"Mark of Cain" misses its chance for true greatness on a "so bad..." level, but definitely has its moments to qualify as an entertaining stinker. It's trashy and silly in equal measure, and doesn't skimp on the religious imagery. Now, despite a riotous start with a lot of quick cutting and a fair bit of gore, it does tend to get tedious at points. And that's saying something for a movie that runs a scant 82 minutes. The story, which basically takes place in two locations, a mental hospital and an isolated mansion, tells of the problems of two twin brothers, Sean and Michael, both played by Robin Ward, in a priceless pair of performances. Michael is the disturbed one, who took a childhood game too far and killed a girl in a Christ-like fashion. Fast forward 15 years, and Michael escapes the mental hospital to terrorize Sean's wife Dale (Wendy Crewson), whom he sees as the unwanted wedge between the two brothers. Some good atmosphere and passable suspense fights a losing battle with hilarious acting and absurd writing. (The movie *is* based on a play; maybe this works better on the stage.) One can't accuse the cast of not giving this all they've got, although it's good that some of the actors went on to bigger and better things: the gorgeous Crewson appeared in things like "Air Force One" and "The 6th Day" and co-star August Schellenberg became a fixture in the "Free Willy" franchise. The movie is co-written by director Bruce Pittman ("Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II") and generates enough laughs to make it decent if not exceptional viewing. It doesn't look like the filmmakers intended this to be so funny, which only makes it more amusing. It's an obscure item that's worth a try if you are into this sort of thing. Five out of 10.
Review of Mark of Cain
