[The Chair]
Plot:Danielle, a young psychology student, is trying to rebuild her life when she sublets a century-old Victorian house. Unknowingly, she awakens an evil specter lurking in the dark recesses of her new home. To prove to her sister, Anna, that she isn't delusional again, Danielle sets out to document the haunting with horrifying results. She unleashes the soul of Edgar Crowe, a vicious child killer, who quickly seizes control of her life. Hungry to satisfy his taste for torturing boys, Crowe uses Danielle like a pawn to resurrect his ghastly "Panic Chair." Now, Anna faces an impossible task - destroy Crowe without destroying her sister. The solution comes to Anna, but is it buried too deeply in the long dead past for her to reach?

Cast:Alanna Chisholm, Lauren Roy, Nick Abraham, Paul Soren, Nickolas Tortolano, Adam Seybold, David Kim, Michael Capellupo.

My Thoughts:Takes a while to kick in.

Review:Brett Sullivan brings us his latest genre pic, "The Chair"...the story of a girl named Danielle (Chisholm) who moves into one of those creepy old victorian homes. Of course per the usual rules, there's something really fucked up and wrong with the place. Voices are heard by Danielle, weird mist is seen by her, and noises are heard throughout the house as if someone is in there with her. So what does she do??

She decides to stay in the house anyways, doesn't do anything sensible like call an exorcist, a priest, a spiritual advisor, none of that. No because...that would make too much sense...wink wink. Instead, she calls up her sister Anna (Roy) who gives her the age old song and dance of "you're just off your meds". Which lasts so long you just wanna reach through the screen and throw ice water in her face everytime she says it it's so damn annoying.

Her sister Anna however not being a total bitch....decides to stay with Danielle for awhile and they even set up a camera to cath anything weird that might be transpiring. They do catch something, but Anna again convinces Danielle that she's just..."off her meds". This constant birage of ignorance to the totally freaking obvious results in the spirit of an evil psycho killer named Edgar A. Crowe posessing the body of Danielle and turning her into a walking vessel of himself. Now Anna has to save her sister before it's too late.

Coming from a guy who directed "Ginger Snaps 2", you'd expect better from Brett Sullivan. However to be fair to him, he didn't write the script. Instead Michael Capellupo did. His credits aren't much as a writer, but he has written some things..most of which I've never sene or heard of before. But Sullivan's fingerprints from a visual and sound point of view, are all over this film. It has the same edgy camerawork that "Ginger Snaps 2" did, the same catchy little tunes and beats, and a very dark yet hip style and look. If Sullivan had written the script, perhaps the film would've turned out better than it did.

And "The Chair" isn't a terrible movie by any stretch of the imagination. But it has alot of flaws, most of which come with the low body count, the un-engaging characters, a story that moves far too slow, and the title which suggests that a menacing object, "The Chair" is at the center of the story. When in reality, it's not. It's just a cruel torture device that makes an appearance at the end of the film. The things that it does right however are it's overall look and tone, the camerawork, and the finale which lasts all in all about 20 minutes...is a pretty intense ride.

So basically it's a film that will annoy the hell out of you in the first 25 minutes, give you some sliver of hope in the next 20, and wow you in the final 20. Pretty much spread out across alot of different spectrums overall. The performances are decent, especially by Chisholm who plays a great girl next door type, and then an equally great posessed kook the next. But the villain of the movie is the films biggest flaw. Again, this villain is not very scary or worthy of any praise.

Just some nut who was killed in an experiment and then because he died in such a gruesome fashion, manages to posess someone who he can use to carry out more terror in the mortal realm. Villains like that are a dime a dozen, and are totally forgettable when the film is all said and done. I really think this film had some potential, but squandered it in many areas, mostly within the real of the story.

The pics final scene isn't exactly a positive either, and makes the character of Anna look like a total idiot and the villain Crowe, look smarter than he is. "The Chair" is worth seeing for an initial viewing I'd say if you're heavy into supernatural horror or are a Brett Sullivan fan, but don't expect too much from it.

Positives:Good directing by Sullivan, catchy tunes and beats and chimes played throughout the film, a very grim and gloomy yet dark, edgy, and hip look to the movie. Decent acting by Chisholm, and a good finale.

Negatives:A terrible final scene, the character of Anna was far too annoying, weak story, lack of high body count and a misleading title.

Overall:Two out of four stars.





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