Wicker Man (Blu-ray) (2006)

"Profoundly disturbing, blood-chilling suspenser.  Kyle Smith, New York Post
"...enough enigma and weirdness that it gradually stirs to life.  Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
"...LaBute has cleverly repurposed his creepy source material.  Wesley Morris, Boston Globe

Editor's Note Neil LaBute's THE WICKER MAN stars Nicholas Cage as Edward Malus, a policeman thrust into some dangerous detective work by a series of strange events that begin with a horrific car crash. This incident leaves the cop haunted, with images of the accident replaying in his heavily medicated mind. Edward's hiatus from work is interrupted when he receives a mysterious letter from his ex-fiancé, pleading with him to help find her missing daughter, Rowan. Against his better judgment, Edward travels to the remote, privately owned island of Summerisle, home to a close-knit, secretive community with a clear dislike for outsiders. Considering Edward an intruder, the Sisters of Summerisle offer little information regarding the missing girl. Edward is at a loss, finding even his ex-love Willow to be little help. With vacant eyes and a strange, listless way about her, Willow should be the first of many red flags to send Edward running. But in firm horror-movie tradition, the seasoned cop throws caution to the winds, staying in the place longer than seems smart. This 2006 remake veers away from the 1973 film in several key ways. For one, it replaces the original's eerily upbeat folk soundtrack with a tasteful Angelo Badalamenti score. With a mild PG-13 rating, the 2006 version is relatively tame compared to the original. While the 1973 film freely mixed pornographic elements with horror themes and musical numbers, the new film confines itself to horror, abandoning that strange mixture of genres that made Anthony Shaffer's film a cult classic. While LaBute's film adds a back-story and romantic interest, it requires equal suspension of disbelief. Despite their differences, both films end in the same disturbing way, leaving an indelible image that may haunt viewers long after the credits roll.

	Ellen Burstyn
	Frances Conroy
	Leelee Sobieski
	Nicolas Cage
	Angelo Badalamenti - Original Music By
	Anthony Shaffer - Writer
	Avi Lerner - Producer
	Danny Dimbort - Executive Producer
	Joel Plotch - Editor
	Michael Diner - Art Director
	Neil LaBute - Director
	Paul Sarossy - Cinematographer

Entertainment Weekly
"[The film] does exert an eerie power....THE WICKER MAN has just enough enigma and weirdness that it gradually stirs to life." 09/15/2006 p.54

Variety 6 of 10
When a major studio release with two Oscar-winning stars opens without press previews, one assumes the distrib is trying to hide the pic from critics. In the case of Neil LaBute's remake of "The Wicker Man," however, it's entirely possible that Warners indeed wanted to conceal a ludicrous misfire from auds as well...There are times, of course, when that spectacle can be amusing. (Witness "Vampire's Kiss," for example.) In this context, however, Cage's over-emoting only makes a silly scenario seem more ridiculous...For the most part, the supporting perfs are unremarkable. (A glaring exception: Beahan's fidgety turn as the weeping Willow is remarkable for all the wrong reasons.) Paul Sarossy's lensing and Angelo Badalamenti's music suggest at least a half-hearted attempt at recapturing look and feel of '70s genre pics. - Joe Leydon

Reel.com 5 of 10
Ah, Neil LaBute, the writer/director who began his career with the misogynistic screed In the Company of Men continues to mine that vein with his rancid remake of 1973 cult classic The Wicker Man. While Anthony Shaffer's original novel and screenplay explored what happens when a virginal, puritan, Christian cop finds himself isolated on an island full of libidinous pagans who live by their own rituals and refuse to recognize outside laws or authority, LaBute's take on it is much more mundane...It's simply too depressing. The original Wicker Man was a lot of fun, with a wide-eyed Edward Woodward resisting Britt Ekland's come-ons and agape at the licentious behavior he spies all around him. In contrast, LaBute's rendition of the tale is heavy-handed and hysterical. - Pam Grady