‘Wishmaster’ leaves audiences wishing for exit sign
Some prolific directors have a habit of slapping their name above the titles of some films they don’t direct. Wes Craven was guilty of this when he “presented” Wishmaster, a woeful horror movie from 1997 that is actually directed by Robert Kurtzman.
The movie is instantly forgettable and features few scary moments. The premise is fairly obvious: The Djinn (an effective Andrew Divoff) allows three wishes, but his victims need to be careful what they wish for. Besides the whole “genie in a bottle” cliches, the movie pulls from several horror tropes. The Djinn’s legend begins centuries before the present-day action, and he’s encapsulated in a secret object that is released on today’s world. Tammy Lauren is the heroine tasked with stopping the wishmaster, and it seems the only way to beat his demonic force is to outwit his “three-wish” mentality.
The special effects are quite cheesy, but the acting is actually the best feature of the movie. Divoff is devilishly clever as the Djinn, and Lauren is able to keep the proceedings semi-realistic. Beyond the special effects, the problems lie with the script by Peter Atkins and the slow pacing of these 90 minutes. One hopes throughout the story that the Wishmaster is defeated right away and the end credits begin rolling.
There is something to appreciate in the makeup department; the Djinn is a terrifying-looking creature, almost like Angelica Huston’s character in The Witches, but he’s not used effectively within the larger plot.
Horror aficionados will appreciate the supporting role by none other than Robert Englund (A Nightmare on Elm Street, a true Craven flick).
The ultimate question of these sub-par horror movies is whether one can forget the usual gauge of cinematic talents (acting, directing, writing) and simply enjoy the mediocrity. Although many films fit this category, Wishmaster is not one of them. It takes itself too seriously and doesn’t offer anything original. Perhaps in the month of October, after exhausting other horror avenues, there could be a an hour and a half set aside for this time capsule from the late ’90s. But honestly, it’s probably better to find something else to enjoy.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
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Wishmaster (or Wes Craven Presents Wishmaster)
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1997
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Directed by Robert Kurtzman
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Written by Peter Atkins
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Starring Tammy Lauren, Andrew Divoff and Robert Englund
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Running time: 90 minutes
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Rated R for horror violence and gore, and for language
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Rating:
