New-to-DVD: “The Stepfather” remake simple but good for teens
March 13, 2010
While the remake of little-known horror film The Stepfather has little depth, it’s just the kind of movie a teenager would love. The protagonist is the new step-son, played by Penn Badgley of Gossip Girl stardom. As is the case with most such movies, Badgley figures out there’s something skeevie about his new stepfather-to-be (the mother is only engaged, perhaps to simplify the “letting go” phase or the legal issues of marrying a serial killer). His mother remains oblivious as do Badgley’s siblings, essentially non-persons in the film.
Casting is excellent for one, with Dylan Walsh playing an intense, off-kilter type perfectly. Good chemistry between Badgley and his half-clothed-through-the-entire-film girlfriend played by Amber Heard means more teen appeal. The “horror” as it were is more psychological tension, where cats precede killers a la Friday the 13th. That’s not to say there are a plethora of jump scares, which would be a turn-off. There’s just enough to keep interest amid other, fly-on-the-wall scenes revealing the step-father’s darker nature.
The ending is a little weak if only because it’s so predictable to be arbitrary. Let’s just say that if ceilings gave way as much in reality as they do in Hollywoodland, I’d live in a one-story house.
So if you are a teen or have teen kids, renting Stepfather is a pretty safe bet for an entertaining couple of hours. Don’t expect quite as much “grit” as the original, but more of the immediate gratification typifying modern remakes (and that’s okay sometimes).
Leave a Reply