THE FORSAKEN
A Screen Gems release 

review by Joseph B. Mauceri

SYNOPSIS: Young film dude is driving a "fly" convertible from L.A. to Florida so he can attend his sister's wedding. Things get tight along the way and he breaks the "golden rule" - he picks up a hitchhiker. From there it is all downhill. The passenger is a vampire hunter, who recounts his woes and the tale of the Forsaken. Along the way they pick a girl who was bitten and that's when all hell breaks loose. Now Sean must follow the hunter and help him kill the source of the vampirism before he turns. Oh, and they can only kill the Forsaken on Hallow ground = cemeteries.

REVIEW: Director/Screenwriter J.S. Cardone can direct, and he can write, as evident in this monologue Nick gives:

"The generation before us traded their innocence for two hundred digitally enhanced satellite stations and it's been downhill ever since. They had Mickey Mouse, "Easy Rider" an' "The Beatles." We got "South Park," "The Blair Bitch," an Ricky Martin. They had "Be Here Now," an' we got "Shit Happens." If that doesn't put things in persoective I don't know what does. We're just Microsoft Neanderthals addicted to surfin' netland an' still shittin' in our own nests. Every time I think about givin' a rat's ass I picture Monica makin' millions from suckin' Bill's little red rooster an' it rockets me right back to reality. . ."

And so Sean is the happy go lucky film dude and Nick is the pessimistic vampire hunter just lookn' to break even. Cardone's story is fine, in fact his origin story for his vampires is inventive, if not simply a sequel device. In fact, I was hopping there might have been some type of flashback to accompany the narrative. However, not on this budget. THE FORSAKEN has that "Roger Corman School" feel to it. Cardone takes his meager budget and pulls out as many bangs as he can get for his buck. That does present a slight problem as there are plenty of bangs and few special effects. His vampires are fangless, but I seem to recall the Forsaken having nasty looking finger nails. There is an interesting snake scene, and one vampire gets her head blown off. Hey, even the vampires explode in this flick. One gets tossed into the sun, and with the aid of a little digital magic, goes off like a roman candle that climaxes in a big bang. The rest of the time it is car chases, gun fights and explosions. Cardone cuts together a stylish opening sequence, and then comes up with some creepy stuff when the vampires are partying in the room next door to Sean. Given a few more bucks I think Cardone could have delivered a more impressive film.

Casting wise, if you don't watch the WB network, "teen" shows like "Roswell" or "Dawson's Creek, you probably won't recognize the players. Regardless, this cast has the hustle and muscle to deliver an entertaining endeavor. Brendan Fehr, an aspiring young actor who broke out of the small screen in "Disturbing Behavior," and Kerr Smith, who we last saw in "Final Destination," are fine as an likely duo caught up in a nightmare. While Jonathon Schaech has the screen presence to not simply play a villain, but a vampire, Izabella Miko, who made her American film debut in "Coyote Ugly," has to give a mostly physical performance as she only has lines in the third act. The rest of the cast is fine, but, unfortunately, unmemorable as they are simply there to die.

The real charm of THE FORSAKEN is that it is the type of film drive-ins where made for. Given today's gas prices, not to mention ticket prices, what could become a "cult" movie might quickly fade into obscurity due to lack of audience participation. Adding to the film's demise is the limited and late promotion of the film, which might not get the word out to those, like myself, who can enjoy the efforts of a talented filmmaker and a young cast.

OFFICIAL WEB SITE:
http://www.spe.sony.com/movies/forsaken

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