House Of Wax Review
by Steve Rhodes (Steve DOT Rhodes AT InternetReviews DOT com)May 28th, 2005
HOUSE OF WAX
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2005 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): * 1/2
The HOUSE OF WAX is a by-the-numbers horror movie whose only cute idea -- that living people are made into dead statues by using hot wax -- is lifted directly from the original Vincent Price film, upon which this version is loosely based. The acting is so generic and dead that they might as well have poured hot wax on all the characters in the first scene. Of course, if you go into it ready to scream, as our audience did, you might like the ersatz frights it provides. The film is filled with the standard, "don't go there" moments and generally stupid behavior by a bunch of young adults who have clearly never watched a horror movie themselves and thereby learned what actions to avoid. The camera telegraphs every "scary" moment with such clumsy obviousness that they might as well have honked a horn every time something bad is about to happen. This film doesn't deserve more than one paragraph review, given its lack of creative energy. The actors, including Chad Michael Murray, Brian Van Holt and Paris Hilton, just phone in their parts. Only Elisha Cuthbert ("24") sporadically attempts to display some genuine fright. She is also the only actor whose talents are above this piece of schlock.
HOUSE OF WAX runs way too long at 1:56. It is rated R for "horror violence, some sexual content and language" and would be acceptable for older teenagers
The film opens nationwide in the United States on Friday, May 6, 2005. In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the AMC theaters, the Century theaters and the Camera Cinemas.
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Originally posted in the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup. Copyright belongs to original author unless otherwise stated. We take no responsibilities nor do we endorse the contents of this review.
