It was my fault for not researching this movie and so got caught in a too-scary-for-me and slightly disturbing images that the wicker man offers. This well-told and excellently acted movie is not for everyone. I almost brought my mother-in-law. Silly me.

I should have known by the previews that we were in for a creepy one. Three out of the six previews were for movies like "Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the Beginning" and such fare. Those are not my style and I became concerned that this movie was of that same type.

Unfortunately, I was correct and I knew it after the first few notes of the opening score. The creepy "you are in for it" music started and although I knew I could handle it, I was pretty sure I wouldn’t like it, especially if there was any gore. Thankfully, we were spared blood and guts, and the story had a good plot that kept moving along nicely.

Nick Cage plays a cop who is witness to a terrible car accident where two people burn to death, yet the bodies can't be found. (ah.. the weirdness begins). He is so disturbed by this that he has some sort of post-traumatic stress where he begins hallucinating. He receives a letter from an old lover saying that she needs his help that her daughter is missing. She lives on an island off the pacific coast and could he please come. Of course, he goes and Willow, the mom, gives him sketchy details of what happened to her daughter. The island is populated by mainly females who are of an earthy culture, yet are very strange and not cooperative in his investigation to find out what happened to his daughter. You don’t know if she is dead, will be killed or if this is another hallucination of his. I fully expected him to wake from some of the scenes and find it wasn't real. Some of the awful things end up being real, others he wakes from. I won't say which because if creepy, torturous and sad is your thing, go see this movie for yourself.

The cast is mostly nobodies with Nick Cage and Ellen Burstyn being the only faces I recognize. I have to say Burstyn is shockingly beautiful especially for her age. Nick dyed his hair dark to go for a younger look but it works on him. Again, the acting was great and I had no problem with it.

If you like drama/mystery/creepy/horror.. have a great time at this one.


Recommended: No

Movie Mood: Scary Movie
Viewing Method: Other
Film Completeness: A few glitches, but mostly complete.
Worst Part of this Film: Ending