A troubled girl named Angela (Nicole Cavazos) travels to the island of Carribean for therapy to help control her twisted nightmares on being burned at the stake as she meets up with Professor Avebury (Joanna Cassidy) and introduces other troubled teens that have dark secrets of their own but one of them named Bethany (Nicole Marie Monica) clains to be a witch and seems to grow attached to Angela.
There's a beginning with a woman being burned at the stake as the effects here looked cheesy but yet fun to watch if you're in the mood for it. Things seem awfully trashy when we spot a guy swimming and then spot a figure walking past in which this was supposed to look spooky but this fails big time. Also when he goes to see who it is seemed to look pretty bland and uninspired as well as a shocking result that looked a bit amateurishly done.
The story really improves after this surprisingly in which we don't expect that at all in a David DeCoteau flick as we have a newcomer at a home therapy with the head mistress Professor Avebury talking to her in which this looked natural and well done by their interactions with one another here. Nicely focused too.
We have situations with Alice meeting the other girls there and one of them claims to be a witch which the writing seemed awfully cheesy here as well as spotting the performance but not terrible by any means at all.
We do spot good nightmare sequences by Alice as well as showing clips on people being burned at the stake having an almost black and white type of feel to this which works in perfectly well. Plus on what is happening looked pretty intense and a great horror touch this time.
It's impressive when one of the character's named Bethany tells Alice she knows about her dreams and is having the same dream too as this was nicely written in and almost pays a homage to the A Nightmare On Elm Street type of flicks. It's a bit cheesy while watching this but yet alot of fun regardless.
We spot a good and serious discussion with Jerry talking to Alice about what had happened there in which they got into this big time making this moment look highly entertaining as well as it being worthwhile that you can take seriously instead of saying ho hum another bad moment in a b-film.
There's a nice suggestive lesbian moment on Bethany admiring Alice's body which seems to be a traditional moment in a DeCoteau flick these days as well as their conversations which looked nicely done. Also a neat moment on her setting up a black candle with cheesy looking effects on how she lights it as this seemed entertaining to spot all of this.
There's a situation with the character Enid suddenly spotting hooded figures staring at her and trying to approach her as she runs away. This was supposed to look creepy but yet like some of the other moments here fails.
There's many good takes on the character's later on looking for Enid but sometimes it's a little too much and an excuse to fill the timeslot.
We spot more great nightmarish sequences by Alice and even Professor Avebury which looked great to watch all of this and still very well done for the film.
There's also a moment with Bethany slowly approaching Alice and the other gang towards her too and having a strange situation with her as this looked perfectly mysterious and making you wonder if they are all in on the madness that's happening and what is to become of her too.
Plus there's a great setting with a group of them at a bonfire and ready to do some sort of a spell in which there's some interesting cheesy special effects happening here along with a good soothing hallucination within all of them in a pool and making out with one another as well as them back again in the beach area. This moment looked very crafty and adding some neat cheesy type of fantasy too.
Very good set on Professor Avebury spotting the group of girls dressed in black and wearing shades which adds a nice twist to all of them as well as a good moment
on Jerry trying to talk to Alice and her brushing him off as well as a good struggling situation on him against one of the masculine guy's who is a part of what is going on in which this looked powerful to watch all of this.
More good strong situations with Professor Avebury trying to talk to Alice and get her out of the brainwashing spell in which this also looked strong and emotional while we spot all of this. It showed a good strong interaction between the two of them and a perfect scene here indeed.
Then we have the big sarcrifice scene performed by Bethany in which she tells Alice some dark secrets as to why they are performing a sacrifice which I won't spoil for all you viewers here but it looked highly entertaining along with more flashback sequences adding the perfect touch here. The scene also involves Professor Avebury coming in for the rescue with some secrets of her own as this was great to watch as well. I found this to be the best scene ever.
Bottom line is that it's a cheesy film but yet having quite a good strong storyline in many spots here. It's a film you can love or hate. For any DeCoteau fan who enjoys his millenium horror flicks such as Brotherhood will enjoy this one even better. Even if it's a low budgeter the film works in cleverly here. Worth checking out if you're in the mood for an indie cult b-flick involving beautiful teenage type character's.
The acting is fairly good here in which lead actress Nicole Cavazos (Angela) had the beautfil girl next door type of features to her plus knew on how to add some good spunk to her role by acting believeably outgoing as well as having a nice level headed attitude too. Plus knew on how to act believeably laid back in what she does. Knew her stuff very well when she gets into a heavy conversation. Was great in her blocking by acting uncomfortable tossing and turning while having a nightmare which looked convincing here. Was convincing with her giggly type attitude acting as if she's drunk while sitting at a bonfire studying this part pretty well. Was perfect showing a versatality when she acts brainwashed with her expressionless and hissy type attitude showing a perfect firmness to her role. Also does a great job with her sobbing and emotional behavior while breaking out of the evil spell which she shows a perfect focus on as well. Does a fairly decent job when she is screaming in terror while nearly getting sacrificed.
Nicole Marie Monica (Bethany) shows off a perfect slick type of attitude along with a nice wicked charming type of speaking whenever she says her lines which she does in a nice style. Sometimes she's cheesy in her performance but gets on top of it again. Does a nice job focusing on a situation as well as doing a nice job with her lustful type of behavior too. Plus does a great jovb by showing a wicked personality and just getting nasty which comes off not too badly here. She is passable as a character actress but at times is a little over the top but not terrible by any means here.
Joanna Cassidy (Professor Avebury) really stole the film with her performance in which she really put alot into this role. Does a good job with her warm and welcoming attitude in the beginning of her performance as well as doing a great job instructing others and bringing it to a good serious manner and making her attitude very realistic within this. Also does a good job while acting firm on a serious situation and coming off nicely here. She also focuses perfectly while trying to talk to someone to break a wicked spell and getting into this with a perfect focus on what she's doing. Plus shows a great courageous type of powerful speaking during a heroic moment and knowing her stuff inside out with what she does here.
Kyle Jordan (Jerry) was another great character actor in the film in which he does a nice job showing a concerned attitude along with acting perfectly shy and worried about being outspoken. He drew into this nicely. He also shows a great anxious attitude while someone is getting physical with him. Also does a good job expressing his upsetting emotions too and stressing it out which he was marvellous by doing so.
Michael King (Cutter) seemed a little too average in his role but has the masculine type of pretty faced jock looks to him. He does however do a good job with his dominant type of bullying behavior in one scene as well as showing good energy while acting forceful. He wasn't too bad just nothing special that's all.
Many hearts are ripped out of people's chest and some violent bloodshed too.
Bodies are burned alive.
There's great booming jungle beat type drum playing for the suspenseful situations especially through some running scene's or terrors about to be unleashed. Also there's good low bass violin music in certain spots which has a nice tone to the still mysterious situations. Plus we have cheesy high synthesizer music as well as icy tones too which seems to not fit in at times. All of this was put together by Jojo Draven.
Bethany: Claira I think we need to come to an understanding (Rips out Claira's heart) You're under and I'm standing
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