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Fear Dot Com (2002) Warner Brothers 1 hr. 38 mins. Starring: Stephen Dorff, Natasha McElhone, Jeffrey Combs, Udo Kier, Stephen Rea Directed by: William Malone Fear Dot Com Rating: BOMB 
E-MAIL GIANCARLO DE LISI The most memorable aspect of ‘FearDotCom’ was the amount of walkouts witnessed during a press screening of the film. Expectations were low regarding the film and Director William Malone had the regrettable ‘House on Haunted Hill’ to his credit, yet this film sinks cinema to a new low and begs the question: Why? How can such a perverse and sick tale make it to the silver screen where legends are born and magic is made? This film is both an abortion and a perversion of cinema. If the above sentences seem vented and unprofessional, it is because they are. Cinema is an artistic medium in which professionals aim at conveying a message through film, whether it is a brainless actioneer, or a well made suspense, there always seems to be a purpose. In this instance, if the aim was to disturb, then Director William Malone and his dismal freak of a film have succeeded, yet in an improper and crude manner. Stephen Dorff (Blade) tarnishes his resume by taking on the lead in this quasi-thriller/horror that is not scary – just disturbing. Films such as ‘Seven’ and ‘In the Mouth of Madness’ were disturbing films but they had a nucleus to them, this film is just a debacle in every sense of the word. It aims at substituting storytelling with dark visuals in an attempt to create mood, when it all creates is an urge to walk out. Dorff plays a New York detective who investigates the deaths of citizens who die exactly 48 hours after logging onto a website of the said film. Written by long time Hollywood producer Moshe Diamant, this deplorable film aims at being something it is not. Malone aims at shooting a film taking a page from the Alex Proyas (The Crow, Dark City) book of filmmaking. He makes every attempt at shooting this film in dark palettes and including thunderous bolts complimenting the rain whenever he can. That might be fine in some films, yet when it is overused and unnecessary, it becomes overtly distracting. Furthermore, although Malone has an innate sense of framing his subjects, he simply uses his characters to take up space in his frame and does not use them to tell a story. Is he to blame? Or is the ludicrous script to be fingered? In any event, this is a disturbing and vile film that will be indelibly etched within the viewers mind for how profane of a film it really is. This film does not connect on many levels and while the script has been highlighted, it does not help when you have a second rate cast leading the way. Dorff suffers from a case of wanting to make himself standout cursing every possible second and looking scruffy. While the leading lady Natasha McElhone, dons the unfortunate investigative cap as she plays a Department of Health official sent to investigate these bodies that are appearing all over the city. Suffering from internal hemorrhaging and bleeding noses, these victims appear to all have died from a slow and menacing descent into torturous pains. Yet, they all share that one element, they have all accessed the site. Alas, the only way to resolve this mystery is to enter the site. Up to this point in the film, I contained myself and went on watching and tried to distance myself from the stupidity of the film. But, with every bad film; it just gets worse before getting better. And as the audience slowly dissipated only one hour after the film, I watched as this formulaic and generic piece of film was being projected and I ultimately decided I had had enough. As our main character was accessing the site and as more sick and vile images were momentarily flashed onto the screen, I knew there no art in this film. Just trash. I refused to be insulted any further and for the first time ever, I left a screening. Up to that point, the first hour demonstrated a weak script, trepid direction and a feel that caused much discomfort. Movies are not supposed to make you feel uncomfortable. For all you cynics out there, the Fantasia Film Festival is this critic’s favorite film festival (too bad it was cancelled this year) and this festival has allowed the true screening of such schlock films as the early Dario Argento films and other twisted films. There is good schlock, and then there is just plain stupidity. This film falls into the latter. Perhaps the Director was aiming for sheer stupidity, if he did, then he succeeded. But the first 60 minutes were regarded as a punishment in my book. I do not know if the author was trying to be a cross between David Fincher and David Cronenberg, trying to be John Carpenter and Clive Barker. What is even scarier is that a great actor such as Stephen Rea has demoted himself in appearing in such a disgusting film. Granted, the whole film was not viewed, but I can guarantee no matter how great a climax, it could not have redeemed this disastrous waste of celluloid. This is why I have not taken an analytical and academic approach to this as I usually do. It does not deserve it. I heard many within the film questioning whether this was a commentary on how the Internet affects our lives? To them I reply, from what I saw, computers were barely used in the film, that is how much of a commentary they were aiming at. Click here to comment on this review or post your own thoughts. Giancarlo De Lisi © TheWorldJournal.com |
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