Shadowbuilder

Rating:
Summary: BRAM STOKER'S NAME NEVER FAILS.......
Review: Bram Stoker's Shawdowbuilder is a great addition to (BRAM STOKER'S THE MUMMY, BRAM STOKER'S BURIAL OF THE RATS, AND BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA) Every movie that is under his name is blessed with horrifying salad dressing. This movie is better (to me) than DRACULA. It add some much more horror and wit to the screen, than in DRACULA when the movie turned out to be a depressing love story. Not better than BURIAL OF THE RATS, but this movie is close. Much better than THE MUMMY. This movie has lavish special effects, spectacular ritual scenes and a horrifying conclusion. I suggest to you all to rent BRAM STOKER'S SHADOWBUILDER. Also if any one knows the story it is based upon I would deeply appreciate it if you e-mailed me. Thanks!

Rating:
Summary: Great DVD
Review: Great DVD, excellent actors. Just watch it.

Rating:
Summary: Great Special Affects!
Review: Great movie in dolby digital and surround. If you like science fiction with a twist, I recommend this movie. Classic Bram Stoker flick!!

Rating:
Summary: Shadowbuilder - the original story
Review: Great movie though it only shares its title with the original story. As a lot of people wondered about the source of the story, I'm happy to provide the answer. Just get a copy of the story collection "Under the Sunset" by Bram Stoker. But beware this is collection of stories mostly written for children which features quite a bit of Stoker's own moral concept. Anyway the story has nothing much what could be called a plot, but for Stoker addicts the whole collection has quite some worthwhile aspects.

Rating:
Summary: Great movie, Bad DVD!
Review: I had rented this movie on VHS awhile back and thought that even with it's slightly "B rated" style it was a very good movie for the genre. Good acting, great special effects, and a top notch storyline make this a classic in my collection. I have purchased the DVD through several online vendors and have yet to find one that will play in any of my DVD players or computers. I highly recomend this film, but suggest the VHS version.

Rating:
Summary: When there's light, there's shadow
Review: I usually turn my nose up at any film sporting a title that begins with "Bram Stoker's..." or "H.P. Lovecraft's..." or even "Wes Craven presents..." You know what I am talking about. Any of those low budget clunkers that attempt to curry favor with horror fans by associating their bucket of slop with a famous writer or director in the genre. Hollywood and its attendant hangers-on will stop at nothing to make a buck, even if it means splashing mud all over a horror legend. I am not saying I don't watch films that bear these monikers. I do quite often. In fact, I often go out of my way to seek them out. Why, you ask, would I do such a thickheaded thing? Easy-I like watching bad movies so I can splash mud all over wannabe horror legends by writing sarcastic reviews. Sometimes, though, a glint of gold catches your eye when indulging in these types of films. "Shadowbuilder" is one of the projects saddled with Stoker's name that is well worth watching. It's not a perfect film, not by a long shot, but it's Oscar worthy compared to some of the other clinkers carrying the Lovecraft/Stoker/Craven imprint.

What's "Shadowbuilder" about? Oh, just your typical unleashed from the abyss demon with the power to undo creation. A cult of nuts decides to perform a ritual calling forth a shadowbuilder so they can realize their fantastically crazy dream of ending the world as we know it. The Catholic Church knows about these guys, and decides to send a tough, gun-toting priest named Father Vassey (Michael Rooker) out to cut them down to size. Vassey arrives too late to stop the conjuring ceremony, but he does discover enough evidence at the scene to learn about the next step in the ritual. It appears that the demon needs to find a certain young boy in order to complete his mission. The boy, as it turns out, is the son of one of the men involved in the cult, and he is a very special creature. His soul is pure, completely without the sort of sin all of us carry around. Imagine a pint sized Gandhi or Jesus wearing tennis shoes, and you'll get the picture. If the shadowbuilder can subvert this holy child, he will destroy the universe. Vassey isn't about to let this happen, so he heads out to this small town in an effort to warn the residents about the evil they face. The priest must reach the boy before a solar eclipse takes place because that is when the shadowbuilder must act.

The shadowbuilder arrives in town in a heartbeat largely due to his ability to travel at ultra fast speed through dark sewers and at night. The demon cannot travel in daylight, not yet anyway, because he is too weak. In very short order the dark one kills a local deputy, the doctor who attempts an autopsy on the corpse, and a few other unfortunate souls. As the eclipse nears the demon grows stronger, eventually gaining so much power that light sources cannot harm him any longer. As the shadowbuilder seeks out his youthful victim, he has a little fun around town. All of the townspeople eventually go nuts due to their exposure to the demon. An old man kills his loving spouse with an axe, a woman gyrates wildly on top of a statue in the town square, and the rest of the citizens start killing each other off. Father Vassey, the town sheriff, the holy child, and a town nut played by Tony Todd end up barricaded in a house as the town goes crazy around them. There's a final showdown in a church, tricked up with lots of heavy special effects, that works quite well for a straight to video (DVD?) production.

The best thing about "Shadowbuilder" isn't the shadowy demon (although the creature does look good) or even the plot. Actually, the movie is about as formulaic as they come, with a powerful demon that seems unstoppable, a respectably high body count, and some philosophical mumbo jumbo about the end of the world. What does work in the movie falls largely on the shoulders of the always reliable Michael Rooker as Father Vassey. Rooker, who came to prominence as a result of his stellar turn in the gruesome "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer," does an effective job as a gun toting priest turned assassin for the Lord. Despite the fact that the movie almost ruins his character with the obligatory "man of the cloth has a crisis of faith" subplot, Rooker manages to elevate the film above the merely average. Here's a priest who uses laser scopes on this pistols, swears, and even uses his fists when needed. He'll even sass a higher up in the Church when things don't go his way. Not since the karate chopping priest in Peter Jackson's "Dead Alive" have we seen such a no nonsense padre take on evil with his bare hands. Rooker's performance alone elevates "Shadowbuilder" in my eyes, and this despite the fact that the film totally wasted Tony Todd in a throwaway role as a local recluse with a proclivity for purloined Christmas lights. Todd gets precious little screen time, and considering how quirky his character is, it's a real shame.

The DVD edition of the film contains a commentary from director Jamie Dixon, a trailer, and cast biographies. I suspect some viewers will dislike the film, but I enjoyed it. I still think moviemakers should discontinue tossing around names like Lovecraft and Stoker when they make low budget B movies. Despite the inherent goodness of "Shadowbuilder," adapting stories written by the horror masters often serve only to cheapen everyone involved. Give this one a shot if you like horror films.

Rating:
Summary: When there's light, there's shadow
Review: I usually turn my nose up at any film sporting a title that begins with "Bram Stoker's..." or "H.P. Lovecraft's..." or even "Wes Craven presents..." You know what I am talking about. Any of those low budget clunkers that attempt to curry favor with horror fans by associating their bucket of slop with a famous writer or director in the genre. Hollywood and its attendant hangers-on will stop at nothing to make a buck, even if it means splashing mud all over a horror legend. I am not saying I don't watch films that bear these monikers. I do quite often. In fact, I often go out of my way to seek them out. Why, you ask, would I do such a thickheaded thing? Easy-I like watching bad movies so I can splash mud all over wannabe horror legends by writing sarcastic reviews. Sometimes, though, a glint of gold catches your eye when indulging in these types of films. "Shadowbuilder" is one of the projects saddled with Stoker's name that is well worth watching. It's not a perfect film, not by a long shot, but it's Oscar worthy compared to some of the other clinkers carrying the Lovecraft/Stoker/Craven imprint.

What's "Shadowbuilder" about? Oh, just your typical unleashed from the abyss demon with the power to undo creation. A cult of nuts decides to perform a ritual calling forth a shadowbuilder so they can realize their fantastically crazy dream of ending the world as we know it. The Catholic Church knows about these guys, and decides to send a tough, gun-toting priest named Father Vassey (Michael Rooker) out to cut them down to size. Vassey arrives too late to stop the conjuring ceremony, but he does discover enough evidence at the scene to learn about the next step in the ritual. It appears that the demon needs to find a certain young boy in order to complete his mission. The boy, as it turns out, is the son of one of the men involved in the cult, and he is a very special creature. His soul is pure, completely without the sort of sin all of us carry around. Imagine a pint sized Gandhi or Jesus wearing tennis shoes, and you'll get the picture. If the shadowbuilder can subvert this holy child, he will destroy the universe. Vassey isn't about to let this happen, so he heads out to this small town in an effort to warn the residents about the evil they face. The priest must reach the boy before a solar eclipse takes place because that is when the shadowbuilder must act.

The shadowbuilder arrives in town in a heartbeat largely due to his ability to travel at ultra fast speed through dark sewers and at night. The demon cannot travel in daylight, not yet anyway, because he is too weak. In very short order the dark one kills a local deputy, the doctor who attempts an autopsy on the corpse, and a few other unfortunate souls. As the eclipse nears the demon grows stronger, eventually gaining so much power that light sources cannot harm him any longer. As the shadowbuilder seeks out his youthful victim, he has a little fun around town. All of the townspeople eventually go nuts due to their exposure to the demon. An old man kills his loving spouse with an axe, a woman gyrates wildly on top of a statue in the town square, and the rest of the citizens start killing each other off. Father Vassey, the town sheriff, the holy child, and a town nut played by Tony Todd end up barricaded in a house as the town goes crazy around them. There's a final showdown in a church, tricked up with lots of heavy special effects, that works quite well for a straight to video (DVD?) production.

The best thing about "Shadowbuilder" isn't the shadowy demon (although the creature does look good) or even the plot. Actually, the movie is about as formulaic as they come, with a powerful demon that seems unstoppable, a respectably high body count, and some philosophical mumbo jumbo about the end of the world. What does work in the movie falls largely on the shoulders of the always reliable Michael Rooker as Father Vassey. Rooker, who came to prominence as a result of his stellar turn in the gruesome "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer," does an effective job as a gun toting priest turned assassin for the Lord. Despite the fact that the movie almost ruins his character with the obligatory "man of the cloth has a crisis of faith" subplot, Rooker manages to elevate the film above the merely average. Here's a priest who uses laser scopes on this pistols, swears, and even uses his fists when needed. He'll even sass a higher up in the Church when things don't go his way. Not since the karate chopping priest in Peter Jackson's "Dead Alive" have we seen such a no nonsense padre take on evil with his bare hands. Rooker's performance alone elevates "Shadowbuilder" in my eyes, and this despite the fact that the film totally wasted Tony Todd in a throwaway role as a local recluse with a proclivity for purloined Christmas lights. Todd gets precious little screen time, and considering how quirky his character is, it's a real shame.

The DVD edition of the film contains a commentary from director Jamie Dixon, a trailer, and cast biographies. I suspect some viewers will dislike the film, but I enjoyed it. I still think moviemakers should discontinue tossing around names like Lovecraft and Stoker when they make low budget B movies. Despite the inherent goodness of "Shadowbuilder," adapting stories written by the horror masters often serve only to cheapen everyone involved. Give this one a shot if you like horror films.

Rating:
Summary: A SURPRISE THRILLER
Review: Jamie Dixon's direction of "Bram Stoker's Shadowbuilder" brings real terror and atmosphere to a derivative theme: the devil wants to come to earth. With unusually good special fx for this direct to video type of movie, the film builds its suspense and terror, aided by a good musical score (strongly reminiscent of "The Omen"); a talented cast (Michael Rooker may be a little too much, but his intensity is well handled for this role); and Tony Todd (CANDYMAN) as the rather nutsy Covey. Leslie Hope is good as the mom, but she doesn't get as much screen time as one may think.
Lots of good tension and this is a good movie, should have gotten more exposure.

Rating:
Summary: A SURPRISE THRILLER
Review: Jamie Dixon's direction of "Bram Stoker's Shadowbuilder" brings real terror and atmosphere to a derivative theme: the devil wants to come to earth. With unusually good special fx for this direct to video type of movie, the film builds its suspense and terror, aided by a good musical score (strongly reminiscent of "The Omen"); a talented cast (Michael Rooker may be a little too much, but his intensity is well handled for this role); and Tony Todd (CANDYMAN) as the rather nutsy Covey. Leslie Hope is good as the mom, but she doesn't get as much screen time as one may think.
Lots of good tension and this is a good movie, should have gotten more exposure.

Rating:
Summary: A SURPRISE THRILLER
Review: Jamie Dixon's direction of "Bram Stoker's Shadowbuilder" brings real terror and atmosphere to a derivative theme: the devil wants to come to earth. With unusually good special fx for this direct to video type of movie, the film builds its suspense and terror, aided by a good musical score (strongly reminiscent of "The Omen"); a talented cast (Michael Rooker may be a little too much, but his intensity is well handled for this role); and Tony Todd (CANDYMAN) as the rather nutsy Covey. Leslie Hope is good as the mom, but she doesn't get as much screen time as one may think.
Lots of good tension and this is a good movie, should have gotten more exposure.