The Messengers

The Messengers
by Oxide Pang Chun, Danny Pang

The Messengers

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DVD details

Actor: Dylan McDermott, Evan Turner (III), John Corbett, Kristen Stewart, Penelope Ann Miller
Director: Danny Pang, Oxide Pang Chun
Brand: Sony
DVD: Region Code 99
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); French (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 5.1
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 90 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-06-05
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures

DVD Reviews of The Messengers

DVD Review: The Shining meets Field of Dreams (well...sorta.)
Summary: 3 Stars

My family who is always looking for acceptably good horror didn't like this much, as it was too much like the The Grudgeand Boogeyman (Special Edition).While, I am not so big on horror as they are, and I did see the similarities, I saw it as more similar to The Shining (Two-Disc Special Edition) with the ghost of the past, causing havoc on an otherwise normally troubled family fallen on hard times.

I felt like there is plenty of tension, plenty of little scares, and it is just creepy enough and not leave you feeling dirty. While some of the parts don't completely make sense, I can't think of a horror movie where they do. So....

If you are in the mood for a scary movie, that isn't all "slasher" or sexual, this is a pretty good PG scare fest.

2 ? *

DVD Review: Not a bad movie
Summary: 3 Stars

Let's be honest, this movie is a bit predictable and yes even cliche. Having said that I still enjoyed it; there are a couple of great "gotcha" moments and overall I thought it was worth watching.

DVD Review: KRISTEN STEWART nails it again!
Summary: 4 Stars

Kristen Stewart gives a really incredible performance. She's got some serious acting chops regardless of her youth. I believe she was 15-16 when she filmed this movie. Her eyes and face truly expressed her horror, anger and isolation as the script dictated. Wow. If you're a fan of K. Stew, you must see this film. The DVD also has nice extras that feature her...

John Corbett was outstanding, as were the rest of the cast. The Pang brothers really know how to make a movie creepy. I was in a state of suspense throughout the movie. I loved it, can't wait for my copy to come in the mail from Amazon!

DVD Review: Full of cliche cheap shots
Summary: 2 Stars

**Beware of spoilers, if you can call cliches spoiler**

Disturbed family, moves into a very obvious hounted house in the middle of nowhere, right. Father of the house, with a teenage daughter, a looker too, hires the first guy with a rifle as a hired hand with no background, riiight. Then the wierd acting crows, why, only God knows.

There is nothing new in this movie. Every horror movie cliche, from self openning/closing doors to Ghosts that only infants can see, is used in the movie.

Have you seen a crow, a wild crow, playing dead only to scare you when you poke it with a very short stick, come on, how cheap is that?

Or how many times have you seen the scene where the ghost is right behind a teenage girl, maybe a whisper away, but when the girls suddenly turns around, guess what, there is nothing there. I guess this is a common behaviour for ghosts, yeah, they do that a lot.

Even if you're an avid horror movie fan you may find it hard to enjoy the movie because you will be able to call every scare attempt way before it happens. For apparent reasons I can only offer this to first time horror movie watchers.

DVD Review: It's a good waste of time
Summary: 2 Stars

If you want a movie you can put on and ignore for the most part but not really miss anything, this is it!

Troubled teen's family moves out to North Dakota to start life over after some rough years, only to have things get rougher when said troubled teen starts seeing ghosts. The threatening ghosts walk on ceilings in the "Ring"/"Grudge" style and attempt to kill the troubled teen. Creepy man comes out of the hills with a shot gun and befriends family after he manages to scare away the murderous crows (red herring or real deal?). Finally the family starts to believe troubled teen, and it all culminates in the ending (I won't spoil it).

If it sounds like 8-12 of some more famous horror films you have seen, you would be correct. The most suspenseful storyline of the film for me was trying to figure out what made this teen troubled. And my wild imagination raged until the end when the characters tell you all that has actually been happening that we weren't informed of and I was let down. Here is a tip for screenwriters, do not let minds wander for too long, unless it is really going to be shocking, otherwise most people will be disappointed because they assumed something "better."

It was not really a bad film; it was just not good and a bit tedious and boring. Classic, even campy horror films are more entertaining. John Corbett gives the best portrayal, although Kristen Stewart is not that bad either. And the scenery was beautiful, if a bit creepy.

Your best bet is to stumble upon this on some cable network. Save your money from some good criterion collection horror/suspense, like Sisters.

Description of The Messengers

Desperate for a fresh start after a tough two years in Chicago, the Solomon family retreats to a desolate sunflower farm in North Dakota. But the calm of farm life is shattered when 16-year-old Jess (Kristen Stewart) and her 3-year-old brother Ben begin to see nightmarish apparitions throughout their new home - visions that nobody else can see. As the visions grow darker, they become fear-inspiring experiences and Jess' parents (Dylan McDermott and Penelope Ann Miller) start to question their daughter's sanity. Now, Jess must find a way to save her family and win

Lithe and tomboyish Kristen Stewart (Panic Room, The Safety of Objects) anchors the derivative but potently atmospheric horror movie The Messengers. The story--a troubled family moves into one of those creepy farmhouses that scream "serial murder site" and find their lives disturbed by unearthly occurrences--is a puree of plot elements from The Sixth Sense, The Birds, The Amityville Horror, The Shining, the recent spate of Japanese horror remakes, and more. Despite this, the movie may get under your skin; between the bleached sunlight, the effective ambient sound, and scenes that linger unexpectedly on quiet suspense, The Messengers creates a vivid and unsettling mood. There are still plenty of the abrupt jolts that make teenager girls clutch their dates, but this artful creepiness--combined with Stewart's engaging presence--will have a longer effect. Also featuring Dylan McDermott (The Practice), Penelope Ann Miller (Carlito's Way), and John Corbett (Northern Exposure, Sex and the City). Directed by the Pang Brothers, the duo responsible for Hong Kong hits like The Eye and Infernal Affairs. --Bret Fetzer

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