Cherry Falls (2000) Reviews

• Severely edited, but still not bad

  jluis19842006-05-17

  At first sight, "Cherry Falls" is one of the many harmless teen slashers that came out in the late 90s and early 00s in what was called "the horror revival" started by "Scream" back in 1996. While the movie can't hide the trademarks of its generation and it is definitely not very original, it offers some new twists to traditional clichés of the genre and a higher quality than the rest of the slashers of its time. Also, it is fair to point out that the movie we know as "Cherry Falls" is not what its director, Geoffrey Wright, conceived originally. It suffered several cuts to attain an R-Rating losing most of its planned edginess. The story is set in the small town of Cherry Falls, where suddenly, a mysterious figure begins to kill the virgins in town. Sheriff Brent Marken (Michael Biehn) is specially concerned about the case not only because he knows that his beloved daughter Jody (Brittany Murphy) is virgin, but also because the case brings back memories of a dark event in Cherry Falls past. Meanwhile, the local teenagers organize a huge party to have sex and stop being potential victims. Written by Ken Selden, the story mixes dark comedy with the horror genre pretty much in the vein of Scream, using a clever twist to the genre cliché of the virginal survivors. The mystery of the killer's identity is very well handled and the story unfolds as Jody's investigation takes her to discover the town's past. Surprisingly, the movie never gets boring or tedious, and it serve sits purpose as a thrilling mystery/horror film. However, the film promises too much and there is never a proper payoff. Director Wright conceived his film as a comedy/horror about sex and violence in the genre, but the severe cuts the movie received took away all the sex and violence the director intended to portray, leaving an incomplete product that is really unsatisfying. This severely hurts the film, particularly at the finale, which is sad because it is really a very well crafted set-piece of nudity and violence that is badly edited to please the prudish MPAA. Geoffrey Wright follows a subtle style for the most part of the film, and according to the script, it was done that way because the killings were supposed to be gory. Again, with the edition of this it left the film incomplete with scenes that build up very good suspense without a payoff. The suspense is broken with badly edited cuts that lead to the belief that a lot was missing. The main cast is very good, particularly Jay Mohr as a concerned teacher who is truly worried about his students. Brittany Murphy is very good in the lead role is quite believable as a common teen girl (something not all slashers can say). The rest of the cast do a very good job but nothing really outstanding outside the leads. "Cherry Falls" is a sad testimony of what further edition to a completed job can do. It certainly turned a promising great movie into an slightly above average horror film. Hopefully, a Director's Cut will be available someday but by now, "Cherry Falls" remains as a movie that could had been a lot better if it had remained true to its director's vision. 6/10

• "Like a virgin, stabbed for the very first time...."

  rob-2362002-03-04

  The success of the `Scream' series spawned many clones, this being a reasonable attempt. The makers of such scream clones were obviously faced with a dilemma, how not to stray too far from a winning formula – yet be original at the same time – therefore in this one they give the story a little twist. Here, the preposterous twist is that the killer only kills virgins! – sending the youths in the local village sex mad - in order to save their life, obviously!!. As bad as it sounds, its not all bad, especially when the absolutely delicious Brittany Murphy is the lead role as the daughter of the local sheriff (Michael Biehn) who is investigating these grisly murders – and guess what, she's a virgin!!. The final twist is pretty good, although if you really think about, the killers motive for hating all virgins isn't really that convincing, Fun though if you take it for what it is, enjoyable rubbish!!

• Poptastic!

  Cedric_Catsuits2006-04-24

  What can I say about Brittany Murphy? Without her this would be a very different film. She is one of those actors that indelibly stamps every movie she appears in. Sometimes she irritates me, but at other times - and this is one - I absolutely adore her. That aside, this is a much better movie than you might expect, given the absolutely dreadful plot. The cast is excellent, the film is beautifully shot, and it all moves along at a nice pace. I was never quite sure if I was watching a comedy or a slasher, or more specifically if the funny bits were actually meant to be funny. Having watched it again, I now realise it was done with tongue very firmly in cheek. That said, it still has some genuinely scary moments but they're just icing, rather than cake. There is a certain genre (teen/shock/comedy) that Hollywood seems to do really well at recently, and this is another example. A fine cast, good balance of comedy and thrills, just enough gore to keep you satisfied. It's a formula that works well, and a tribute to the artists that freshness is maintained. My advice is ignore the plot, and revel in the humour and artistry. This was never intended to be a cult horror film. It is a fun movie, and should be judged according to entertainment value. It's a film to easily amuse when you don't have the energy or enthusiasm for life's drudgery. And if you're a Murphy fan, don't miss it. UPDATE: Following the sad passing of the young lady who since I wrote the above, went on to become my favourite actress ever, I urge you to watch this movie if you haven't already. Brittany Murphy is simply irreplaceable as a person and as an actress. She never got the credits she deserved in life, so I hope Heaven treats her well. There will never be another like her.

• Innocence is deadly!

  Nightman852005-10-02

  Shamefully neglected horror thriller is probably the best slasher film to follow in the footsteps of Scream (1996), too bad it ended up being a television movie! In the seemingly innocent town of Cherry Falls, Virginia, someone is murdering high school students who just happen to be virgins! Clever premise, being a twist on the classic slasher convention of sex=death, pays off in this dark and splendidly suspenseful shocker. The direction of Wright is solid with the occasional touch of stylishness. He makes good use of the Virginia filming locations and adds some spooky elements, like the rather creepy looking killer. Ken Seldon takes what could have been a lousy concept and makes a wonderfully twisted and entertaining story. There's also the occasional touch of comic relief (like the have sex or die party) and a dark sense of humor about the story. The murder sequences are gory and shocking despite the limitations of TV censors, which caused some of the film to be edited. The cast is pretty good. Young Brittany Murphy is appealing and likable as a rather unconventional leading girl. Michael Biehn is great as Murphy's father who's also the local sheriff. Jay Mohr is excellent as the rather timid school teacher who fears for his students safety. The supporting cast is also good, most notably Candy Clark as Murphy's slightly odd mother. Cherry Falls is a film that really got the shaft on its releasing, as it's far superior to a number of the theatrically released slasher-by-the-numbers flicks that where out around the time. Horror fans, before you bother with the likes of Urban Legend (1998), the lousy Valentine (2001) or any sequel, give this one a turn! You just might find it to be one of the best! *** 1/2 out of ****

• Compellingly stupid

  RNMorton2003-10-20

  There must be something about the way they executed this stupid and so-tired plot - nut case stalks high school virgins, sparking consideration of "protective measures" - because there was no other reason for me to periodically check in on this trash. I don't know, maybe there's a certain quiet campiness to the acting. Otherwise, from the tacky title to the plot and dialogue to the actual (in)action there's really nothing here.