Cursed (2005)

A werewolf loose in Los Angeles changes the lives of three young adults, who, after being mauled by the beast, learn they must kill their attacker if they hope to change their fate to avoid becoming werewolves too.

Director:

Wes Craven

Writer:

Kevin Williamson

Stars:

Portia de Rossi, Mya, Jesse Eisenberg

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Portia de Rossi	...	Zela
Mya	...	Jenny
Shannon Elizabeth	...	Becky
Kristina Anapau	...	Brooke
Daniel Edward Mora	...	Jose (as Daniel Mora)
Solar	...	Zipper
Jesse Eisenberg	...	Jimmy
Milo Ventimiglia	...	Bo
Jonny Acker	...	Earl
Eric Ladin	...	Louie
Christina Ricci	...	Ellie
Joshua Jackson	...	Jake
Derek Mears	...	Werewolf
Nick Offerman	...	Officer
Ken Rudulph	...	Newscaster

Storyline

Ellie has been taking care of her younger brother Jimmy since their parents death. One night after picking him up from a party they are involved in a car accident on Mullholland Drive. While trying to rescue a woman from the other car a creature attacks and kills her, also injuring both Ellie and Jimmy. After some research Jimmy realizes the creature could only have been a werewolf.

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Plot Keywords:

werewolf | death | attack | car accident | animal attack | 

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Taglines:

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

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Genres:

Comedy | Horror | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for horror violence and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site TFM [France]

Country:

USA Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 February 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

Wes Craven's Cursed

Filming Locations:

Hollywood Center Studios - 1040 N. Las Palmas Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$35,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$116,070 (South Africa) (5 August 2005)

Gross:

$116,070 (South Africa) (5 August 2005)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dimension Films, Outerbanks Entertainment, Craven-Maddalena Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min 99 min (unrated)

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Some footage used in the previews was used only in brief flashes during a dream sequence. This footage is seemingly unrelated to the rest of the film.

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Goofs

The pentagrams on many characters' hands appear and disappear with each camera angle change.

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Quotes

Joanie: All I got was a couple dates, some hot sex and an "It's not you it's me".

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Connections

References Xena: Warrior Princess (1995)

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Soundtracks

"Spirits"
Written by Samantha Sprackling and Tom Holkenberg
Performed by Junkie XL (feat. Saffron)
Courtesy of Roadrunner Records, Inc.

User Reviews

Wes Craven gets "Cursed"

I went into "Cursed" with high expectations, I'll admit. But how could I resist the re-teaming of the "Scream" team, director Wes Craven and screenwriter Kevin Williamson? I should have known after re-shoots and delay upon delay of the film's release (It should have come out last November), that this would not be another masterpiece in the works. Though I tried to keep my hopes up, the results of this recombination are mixed at best.

Christina Ricci ("Monster") and Jessie Eisenberg ("Roger Dodger") star as siblings who are attacked by a mysterious animal in the Hollywood hills while trying to pull a woman from a wrecked car. Both are wounded by this animal and as the days go by, they begin to change. Eisenberg is most convincing as the younger brother who researches the animal that attacked them. He believes they were infected by a werewolf. The rest of the film chronicles their changes and quest to find the beast who infected them.

Aside from Ricci and Eisenberg the cast mainly consists of a smorgasbord of television actors, mostly from the WB. And I'm not sure that I'd call what they were doing acting. It seemed they mostly showed up and had a good time. Which can work, as long as the audience is enjoying it, too. However, I found myself groaning at much of the dialogue and wincing during emotional moments.

The film is slow to take off but does pick up the pace in the middle before falling off again towards the end. The computer graphics already look dated, and the werewolf makeup is most definitely sub par. A word to filmmakers everywhere, if you can't make a werewolf transformation look convincing, then don't show it at all. There's a lot to be said for implication.

Though there are several scenes where something pops up in the frame to make you jump in your seat, nothing haunts you as you leave the theater. There's no fear of bad dreams here.

Overall, the geniuses behind one of the classic fright films of the 90s (and possibly of all time) did not bring their best work into this decade. I hate to say it, but Wes Craven seems to be suffering from his own curse - the loss of fright.

For a smarter, more imaginative take on the werewolf theme, check out "Ginger Snaps" or "Dog Soldiers."