Chain Letter (2009)

A maniac murders teens when they refuse to forward chain mail.

Director:

Deon Taylor

Writers:

Deon Taylor, Michael J. Pagan

Stars:

Nikki Reed, Keith David, Brad Dourif

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Madison Bauer	...	Jane Campbell
Mark S. Allen	...	TV Announcer
Phil Austin	...	Jeff Campbell
Nikki Reed	...	Jessie Campbell
Michael Bailey Smith	...	Chain Man
Michael J. Pagan	...	Michael Grant
Matt Cohen	...	Johnny Jones
David Zahedian	...	Brad
Cherilyn Wilson	...	Rachel Conners
Cody Kasch	...	Neil Conners
Noah Segan	...	Dante
Brad Dourif	...	Mr. Smirker
Roshan Cook	...	Emo Girl (as Roshani Shookla)
Eliot Schwartz	...	Kevin (as Eliot Benjamin)
Betsy Russell	...	Sergeant Hamill

Storyline

A maniac murders teens when they refuse to forward chain mail.

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Plot Keywords:

generation y | murder | chain | mysterious killer | blood splatter | 

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Taglines:

If you don't forward it, you die

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Genres:

Horror | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong bloody sadistic violence throughout, language and brief nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 November 2010 (Russia)

Also Known As:

A Corrente

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$143,000, 4 October 2010, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$143,000, 4 October 2010

Company Credits

Production Co:

Deon Taylor Enterprises,Tiger Tail Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

(At around 13 minutes) Betsy Russell, who portrays Sergeant Hamill, was a featured character in the Saw (2004) film franchise. When the character Neil first receives the chain letter, the original "Saw" is playing on his television in the background.

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Goofs

(at around 1h 15 mins) Detective Crenshaw has just been knocked out by the Chain man and is being drug across the floor. They pass by an empty cabinet/display by the wall and you can see Detective Crenshaw's hand place or move something into the cabinet. A couple of seconds later his hand moves back up to his waist, all while he is unconscious.

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Connections

References The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)

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Soundtracks

I'm So Ready
Performed by Ecotonic
Written by Jason Ebs, Jeanette Marie Chadwick, Chris Slade PRS and Jasmine Chadwick
Published by Kinky Organ BMI
World Wishes Music ASCAP

User Reviews

Poor and pointless

This is completely pointless movie, one of those where you watch it to see what happens and then it just ends suddenly and you think WTF? Normally in slasher movies like this you'd think the weakest points are the plot and the acting. Surprisingly, there was nothing wrong with the acting. The main cast did what they were meant to but the ultra poor script didn't have any proper development for each character so there was nothing much to feel for any of them. Even the premise of the story didn't make sense. A huge guy with a bandaged face sends out chain letter e-mails to people with the threat of death of they don't play the game. What the game is...no one knows because all the letter says is that if you don't play you die. There's no mention if you delete the e-mail you die or if you don't forward the message you die. This movie is that lame that a few simple rules aren't even scripted in.

Some of the deaths are truly gory, even by Saw standards. But in the grand scheme of things they are entirely pointless. Even the Saw scenes had some intelligence to the deaths- you're a bad person but you get a chance at redemption but not until you go through a trial by fire and lots of pain. The deaths in Chain Letter are just gore and pain. This makes watching any Paris Hilton movie fun and educational.

Deon Taylor should be made to undergo one of the death scenes in his movie- either that or threaten him with a scene if he doesn't stop writing and directing such rubbish.

Recommendation: only if you like to pull out your fingernails with a tweezer dipped in acid.