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| Wicker Man, The (2006) |
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  (4/10)
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Runtime: 97 |
| Public Rating: 4.21 (24 votes) |
Director: Neil LaBute |
MPAA Rating:  |
| Genre: Drama/Mystery/Thriller |
Year: 2006 |
| Writer(s): Neil LaBute, Anthony Shaffer (1973 screenplay) |
| Distributor: Warner Brothers |
| Reviewed by: Mel Valentin |
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Written and directed by Neil LaBute (The Shape of Things, Possession, Nurse Betty, In the Company of Men), The Wicker Man is a remake of the 1973 British horror film that starred Christopher Lee and Edward Woodward. The Wicker Man was originally released as second part of a double bill (the film's producer, Michael Deeley, had little faith in The Wicker Man's commercial potential). The Wicker Man eventually emerged as a cult classic, primarily for its disturbing, downbeat ending and the conflict it drew between neo-paganism and Christianity. Given the original’s cult status, why a remake and why now? Your guess is as good as this reviewer's, but either way, LaBute didn't have answers to those question when he decided to remake The Wicker Man.
Edward Malus (Nicolas Cage), a California highway patrolman, hopes to recover from a recent tragedy by responding to a letter from a ex-lover, Willow (Kate Beahan). Once engaged, Willow disappeared without as much as a good-bye (or a good-bye letter), but now wants Edward's help in helping her find her missing daughter, Rowan (Erika-Shaye Gair). Trouble is, Willow lives on an isolated island, Summersisle, off the Washington Coast. To get to Summersisle, Edward has to fly up to Washington, take a ferry to a nearby island, and then charter a seaplane.
Once on Summersisle, Edward finds Willow, but also discovers that the locals want no part of him or the investigation into Rowan’s disappearance. In fact, the locals disavow any knowledge of Rowan’s existence. Willow argues otherwise, compelling Edward to dig deeper, questioning the locals, picking up clues about Rowan while navigating through the complexities of Summersisle matriarchical society. Edward doesn’t seem to take notice that he’s in a different world, instead bullying and pushing his way until he finds Rowan. Meanwhile, the island community prepares for the harvest festival, a festival of “death and rebirth” involving a "Wicker Man."
As a character, Edward is far from sympathetic. In fact, he’s unlikable. Edward is rude, obnoxious, and clueless. Even worse, that gullibility is less a function of his character than the strict demands of LaBute’s screenplay. LaBute gives Edward an external motivation for his actions (e.g., finding Rowan), but as a detective, he’s a failure. He’s incapable of seeing the Summersisle community for what it is, a neo-pagan matriarchy with distinctly different social rules and customs. Instead, Edward pushes his white male privilege and authority at every opportunity, refusing to change his approach despite the stonewalling he receives from the community. The original was constructed around the central character’s inability to change or adapt. At multiple times, he’s given the opportunity to leave or to give into his desires, but he refuses, leading inexorably to his tragic fate.
LaBute departs significantly in depicting Summersisle community from the 1973 from the original. The Summersisle community is now a strict neo-pagan matriarchy. Men are completely subservient, functioning only as breeders and laborers. Women receive educations, men don’t. But LaBute goes further, clearly modeling the Summersisle matriarchy on the beehive, with Sister Summersisle as the literal queen bee. LaBute inserts a scene of Sister Summersisle in her bedchamber, surrounded by attendants, making her look like royalty. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Summersisle community raises bees and harvests honey (presumably to sell on the mainland). The switch in focus also means that the paganism vs. Christianity subtext (and text) running through the original is nowhere to be found in the remake, except in the final scenes when a character calls out to god (presumably the Judeo-Christian God).
Performance wise, Nicholas Gage gives one of his worst performances in years. Blame LaBute, for not reigning Cage in, or blame Cage, who receives a producing credit on The Wicker Man, but either way Cage can’t seem to help but overact his way through scenes. It’s made all the more noticeable due to the subdued performances by everyone around him. As the ex-lover who’s hiding more than she’s telling, Kate Beahan certainly emotes her way through her scenes credibly. Molly Parker has a small role as a schoolteacher, but it’s probably nuanced toward an iciness that’s hard to resist. Ellen Burstyn has an extended cameo, appearing late in The Wicker Man, mostly to give a face to the evils of cold-hearted matriarchy. The once promising Leelee Sobieski has a small, insignificant role that does nothing for her career.
The original Wicker Man was, at least in part, developed as a horror film (sans supernatural elements). Moviegoers expecting the remake to play up the horror angle will be sorely disappointed. LaBute throws in a couple of cheap jump scares, but based on The Wicker Man, LaBute's heart wasn't into integrating horror elements into the film. It's too bad, since the potential for some major creepiness/dread was there, but LaBute obviously didn't care to emphasize the horror angle. Even when the villains are exposed, the best LaBute can do is having the characters dress in Mardi Gras costumes (not scary) and having Edward running around in an animal costume (likely referencing Edgar Allan Poe's short story, "Hop-Frog" ). Not to mention the dreaded “six months later” coda he tacks on that's both unnecessary and unwanted. It also dilutes whatever emotional impact the ending should have on audiences.
© Mel Valentin, 1st September, 2006
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