The Stepfather
Official Site:
Cast: Dylan Walsh, Sela Ward, Penn Badgley, Amber Heard. Rating: MA15+ for Strong Themes and Violence. Tagline: Daddy's home. Theatrical Release: Scrapped DVD Release: April 7, 2010 BOX OFFICE: The film was initially intended for December 3, 2009 release, then that was pushed back to January 28, 2010... then it was completely removed from the release schedule. It will now settle for DIRECT-TO-DVD release in April, 2010 DVD Special Features: * Commentary * Open House: Making the Movie * Visualizing the Stunts * Gag Reel |
Plot Synopsis, Review
Michael Harding returns home from military school to find his mother happily in love and living with her new boyfriend, David. As the two men get to know each other, Michael becomes more and more suspicious of the man who is always there with a helpful hand. Is he really the man of her dreams or could David be hiding a dark side?
Mediocre. I will admit, waiting and waiting for an Australian release really gets your hopes up that the film would be awesome, but upon watching realise it's basically "Distrubia" with the killer living in the house. It's immediate target audience was for teens (in my opinion), and I think they would relish in it's tension if they are not used to the ever-so-many cliche's and predictable scares and jolts. I think that it tried to hard to make itself have an ending that wasn't predictable, but seeing so many movies with a similar plot just makes the whole experience a little unsatisfying. The open-ending was inevitable, and a sequel could also be entertaining just like this, I doubt it would be likely. I found the tension between the stepfather and son very irritating because I think if Michael (son) had accepted David initially, then realised his intentions, It would've made a more entertaining climax.
The plot is a modernised take on a film of the same name from a few decades ago. A extremely modernised take, the consistent cliche's were eye-rollable at how they fitted in perfectly where they were placed. While the relationships between the lead roles (son, girlfriend, mother and stepfather) were good, I think the little brother and sister were extremely underused.
The acting was good. "Amber Beard" and "Penn Badgley" played girlfriend and son, and their chemistry was believable, and 'Beard' really excelled at the end. "Dylan Walsh" was creepy and almost paedophilic as the stepfather, doing an excellent job. "Sela Ward" was also a highlight as the mother overcoming her recent divorce.
Overall "The Stepfather" is enticing and enthralling, but it's consistent cliche's and predictability were a let down. My rating is 2.5/5.
Mediocre. I will admit, waiting and waiting for an Australian release really gets your hopes up that the film would be awesome, but upon watching realise it's basically "Distrubia" with the killer living in the house. It's immediate target audience was for teens (in my opinion), and I think they would relish in it's tension if they are not used to the ever-so-many cliche's and predictable scares and jolts. I think that it tried to hard to make itself have an ending that wasn't predictable, but seeing so many movies with a similar plot just makes the whole experience a little unsatisfying. The open-ending was inevitable, and a sequel could also be entertaining just like this, I doubt it would be likely. I found the tension between the stepfather and son very irritating because I think if Michael (son) had accepted David initially, then realised his intentions, It would've made a more entertaining climax.
The plot is a modernised take on a film of the same name from a few decades ago. A extremely modernised take, the consistent cliche's were eye-rollable at how they fitted in perfectly where they were placed. While the relationships between the lead roles (son, girlfriend, mother and stepfather) were good, I think the little brother and sister were extremely underused.
The acting was good. "Amber Beard" and "Penn Badgley" played girlfriend and son, and their chemistry was believable, and 'Beard' really excelled at the end. "Dylan Walsh" was creepy and almost paedophilic as the stepfather, doing an excellent job. "Sela Ward" was also a highlight as the mother overcoming her recent divorce.
Overall "The Stepfather" is enticing and enthralling, but it's consistent cliche's and predictability were a let down. My rating is 2.5/5.