The Wicked (2013)

   
Directed by: Peter Winther

Executive Producd & Written by: Michael Vickerman

Starring:

Devon Werkheiser .... Max
Nicole Forester .... Terri
Caitlin Carmichael .... Amanda
Justin Deeley .... Zach
Diana Hopper.... Sammy
Jackelyn Gauci .... Tracy
Jess Adams .... Julie
Jamie Kaler .... Deputy Karl
Chase Maser .... Carter
Cassie Keller .... Witch

Release Dates: Theatrical: March 12, 2013 (Denmark / Norway / Sweden); March 21, 2013 (Australia); April 23, 2013 (Netherlands); April 30, 2013 (USA)

 

 

Rating:

 

A frightened child named Amanda (Caitlin Carmichael) gets taken away from her bedroom by an immortal Witch (Cassie Keller) and is reported missing.
A group of teens decides to go to the deep dark woods on the legend of this witch to try and see if the legend will come true only to be terrorised by this evil force while the others try and rescue this little girl but two misfit kids named Max (Devon Werkheiser) and Terri (Nicole Forester) tries to find help yet the police don't believe them due to the past prank calls that Terri was responsible for.

 

There's a perfect beginning to this story as we have a nice moment with the parent not believing the child's story on a witch who happens to be little Amanda with her sobbing as this looked good and strong. It becomes even more powerful when some powerful evil magical moments starts to suck her away with wind blowing and perfect lighting effects making everything look truly disturbing with her frightened out of her head imagining your worst fears of ghosts or witches getting you with your childhood imagination here.
Then we have a nice setting of a small town with the locals cruising by as well as the mother putting up a missing ad for her daughter in which this was nicely put into the story here.
There's a bit of a stale discussion between two social misfits named Max and Terri having a discussion showing their different opinions on maturity and the other one wanting to cause trouble with prank calls which looked a bit pointless to watch since we are spotting two young junior highschool teenagers and not pre teens.
There's a corny moment with Max and Terri walking through a small town stopped by two redneck cops and being nasty to them with cheesy one liners adding some goofy dark comedy to the plot which kind of works okay but the scene looked a bit strange. Also a nice shot back with Terri telling one of them off threatening to show the police station on him smoking up and getting him fired which I loved that moment making you think it's good to get even with a bully and feed into their weakness.
There's a nice moment with a deputy searching in the woods and then spotting a bush shaking with some hissing sounds which seemed pretty spooky as well as a good fast shot on a slaughtering incident which adds a nice clever touch to a ghostly horror flick.
We also have a situation with Zach being mean towards Max and giving him threats not to tell his parents on where he's going with his friends which showed good typical sibling rivalry.
Some great focusing moments between both Max and Terri when they lie down and have a good serious conversation which seems to look different showing a good maturity within this also leaves an impression that they are about to kiss and fall in love as the setting is totally there looking good and natural.
Plus there's nice moments with Zach and his friends throwing rocks at a window of where the spirit of the Witch lies on and trying to goof around with the legend as well as nice close up shots on a shadow zooming past the broken window and the kids really getting wild about it all which looked like typical teenager getting into mischief. Also gives the film a nice spooky feel to it all.
There's a great still atmosphere between both Zach and his girlfriend Amanda on a pier near a lake in the misty night along with him hearing a hissing sound which is one of the best scene's here making everything look mysterious and creepy as well as his girlfirned flirting with him on going skinny dipping in the lake. This was perfectly drawn in.
Also good dark shots with both Max and Terri throwing rocks at the window and a nice special effects shot on a shadowy witch storming out of the house as well as great intense moments with Max talking on his camcorder that the legend is real and trying to give a warning which looked impressive here. Plus a good backshot on the Witch cornering them with her arms spread out and great shocked reactions on them.
Perfect moments on the gang finding toys from Rachel as well as Amanda insisting that they get help finding her there which there's good arguments on them getting in trouble as well as other powerful discussions going on.
Perfect shots on them going through the house searching for clues as well as nice narrow hallways and things like that. Plus a great setting on Rachel in a room sobbing with a pentagram filled with candles adding more great horror touches here.
Also this keeps you in suspense wondering if they will rescue this poor child in time without the Witch coming back in which they sneak away while she comes down the stairs.
Plus there's terrific chasing scene's in the tall dark woods which also looked creepy to watch as well as Amanda making sure that Rachel is quiet while the Witch is looking around and trying to find them. This also makes you watch carefully wondering if they will succeed by not being found.
There's also shocking moments by what this Witch does to her victims which is an old tale wrapping them up as well we spot on a real gruesome moment to a couple of them with great close up shots giving this an unpleasant feeling in order for her to look almost human by using some of their flesh in a cauldron. Typical satanic witchcraft done in a perfect fashion.
A nice moment with Terri trying to call the police with a payphone by the house which is a total boy who cried wolf type of scenario since she's made prank calls before but this works in cleverly when she threatens one of them for her pic on him smoking dope and insisiting she will show it to the police station in order for him to come.
We even spot a moment with this deputy spotting a victim wrapped up and reporting there's no sign of anyone since he doesn't like this kid which really makes you hope that this Witch will get him in the end. Nicely put into the story for sure.
There's some perfect special effects when Max tries to find a way to battle this Witch as this looked heroic and showing nice fantasy moments too. Also alot of dynamic struggling with what goes on here too.
Bottom line is that this was a great film to watch which seemed to also pay tributes to films like Friday the 13th, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Blair Witch Project, Madman and I Know What You Did Last Summer with certain scene's of the film as well as having a retro feel to the story big time which is great instead of watching a typical remake adding alot of suspense from start to finish with a great budget too. This one will beg you for a sequel for sure.

The acting is well performed as lead actor Devon Werkheiser(Max) knew his stuff by portraying a mature misfit young teen coming across nicely by having a no nonsense attitude as well as doing well acting unimpressed with certain topics. Does well with his speaking along with doing a nice job by getting romantic and acting caring too. He also does a great job freaking out as well as showing great scared expressions when the terror attacks him. Plus does a good job when he tries to battle the Witch involved showing a nice courageous attitude within this.
Nicole Forester
(Terri) lived to play an immature geeky misfit girl as she really studied her craft here with her inappropriate behavior to everything that she does here. Adds a nice hyperactive behavior. She also shows a good versatality by getting serious and romantic which she brought to life a great deal here. There's also a perfect moment with her sobbing and freaking out when the terror happens really packing her performance with a punch here. All in all she really grabs your attention greatly.
Caitlin Carmichael
(Amanda) does well with her innocent attitude plus really knew on how to go to the extreme with her crying and screaming emotions acting like a believeable terrified child in it. You truly feel sorry for her by how she behaves here.
Diana Hopper
(Sammy) shows a nice flirtatious attitude as well as offering a nice outgoing type of behavior too. Plus does a great job showing a great concerned type of attitude when trying to find the missing child really getting to the point with her speaking here which came across marvellously here. Also shows off some great energy while trying to run away or hide as well as doing a great job sobbing in fear within her struggling attitude. Has the nice teenage beautiful looks which was another great bonus to her role.
Justin Deeley
(Zach) shows off a great troublemaking type of attitude as well as coming across to being mean towards his onscreen brother. Also shows a nice hype while throwing rocks at a window and getting hysterical with stuff too. He also offers a nice seriousness whenever he had to act like this too. Plus does a great job with his struggling emotions while being wrapped up which he brings a nice force to this. Offers a great anxious attitude too which was another nice plus here.
Jamie Kaler
(Deputy Karl) portrayed a perfect job as a total moron of the law coming across as perfectly stupid as well as being a typical asshole too. He for sure knew on how to act crude and threatening as well as being unpleasant to be around. Plus shows off a nice sarcastic charm during the end of his performance too. Was a natural ham by what he did here.
Cassie Keller
(Witch) shows off a perfect wicked personality as well as being perfectly powerful too. Just thrusts in with whatever she does here and shows perfect evil and monstrous expressions too which shows off nicely onto the camera since she made sure that her job was done right. Does well with her thrusting attitude too.

A deputy's throat is torn out and blood splattering.
Body parts are grinded.
A hook is stabbed into someone.

The music was terrific having a perfect top notch creepiness to the story in which we have some great intense violin screeching from going low up to the highest for the real haunting and terrorising moments along with perfect intense trombone playing too which sounded strong. There's also a scene where we hear some accoustic guitar twanging with two misfits in a small country town which sounded not too bad but didn't seem necessary since it wasn't a desert like the music was sounding like. We also hear some piano playing which seemed to sound fair. Also some good happy and heroic violin playing when we think there's a good ending to the evil having a nice fantasy sound to it all.