WISHMASTER
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Sound formats: Dolby Digital / DTS / SDDS
Aimed directly at the 'Fangoria' crowd, though not much fun for anyone else, WISHMASTER is 'presented' by executive producer Wes Craven and directed by makeup maestro Robert Kurtzman, so it's no surprise the movie emphasizes makeup and visual effects at the expense of plot and characterization. The story revolves around an ancient djinn (Andrew Divoff), trapped in an emerald for centuries and accidentally released in modern day America, whereupon it takes human form and grants various characters a series of 'wishes', all of which backfire in gruesome fashion (and I *do* mean gruesome!). For no discernible reason, the monster targets gem specialist Tammy Lauren whose three wishes can release the djinn's evil minions from the Other Side. Naturally, she resists...
Stuffed full of 'Fangoria'-friendly cameos (Robert Englund, Tony Todd, Kane Hodder, Ted Raimi, Reggie Bannister, Angus Scrimm, etc.) and visual references to earlier, better pictures (HELLRAISER, THE THING, countless others), the movie has the same kind of bland, homogenized script and production design which afflicts many similar movies from the same period, and the results couldn't be less appealing. Content to showcase a series of grisly set-pieces - most of which, admittedly, are ingeniously designed and presented - the movie hasn't an ounce of depth. Lauren carries the picture with her gutsy performance as the imperilled heroine, and Kurtzman orchestrates the mayhem with enough flash-bang-wallop to hide the scenario's shortcomings, but the story is worthless, despite a smart climactic twist. Three sequels followed - beginning with WISHMASTER 2: EVIL NEVER DIES (1999) - all of which debuted on home video.
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Sound formats: Dolby Digital / DTS / SDDS
Aimed directly at the 'Fangoria' crowd, though not much fun for anyone else, WISHMASTER is 'presented' by executive producer Wes Craven and directed by makeup maestro Robert Kurtzman, so it's no surprise the movie emphasizes makeup and visual effects at the expense of plot and characterization. The story revolves around an ancient djinn (Andrew Divoff), trapped in an emerald for centuries and accidentally released in modern day America, whereupon it takes human form and grants various characters a series of 'wishes', all of which backfire in gruesome fashion (and I *do* mean gruesome!). For no discernible reason, the monster targets gem specialist Tammy Lauren whose three wishes can release the djinn's evil minions from the Other Side. Naturally, she resists...
Stuffed full of 'Fangoria'-friendly cameos (Robert Englund, Tony Todd, Kane Hodder, Ted Raimi, Reggie Bannister, Angus Scrimm, etc.) and visual references to earlier, better pictures (HELLRAISER, THE THING, countless others), the movie has the same kind of bland, homogenized script and production design which afflicts many similar movies from the same period, and the results couldn't be less appealing. Content to showcase a series of grisly set-pieces - most of which, admittedly, are ingeniously designed and presented - the movie hasn't an ounce of depth. Lauren carries the picture with her gutsy performance as the imperilled heroine, and Kurtzman orchestrates the mayhem with enough flash-bang-wallop to hide the scenario's shortcomings, but the story is worthless, despite a smart climactic twist. Three sequels followed - beginning with WISHMASTER 2: EVIL NEVER DIES (1999) - all of which debuted on home video.