Cry_Wolf (2005)

Very entertaining, surprisingly good for a small budget and unknown actors. I kept thinking I'd seen Tom (quite good-lookin') somewhere. Sure enough, he's Jared Padalecki, Supernatural's Sam Winchester, just getting started on his more stellar career. Julian Morris, playing Owen Matthews, did an excellent job as the campus newcomer with a somewhat shady past. Kept me wondering. In fact, the whole film did, right through the last scene. I went back to replay that one (On Demand) just to watch Lindy Booth's marvelous blue eyes. Then I ran in to look up IMDb and encourage an audience. This film is perfect for anyone who likes a thriller/horror flick, one with some intelligence instead of all jump-scares and blood. Read the excellent reviews below for additional praise. Happy viewing, y'all!

Awful is a pertinent description for this movie. A group of spoiled private high school students reside at a posh boarding school where apparently every student is constantly alone in the dark huge stone structures of the campus, whether it be the dorms, library, or showers (and, of course the showers). All characters lack empathy or any semblance of common sense. As the "drama" unfolds as one practical joke or misunderstanding after another (none of which are surprising or even slightly imaginative), this stinker plods along with extreme overacting and a plot line that seems to have been made up as they went along. I'm bot sure what category a movie like this belongs in, but it certainly belongs in the waste bin. Does anyone watch these movies before they are released?

The story behind the making of "Cry_Wolf" is more interesting than the movie itself, as co- writer / director Jeff Wadlow had been the winner in a 2002 contest, the Chrysler Million Dollar Film Festival, which allowed him a budget of $1M to make the film of his choice. He would have done better to film someone else's script as his is too smug and pleased with its own supposed cleverness. Even in uncut form, it's far too tame for fans of more hardcore horror, and is much too routine and dull to work overall. It really all falls to pieces in its final third; at least until then it's watchable enough, although none of the characters are much worth rooting for; Julian Morris as our lead character Owen plays the most principled and likable of the bunch. The story revolves around a bunch of idle rich kids who play a "game" of telling lies, and one of them, named "Dodger" (the irresistibly cute Lindy Booth), gets it into her head for them to escalate the game, spreading a rumour on their private school campus that the person who shot a coed to death is an actual serial killer on the loose, and they don't skimp on the details. The trouble arises when - as if we're not told this early on - this little clique itself starts falling victim to the killer. This just all feels very generic, and unless you're very undiscerning in your tastes, it's hard to imagine getting much out of it. It eventually proves to be disappointing, even with its multiple endings and multiple revelations. The cast, too, is either nondescript or stuck in clichéd roles. Fortunately, Morris's likability does help a fair deal; also appearing are Jared Padalecki of 'Supernatural', rock star Jon Bon Jovi who's hilariously, badly cast as a journalism professor, and Gary Cole who does a slight but still amusingly dodgy accent playing Morris's dad. The movie *is* slickly made, with stylish visuals and scene transitions, but this element doesn't inject much life into the proceedings. Perhaps the tell tale sign of how this works is the use of a Scooby-Doo related joke. And this wolf ultimately ends with more of a whimper than a howl. Too bad. Five out of 10.

"This is high school. Nothing's for real."Spoilers galore. Cry_Wolf was made and released at a peculiar time in horror. 2005 was kind of a bridge between the Scream phase of "safe" horror in regards to the lack of violence on screen, as not permitted if you market the film to a larger audience (yet, following the mold of "who is the killer?" and satirizing the slasher genre), and the "grindhouse", blood and guts of Zombie and Eli Roth. The problem with this film is that the lead "final guy" is pretty gullible and easily manipulated. Anyone could see that red-headed hottie, Dodger (Lindy Booth) is *forbidden fruit*. She just doesn't look trustworthy, and I think anyone somewhat together can see Dodger might be the culprit arranging the whole scenario that is the genesis of the movie's stalk-n-slash formula. I dig the look of the "killer", though, and think he's menacing in appearance. The orange ski mask, the hunting knife, camouflage jacket, and the imposing build, I think the person known under the created moniker "The Wolf" is quite an impressive sight. I think one might consider Cry_Wolf the Scream Generation's "April Fool's Day". You see how everyone in the film's little group are puppets on a string and just guess who the puppeteer is? I think many of us can see who that is and yet Owen, and those of the Dodger gang, is jerked around with relative ease.The plot concerns a prank where the proponent is who has the superior skill of lying. A murder outside of a prestigious high school is the inspiration for a spread rumor that the Wolf could be among them. Dodger motivates Owen to spread it, and the two of them detail the killer. Soon, it appears that a real killer, dressed exactly as described by The Wolf, is hunting Dodger's band of preppies. We follow Owen, a Brit who has caused so much mischief he is on probation with this new school being his possible last resort, not to mention his businessman father won't even return his calls, as he tries to unearth the killer and stop him/her. But could appearances be deceiving? I just kept wondering how Owen could be so stupid, but he sure is played like a fiddle. The reason behind the initial murder and all of the shenanigans involving The Wolf (there is an actual ulterior motive regarding teacher Bon Jovi) will come to fruition. Cry_Wolf uses Saw as a model in regards to a particular character pulling the strings behind all that takes place while also informing us of how it all took place. I guess whether or not this is successful to you depends on if the outcome and all that it took to get to it wash. I had a hard time seeing how Owen (and others) could be so manipulated, but the film's point is that the game has a victor and to the victor are the spoils.Before hitting it big on the show Supernatural, Jared Padalecki has parts in movies like this and the House of Wax remake. Julian Morris has plenty of vulnerability and arrogance in equal measure, the perfect foil for a delectable female con artist.