Wishmaster * * * * out of * * * * Rated R for strong horror violence and gore, and for language. Wes Craven produced this stylish, well-made, and extremely gory, and great movie. When I first saw this, my expectations were low, because people had said it was pretty bad. But I must say, it exceded my expectations, and was a good, scary, and gory movie. Well-worth the watch, Wishmaster has become to me, a camp classic, and one of my favorites.
The movie starts out about 3,000 years ago, and gives us a message on what Djinn's are. What is a Djinn? Read on and you will learn. In the opening sequence, an ancient king has wished to have the best party in history. Well the Djinn (Played devilishly good by Andrew Divoff) is best described as a smarta--, and the wishes he grants backfires on the people who are wishing it. In this case, all the people at the party come to gruesome deaths, some turn into lizards, another has his skeleton come completely out of his skin, and his skeleton walks around attacking people. Another has something coming out of his stomach, and one gets smacked against the wall. The wizard, comes in and tells the king to stop before he makes his last wish, which would make the Djinn be able to take over the world. The wizard takes the jewel (too which the Djinn lives) and commands he goes back in, he does, and stays there for 3,000 years.
Then we see a statue, being delivered to a man named Raymond Beaumont (Robert Englund, best known as Freddy Kruegar). He has bought a new statue to put in his collection at his museum-house. While the statue is being lowered, the crane operator spills his coffee on the controls, and drops the statue on a man below, causing it to bust in pieces. One of the construction workers spots a jewel, and takes it out and puts it in his pocket.
The man brings the jewel to a museum to which Alexander Amberson (Tammy Lauren) works. She investigates the jewel, and tries to find out how old the jewel itself is. She asks her friend Chris Lemmon (Nick Merrit), a jewel anologist to find out how old, and what kind of jewel it is. When he puts the jewel into the computer to be analyzed the laser hitting ther jewel causes the jewel to explode as well as the cpu, and injures Chris. The Djinn is now released, and asks Chris, if he wants the pain to go away, Chris wishes it away, and it does, but so does Chris's life. The Djinn is now free to find the one that released him to which that is Alexandra.
He takes human form as Nathaniel Demerest, and goes out to ask people what they wish to do or not to do. And if they wish, they die. Say one wishes that his enemy would get cancer, and he grants his wish, and his enemy dies of cancer. A woman, wishes that she would have eternal beauty, and turns into a manequinn.
The Djinn, who was released by Alexandra, makes her see all that he does. If he kills she sees, if they wish she sees, and has to live it all up. She has to proctect herself, as well as her sister from this evil Djinn, and try to make him not take over the world. Nathaniel, then goes to the party to which Raymond is at, and of course Raymond wishes to have a party that will go down in history, and he does (I wont spoil it). Alexandra must now, find out how to defeat this Wishmaster without dying herself, or her friends. Her final thought of defeating him is brilliant.
As is the movie, I found myself entertained to the limit. I found no flaws, no gratitous gore, and no dumb story. Andrew Divoff who plays Wishmaster, and Nathaniel Demerest, does a brilliant performance, and w wicked one at that. And really gets into his performance, mixing wit with terror. As does Tammy Lauren, she does a great job as her character, and gets realistically into it. Robert Englund (Who as always) plays his character well.
As the movie itself? It had some great suspense sequences, most coming toward the end, and a really high count of graphic violence/gore. But what got me the most, was how fun the movie was. It was never flawed, never boring, nor was it stupid. The make-up effects on Andrew Divoff, spectacular. And the gore effects, with people being ripped open, and one gets his mouth ripped off, this is definately not for the squeamish. But, But, If you are a horror fan, who loves fun movies, this is one for you, believe me, I dont think youll be let down.
Just great!!
Reviewed by Brandon Herring (HorrorMvFn@aol.com
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