In a twist on the slasher formula, a demented killer stalks the town of Cherry Falls, killing virgins.
Subgenres: teenage, slasher
Director: Geoffrey Wright
Writer: Ken Selden
Starring: Brittany Murphy, Michael Biehn
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I never thought I'd see a combination of a slasher movie and a teenage sex romp. Not one that worked, anyway. About Cherry Falls, though, I know I can say this: Any movie that starts with a visceral murder and ends with a police-sanctioned orgy is worth a couple of hours of my time. That simplifies Cherry Falls's appeal, though. Without a trace of heavy-handedness, it not only deconstructs the slasher genre but also slips satirical jabs at suburban life into the plot. For instance, why does one potential victim answer the front door, only to find the killer waiting for her? A lesser movie would have us merely think that the victim is stupid, but Cherry Falls writer Ken Selden gets around this clichéd plot device by making a slight change: he has killer introduce him/herself. It's a subtle distinction, but an important one: by introducing him/herself, the killer plays into the implied familiarity and ingrained politeness that typify middle-class suburban life. By playing by some of the unspoken rules of suburbia, the killer makes his potential victims trap themselves. The movie is filled with little touches like that; the filmmakers are bright enough to play every scene seriously and let most of the humor bring itself out. The music, set design, and cinematography, which are all low-key to varying degrees, play up the horror aspects of the film and let the talented cast correctly play the script seriously. When one character asks her father, "Are you disappointed that I'm still a virgin?," I was screaming with laughter--an effect I'm sure director Geoffrey Wright and writer Ken Selden intended--and part of it was because the joke wasn't forced upon me. The actors are also up to the task of the film--Brittany Murphy is a good horror heroine, capable in the way that a normal teenage girl would be, neither going on the attack nor constantly cowering. Michael Biehn does the stern-big-brother thing he does so well, but isn't afraid to let himself soften a little, and Jay Mohr does a great take on the idea of a new-age, sensitive teacher. The identity of the killer is perhaps a bit too easy to reason out, but the movie still drops a few red herrings along the way, just enough to keep you guessing a bit. (May 24, 2001) | ||||||
Several scenes of violence and sex were reportedly cut from the film in order for it to receive an R rating from the MPAA.
