Hangman's Curse
September. 12,2003 PG-13Bullying students are becoming deathly ill after screaming the name of a legendary ghost. What's to blame? An exotic illness? An illicit drug? Or is it the supernatural? The clues are few and time is running out for the students of Rogers High School. The only hope is the Veritas Project, a highly trained investigative team working undercover to expose the truth. Lives hang in the balance as they scramble to unravel the mystery and protect the student body from their own hatred and fear.
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To me, this movie is perfection.
Thanks for the memories!
The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful
The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.
This movie begins with a student named "Abel Frye" (George Humphreys) who dejectedly walks into an empty room at Rogers High School and hangs himself. Ten years later the quarterback for the football team suddenly becomes ill in the middle of the game and falls down screaming the name of Abel Frye just prior to slipping into a coma. He is the third football player to do so. Similarly all three football players were members of a group who bullied weaker students in the hallways. As it turns out Abel Frye was also bullied and because of that he took his own life. In no time a rumor spreads within the high school that the ghost of Abel Frye is being summoned by a Goth student named "Ian Snyder" (Jake Richardson) to seek revenge on the jocks who make life miserable for other students. So a special team known as "the Veritas Project" is sent to the school to investigate. Now as far as this movie is concerned I think I should point out that it is geared for a generally younger audience and because of that there isn't any sex, gruesome violence or gore to speak of. It does contain plenty of mystery however and that's what makes this movie somewhat interesting. On the other hand there were some scenes—especially those involving family dynamics—which slowed things down and weakened the overall mystery and suspense. As a result, I rate the movie as slightly below average.
It's rare that I watch a film and hate everyone involved and everything that occurs on screen but this is the exception to the rule. Admittedly, I'm probably a little old for this film but I find it hard to believe that even it's core audience would find much merit.The characters were extremely two dimensional, the situations entirely unbelievable and the so-called 'twist' could be seen from miles away.I imagine that if Nickelodeon started making horror movies, this would be the result. It limped along at a snails pace and the stereotypes of some of the characters appalled me. Surely, even pre-pubescent teens can see through that sort of thing. It strikes me that Frank Perretti has written about people that he has never, ever come into contact with and has no knowledge of whatsoever.Add to the mix a mish-mash of heavily contrived dialogue and you're onto a losing formula.Avoid at all costs, unless you're 12/13. Even then, go and watch 'Spy Kids' or something......
This movie is specifically designed for a certain audience who will see little fault in it - unfortunately it has little to recommend it as a work of art.Ridiculously contrived, with enough plot holes to make a swiss cheese the film starts with a nonsensical 'drug bust' scene. It is clear from this very early stage that the film has absolutely no grasp of reality and is intent on inventing scenes to appease the prejudices of its desired audience.We are asked to believe that a squeaky clean family are in fact representatives of a group named Veritas, who uncovered the truth about various incidents (surely a different group would run a drug bust? and how many dealers blurt out the entire hierarchy of their organisation to people they haven't met before). In an attempt to be objective one must willingly suspend one's disbelief, which is fine until out heroine screams because she has seen a hockey mask on a wall - must have been some rigourous training there, eh? This film sends all notions of brave women back to the dark ages and becomes a moray of subtly prejudicial statements and comments aimed at selling a certain lifestyle.The contradictions become numerous: bullies who change their money grabbing ways within 5 minutes of meeting the (tough and highly trained) girl, 'tough' Gothic types who won't even defend themselves in the face of bullying. the genius nerd who is, in fact, a bitter and twisted psychopath.As for the plot itself - it lurches from an interesting idea to plain laughable. Unfortunately relying on bizarre misinformation about one of the most maligned of creatures.Facts mean nothing in the face of pushing the twee and cheesy message. Avoid at all costs - even if your pastor tells you it is worth watching. Let's have some dignity here, please.
I really liked this movie. It was a great mix of a lot of elements. I screamed really loud when Elisha was attacked in the witch's place in the school. I don't really understand why everyone is so upset about Ian and Crystal turning "preppy". I'd like to point out that all they did was turn from being suicidal social outcasts into regular happy teenagers. I don't see what is wrong about that. Overall this was a VERY good movie. I recommend this movie to anyone who would like to see a movie about really teens and their problems. It's a great horror/romance/comedy/Christian movie.