There's a certain inevitability about this,
from the moment religious idiot Fraser is
dumped on Judd's doorstep in the middle of a forest. For Judd is a
comic-book slut, and mute husband Mortensen is off elsewhere in the
forest... Anyone expect a happy ending to this head-on collision between
sex and faith? Thought not. After 30 minutes of unresolved sexual tension,
it's a relief when hubby returns, and the film starts moving towards
largely-foreseeable tragedy. Anyone used to the clean-cut, heroic, shallow
Brendan Fraser seen in The Mummy is in for a shock or two, and
instead it's Judd who
is the weak link, her performance largely limited to wearing short skirts
and rubbing herself with ice-cubes. It's this glaring obviousness which
gives the film its predictability: Ridley counters with some jarringly
effective editing, and once he accepts it's blatantly apparent where he is
heading, the movie builds a good head of steam. Besides, I always have
time for any "religion screws you up" pic!
C+
