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Overall Rating : 4/10
Directed By : James Koya Jones
Traci Lords (Blade)
Frank Whaley (Vacancy)
Dina Meyer (SAW II)
Gabrielle Anwar (The Marsh)
Supplied By : Lionsgate Films
Film Reviewed By : Rick L. Blalock
Date Reviewed : March. 24, 2008
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| PLOT Six people are brought together at the funeral of a childhood friend. While settling the estate, they discover a map, which leads them on a search for a long forgotten time capsule. At the request of their dead friend, they follow the map and what they discover reawakens repressed childhood traumas and leads them on a journey through their long abandoned childhood home…a home with a terrible secret and a mysterious dead girl who will lead them to their strange fates. |
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| THE REVIEW CRAZY EIGHTS centers around a group of 6 friends whom gather for the friends funeral after years of not seeing each other. After the funeral, they all travel to the deceased's home to pack up his belongings - this is where they find has last wishes, along with a map. The map leads them to their childhood home, and it has instructions for them to locate and open an old trunk there. In the trunk are various memories and keepsakes each of the friends stored away - thus making the trunk a time capsule, which they had forgotten all about. While digging through the items, they discover that there is one keepsake they didn't put there at all....the decayed corpse of a dead little girl. Once the skeletal remains are unearthed, this group of 6 become trapped in the old building and each of them begin to die one by one while uncovering the truth about their past and what they all have in common with the dead girl that they found earlier. CRAZY EIGHTS is yet another ghost story, not only that, but it seems to be yet another one inspired by Japanese cinema. In last year's Horrorfest we had REINCARNATION, which is a true Japanese flick directed by THE GRUDGE's Takashi Shimizu - with the inclusion of CRAZY EIGHTS this year, I am willing to bet, that as long as Horrorfest keeps going annually, that it will feature some sort of ghost story - just for trends' sake. The film's plot is nothing special, but it's still not all that bad either. While watching it however, you do sort of get the feeling that there is really not much supporting it. In proof, the main plot point is basically ruined from the very begging, a beginning, with a prologue about kids being used as guinea pigs in hospitals of the south. This is a spoiler -- The plot all comes together when the 6 individuals figure out that the childhood "home" they were lead too, is actually the hospital in which they grew up in while they were being experimented on. Now this "shocker" might have had decent potential, but very early in the film, they find a photo of them as kids, along with an eighth child(the deceased girl), and later in the film, they find more pictures hanging on a wall. In all of these pictures I just mentioned, all of the children are wearing institution jumpsuits, signifying that they were indeed hospitalized. Yet none of the characters even begin to question or realize this until they finally "figure it all out", in which then they are all shocked... but, surprise, a majority of the audience probably figured it out long before they did. This is a product of sloppy screenwriting, plain and simple. With that said, the acting was average. I really enjoyed the performances of Dina Meyer(who seems to be becoming comfortable in the Horror genre), Traci Lords and Frank Whaley. Meyer was vey good in the SAW films, and I thought Frank Whaley's portrayal in VACANCY was one of that film's highlights, but in this film, I had my eye on Traci Lords. Say what you will about her past, but as far as her present and future, she really does have some good acting chops, people will be quick to say that she isn't the best actress, but the truth is, what if she isn't aiming to be? I have always been a fan of her's, past and present, and can't wait to see more of her. CRAZY EIGHTS is a film that got a theatrical showing because of Horrorfest, but in reality, it just wouldn't have otherwise, but it definitely would've had a DVD release. It has a very thin, "no-brainer" plot that doesn't take much to figure out - but in the end, it's watchable, with having enough entertainment value to keep your interest. |
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| GORE
METER 2.5/10 Most gore is done before quick cut away shots, so you know it happens, but you don't actually see it all. There is a mouth ripped apart, an eye gouging, a minor impalement and a broken leg |
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| MUSICAL
SCORE 3/10 Suspenseful and sometimes up-tempo, but it really doesn't do much to benefit the film...it's there, but it doesn't stand out. |
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| OVERALL
IMPRESSION OF THE FILM With CRAZY EIGHTS, don't expect to be blown away by it, or even required to think. But if not anything else, it's passable, if you can overlook it's many and obvious flaws. |
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