Skinny, swollen-faced squinter Renée Zellweger frets, screams and cries her way through Case 39 like a pro, but her best efforts are undone by a plodding pace and a predictable plot.
Case 39 is little more than a formulaic shake-up of familiar themes and adds nothing new to the Creepy Kid horror sub-genre. It’s neither original enough to be classy, nor fun enough to please diehard horror fans — we’ve seen this sort of thing before in The Omen, The Exorcist and the Shining.
Although, in fairness, the deliberate pacing of the film as well as the emphasis on mood and sparing use of special effects owe more to Japanese horrors like Ring and Ju-on than US movies. The difference is that these Japanese masterpieces maintained an atmosphere of pure dread and claustrophobia throughout, Case 39 manages to unsettle only occasionally.
Looking admirably dowdy, peppy social worker, Zellweger takes on Case 39, which concerns a young girl named Lillith who appears to be suffering terrible abuse at the hands of her dead-eyed parents. In a genuinely gripping and unsettling sequence, Renée (with a little help from an Ian McShane on autopilot) manages to rescue Lillith from a horrible death. Won over by Lillith’s little-girl-lost puppy eyes Zellweger decides to foster the child and they look forward to a better life together — but wait! Maybe all is not what it seems: why is the door to Lillith’s parent’s room bolted from the inside? Were they trying to keep something out? Why are bad things happening to all of the people around poor Rennée? And why does creepy music start playing every time the kid appears on the screen?
There are a few choice horror moments — particularly chilling is the way in which Lillith’s parents try to do her in, but by the time the film reaches the last act the story is gasping to avoid descent into farce (poor Ian McShane, I hope the paycheck was worth it).
Jodelle Ferland is pretty good as the cutsie dark eyed devil child Lillith. Although there are a couple moments where precocious American child acting threatens to kill the movie stone dead, she manages to tread a thin line carefully.
Further support comes from Callum Keith Rennie, who does a great turn as the ‘is he/isn’t he’ abusive father, and Hangover charmer Bradley Cooper who has a bit of a to-do with some glaringly CGIed hornets.
After the recent praise heaped on the over-hyped no-budget lo-fi horror, Paranormal Activity, Case 39 is a return to standard Hollywood fare, but it only made me nostalgic for the gleeful mania of Sam Rami’s Drag me to Hell.
Case 39 isn’t a bad movie, it’s just slightly worn out.
By: Brian Herron
Here’s the trailer:
Bill Walsh
March 31, 2011
I don’t think this movie was a good fit for Renee Z.
Ya, sure she has been successful at doing stretch parts in other movies, perhaps moving out of her comfort zone, but this was not a good choice.
Always amazes me that actors or actresses with some brand power will get sucked into these types of roles.