film and the sequel when I was in college and remember liking it somewhat. Not long ago Vestron Video release all four Wishmaster films in one set and they were kind enough to send one my way. Thanks guys!
**Spoiler Alert**The film follows Alexandra (Lauren) who works as an appraiser for a jeweler when someone brings in a rare gem. When she starts appraising it she accidentally unleashes an evil djinn who must grant her three wishes to obtain her soul. He tricks her into making three wishes but when she refuses to make the third he starts attacking family and friends forcing her to take action and stop him before everyone she knows and loves is destroyed.**Spoiler Alert**
Wishmaster is one of those films that has a lot going for it and delivers on the gore but the overall film is rather boring and lackluster. The film is directed by Robert Kurtzman who is the K in KNB Effects so he knows his away around horror but the film still suffers from several stale scenes that tries the viewer’s patience.
The acting in those has always disappointed me. Tammy Lauren is a great actress but her character is very weak for the most and she seems like she doesn’t know how to deal it. She feels awkward and out of place for most of film which makes several scenes lose it’s impact. Andrew Divoff is great as the sophisticated and intelligent djinn. He was perfectly cast in this role but I feel as if his character was not given room to shine or his personality to flourish. His character could have been so much bigger than what it was. The supporting cast is decent but they feel forced and several scenes sound as if they were dubbed later on and the voice actor makes no attempt at capturing the emotions portrayed on screen.
The story for this one is one we had seen several times throughout the 80s and 90s before Wishmaster. I can’t count how many films follows an ancient creature being awakened by something breaking, being excavated, or unleashed by accident forcing someone to stop it before it kills everyone they love. The creature being a djinn does make it stand out and the mythology around it is very fun to follow and has endless possibilities. The story does suffer from horrible pacing as well. Some of the scene drags on for far too long. The overall appearance of the film is not put in jeopardy by this but there will be times where you catch yourself distracted.
Finally, this wouldn’t have been a Kurtzman film if it didn’t bring the amazing special effects. The film has several amazing on screen kills that use top notch effects. Kurtzman is a well known name among horror fans for his genius practical effects so fans expected a lot from him in this film in which he delivers. The kills are very imaginative and the effects are fantastic. Sadly, some of the kills are visual effects and CGI which are very dated by this point and just horrible to look at. These should have been skipped completely. Overall, Wishmaster is a decent movie especially for a first time watch but this is one I can’t watch more than once every decade. It has it’s flaws but is still a solid watch.
Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies
Director – Jack Sholder (A Nightmare on Elm St. 2: Freddy’s Revenge, Alone in the Dark)
Starring – Holly Fields (Arrow, Celebrity Deathmatch), Chris Weber (Watchmen, Dangerous Minds), and Andrew Divoff (The Strain, The Dead Matter)
Release Date – 1999
Rating – 3/5
Tagline – “Evil has been summoned”
Sequels are such a touchy subject among horror fans. Horror fans want original content but refuse to actually pay for it. Indie filmmakers have been turning out original films for years but fans refuse to pay for it. They would rather flock by the hundreds to theaters to watch the latest sequel, remake, reboot, or trend before returning home and bitch about it online. Personally, I love indie films but I also enjoy sequels, remakes, and reboots of some of my favorite films. If you are open to the idea they can offer up some quality entertainment.
With that being said, sequels have a lot to live up to and have a lot resting on their shoulders. The first Wishmaster film had a lot of horror fans excited but ended slipping into mediocrity. How would the film’s sequel hold up especially after the original director and special effects master Robert Kutzman was no longer attached? Let’s find out.
**Spoiler Alert** This film follows professional thief Morgana (Fields) who is robbing a museum when the security opens fire on them killing everyone in her crew, including her boyfriend, and leaving only her alive to escape. She accidentally breaks one of the statues during the gunfight revealing a gemstone. When she grabs it she mistakenly releases the evil djinn (Divoff). Morgana has to partner with a priest that was once her love interest in order to stop the evil djinn before she loses everyone she loves and her own soul.**Spoiler Alert**
I may be in the minority with this series but out of the first two films I have to say that I like the second film just a little bit more than the first. The film still has its own problems but the CGI was not as noticeable as the first film and the kills were a lot more punny which is something I truly enjoy.
The acting in this one is not that great with the exception of Andrew Divoff. Holly Fields and the remainder of the cast is very over-dramatic and reminded me a lot of the leads in a high school play. They come off as full of themselves and the scenes lose impact because of it. However, Divoff was great and brought out even more character than we saw in the first film. He did a great job and made me fall even more in love with his djinn character.
The story for this one is almost identical to the first film. We follow a young girl who accidentally releases the evil djinn who watches their family and friends die before coming up with a quick and brilliant way to stop him from killing more and ensnaring their soul. Nothing new and almost makes this film feel stale when comparing it to the first film.
Finally, this film is full of on screen kills that are just as imaginative as the first film. What makes this one a little better in my eyes is that the use of CGI is not as abundant as the first film. The kills we get are brutal and work perfectly with the story. They demonstrate some amazing practical effects that should make any horror fiend happy. Overall, Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies is a solid follow up to Wishmaster. The story is virtually the same but the kills do stand out. Fans of blood and gore should really check it out!
Wishmaster 3:Beyond the Gates of Hell
Director – Chris Angel (The Fear: Resurrection, Dexter: Season One – Witnessed in Blood)
Starring – Jason Connery (Brotherhood of Blood, Alone in the Dark II), A. J. Cook (Dead Like Me, Final Destination 2), and Tobias Mehler (Disturbing Behavior, Carrie)
Release Date – 2001
Rating – 2.5/5
Tagline – “Evil feeds off your wishes”
Now we are getting into trilogy territory. There are a lot of great trilogies out there. You have the Maniac Cop trilogy, Basket Case trilogy, Slumber Party Massacre trilogy, and so many more. So many great films find themselves becoming a trilogy but the third film in a serious tends to be the worst. Hell, even the classic Day of the Dead was panned upon release before finding a cult following. I had never seen the third Wishmaster film nor did I really have interest in it. The first two films are decent at best and when I saw Andrew Divoff was not involved I knew I would not be a fan. Divoff is what made the first two films enjoyable. I still tried to be open-minded but the film still very much let me down.
**Spoiler Alert**The film follows college student Diana (Cook) who has been working closely with her college professor Dr. Joel Barash (Connery). She accidentally awakens the evil djinn who wants her to make her three wishes so he can free all the other djinns from their hellish dimension. He starts a bloody campaign across campus to get to Diana. She partners with Greg Janson and the pair try to stop the djinn at all costs and even summon the archangel Michael to inhabit Greg’s body to do so.**Spoiler Alert**
I’m going to be completely honest and say I had very low expectations for this film. I’m usually open to most sequels but not having Divoff really turned me off to the film. He was great as the djinn and brought a lot of charisma and character to the film. Without it, the story alone was enough to sink the ship.
The acting in this one is not the best. The cast has a lot of on screen talent but they have a hard time not overreacting. They, once again, feel like stage actors on Broadway which makes for a very awkward film experience. The biggest disappointment is Jason Connery. He’s not a bad actor, not at all, but he is a very flat customer that is one dimensional. He doesn’t come across as a threat and he doesn’t steal the show like Divoff. This was very poor casting.
The story for this one is exactly the same as the first two films. We once again follow a young woman who accidentally awakens the djinn who starts killing family and friends to get to her to make her third wish. The only difference is that this one is set on a college campus. This film lacks originality from the characters down to the kills. The story is the same and after watching all three films back to back you will find yourself not interested at all.
Finally, the film has several kills scenes that are not as clever or as entertaining as the first two films. The kills use great practical effects but are just as boring as the film itself. Overall, Wishmaster 3: Beyond the Gates of Hell is very lackluster. The film uses the same formula as the first two in the series and makes very minor changes. The kills are just as boring making one film that is very forgettable.
Wishmaster 4: The Prophecy Fulfilled
Director – Chris Angel (The Fear: Resurrection, Halloween in New Orleans)
Starring – Tara Spencer-Nairn (The Strain, The Wonderful World of Disney), Michael Trucco (How I Met Your Mother, Eyes of Terror), and Jason Thompson (Undressed, Circle)
Release Date – 2002
Rating – 3/5
Tagline – “Leave no soul unturned”
Finally, winding down my trip through the Wishmaster series. After the dud that was Wishmaster 3 I could only imagine how bad Wishmaster 4 would be. With the same director and same actor portraying the djinn I only imagined this film would put me to sleep…but I was wrong. Wishmaster 4 had the same director but they had quickly learned what was wrong with the last film and fixed it the best they could. The movie was nowhere near the drowsfest the previous film was. In fact, it was actually somewhat entertaining.
**Spoiler Alert**The film follows Lisa (Spencer-Nairn) who is working with a lawyer to help reach a settlement for her boyfriend who was in a horrible accident and lost the use of his legs. She gets close to the lawyer and he buys her a gift from online. What they did not expect was that the gift to be the home of an evil djinn that Lisa accidentally awakens. He kills the lawyer and takes his image before taking the souls of everyone close to Lisa before she accidentally makes two wishes. She creates a paradox when she wishes that she could love him. Love is something that only she can do so the djinn must win her over before he can release the other djinn from their dimension.**Spoiler Alert**
I went into this one with a few beers ready and an energy drink on hand incase the movie started to put me to sleep. However, this one really surprised me. It does not surpass the first two films but it is a hell of a lot better than part three…which doesn’t take much.
The acting in this one is about the same as the last film. The cast feels like they put very little effort into their performance and the character look and feel like they were originally written for a day time soap. Once again the djinn is a flat character that does not deliver on the charisma that Divoff started the franchise off with.
The story for this one is 90% of the same as the other films but the paradox at the end really made this one interesting. Doesn’t make it that original but does make it stand out from the third film.
Finally, the film once again hits the viewer with forgettable kills which is crazy considering that the film series was created by one of the greatest practical effects artists of our time. The practical effects we get are great but the kills do not stand out at all. Overall, Wishmaster 4: The Prophecy Fulfilled is a step above part three but the series has definitely ran it’s course by this point. The series finishes on a positive note but the series should have truly ended with part 2.
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