Good , But It Is Overrated By Some

best movie i've ever seen.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

The film's faults are clear in other reviews. Slow-to-no-action pacing with major plot-points left unexplained. Why didn't they start with the legend of Stull, Kansas? Surely one of the kids would have done what I'll have to do - Google the place to find out... With limited character development, piddling special effects, and few decent scares, the film squanders an interesting premise. There's one good aspect which led me to give it a kind 5 rating: Ethan Peck (Gregory Peck's grandson with grandpa's macho steely manner) and the two gals, Rebekah Brandes and Jennifer Stone - 28, 29, and 21 at filming thus pseudo-teens - are attractive young folk. Let's wish them better luck in their future flicks.

A pastor moves him and his family to a small town to pastor over a church where the existing pastor is retiring. Right away we see the town has a hidden agenda for the family as things aren't always as they seem. Its one of those films where everybody looks guilty of something or they want to tell you something but can't.I thought it seemed like Blood On Satan's Claw meets The Grudge. I was getting right into this one and then boom they start ripping off one Japanese horror film after the other. They first rip off Grave Encounters stretched mouths then Pulse, Grudge, Ringu, Hair Extensions and a few others. It was cool when the thing touched someone they become instantly a mummified corpse which again is ripped from something I just can't think of right now.Mediocre flick at best. Anne Heche does decent job. The only thing left to fear is a sequel.

Pastor Dan, his wife Wendy, and their three children Rebecca, Mary, and Christopher, have just moved to the small town of Stull, Kansas, where Dan will serve as the new pastor, taking over from pastor Kingsman. Unfortunately, after only a couple of days in town, things start to take a turn for the worse after Mary is taken ill and then kidnapped by one of the town's residents. It's here we find out that there is much more than meets the eye with pastor Kingsman and the other residents in the idyllic town of Stull.For all the criticising that this film received, it's actually not all that bad. It's not that good, but it's not as bad as what a lot of people have been saying about it.It starts off decent enough, and the story develops OK as it carries on, but it doesn't pick up much more after a certain point and seems to just stammer along at times.The biggest complaint story-wise for me is that it never explains why the town is the way it is, so there's a really a big hole there. If there was an explanation for it then it might have been that wee bit better but your left to just try and pick out the bones and come up with your own conclusions.Another unfortunate aspect is that it's not really all that scary. There are a few moments in it which are quite creepy, but other than that it is pretty lacking.By the way, the special effects for the demon aren't as bad as what some people have said either and are actually pretty decent, especially considering the films budget.Anyway, if this is as good as Slash can get when producing films, it's best that he doesn't leave his day job.

Heche, the once promising actress whom I enjoyed very much in several films, was sent to the gates of hell -- this film (and that's what this film is about). This may be the worst film I ever watched all the way through. Kinda makes you yearn for the good old days when nitrate films slowly disintegrated and became lost to history.Anne Heche is pretty much irrelevant to the film, other than that there has to be a mother (karma exists...she and several other family members die before the film is over). James Tupper is satisfactory as the father/minister, but perhaps he is better suited for soap operas than the big screen. Ethan Peck is a handsome young actor, but -- at least in this film -- seems pretty bland. Rebekah Brandes, as one of the daughters, may have some potential. Matty B...oh please. Jennifer Stone gets another "okay" as the daughter/victim. Clancy Brown is quite good as the departing pastor.The story is another of the never-ending horror stories about a young woman being sacrificed to hell. But this one is different -- it's really lousy. The first half of the film is totally boring, which the director apparently mistook for building suspense; there was no suspense in the first half of the film. In terms of being a director, Anthony Leonardi III is not ready to leave the art department, where he has spent most of his career. In the "Los Angeles Times" review of this film it was written that "director Anthony Leonardi III and writer Jonathan Mills have let not one scary moment on screen" and that actors Heche and Tupper should write apology notes to their fans." Truer words were never spoke.I like horror films, but I'm so glad I didn't waste money to see this one at the theater. And my suggestion to you is that you not spend your time watching this on cable.I'll tell you what I thought while watching this -- didn't anyone notice how badly things were going???