Reviews

I rented the so-called "Director's Cut" version from Blockbuster.com and not only are the hardcore sex scenes cut out, but they also cut out all the NON-sex scenes that show Margo nude below the waist. What type of director would cut that stuff out? Oh, and while they did keep the masturbation scene they superimposed a bright light over her crotch as if the intense sunlight is shining through the bedroom window, so you can barely see what she is doing. So irritating! BTW, besides the sex and nudity, this is one BORING movie. It's like a badly-made concert film with sex scenes edited in between songs.

JK

I almost skipped this DVD after seeing the TV commercials because I thought it was just another cheap Exorcist rip-off. But it is something totally different. It's MUCH better than that.

It IS VERY creepy, but it isn't a horror film. It's a fascinating psychological study combined with a tense and moving courtroom drama.

And if that fact keeps you from seeing this film, then it's YOUR loss. But I really enjoyed it.

The stupid TV commercials for the "Unrated" version are misleading because they try to set this up as a gory, supernatural movie. They even have a quick clip where Emily Rose has glowing eyes -- but that isn't even in the film!! In fact, there are very few special makeup effects or CGI -- which is good. Cheesy effects like that would have taken away from the real story.

The scenes of Emily's possession are both frightening and heart wrenching, but it's all because of the incredible Jennifer Carpenter who plays Emily. Her intense acting and her amazing ability to contort her face into masks of sheer pain and terror make you feel like she is actually being tormented by demons -- or she is merely suffering from a psychological breakdown. That's just it, you NEVER know which.

BTW, the "Unrated" versions is misleading, too. It's just a crappy marketing move by the studios. There is no blood, gore or nudity. In fact, I don't think they even used profanity. Guess the studios didn't have the guts to let this film stand on its own merits.

But, if YOU are looking for a well acted, well written and well directed movie experience, then rent this DVD.

But if you are just looking for another run-of-the-mill gore fest, then go rent one of the cheap, low-budget slasher flicks littering the Blockbuster shelves instead. Like I said, it's your loss.

JK

I rented this DVD with the hope of seeing an incredibly scary film. As usual, the film did not live up to the hype. I LOVE movies dealing with the horrors of biological weapons, but this one was so weak it hurts.

This film BORED me to death. It's a series of cliche, predictable zombie/end-of-the-world scenes stolen from several other films. A complete WASTE of time.

The first half of the film (stolen from "Resident Evil", "Dawn of the Dead", etc., etc., etc.) consists of a cast of dull, irritating characters wandering aorund the city staring into space. Then, every once in a while some "infected" people would chase them. And NONE of the infected people are scary -- or even mildly frightening. They're just a bunch of slobbering, prancing, red-eyed psychotics who are easily dispatched.

Been there. Done that. Thank you very much.

The second half of the film (stolen from "Day of the Dead") is just plain stupid. You knew the MOMENT the main characters arrived at the military installation that the soldiers were going to try and rape the women. They might as well have worn signs around their necks. You also knew the main guy (I don't even remember his name because I didn't care) was going to stop the soldiers by releasing the infected soldier chained up in back.

And the ending was the worst of all! It's a sugar-coated finale that doesn't even fit the mood of the rest of the film. It's obvious they tested the film with audiences and some idiots in the studio marketing department forced them to tack on a "happy ending".

PLEASE! Save me from "happy endings".

Take a look at the alternative endings in on the DVD. The one where the main guy dies in the hospital and the two women walk off down the hall is exactly where it should have ended. Better yet, they should have filmed the proposed third alternative ending that eliminates the idotic solder story line all together.

Actually, they should have just saved their time and money and NOT made this film at all.

I see that Danny Boyle, the director, passed on making "Alien 4". Thank God for that!

JK