“The Messengers”

Kristen Stewart
Dylan McDermott
Penelope Ann Miller
John Corbett
Dustin Milligan
William B. Davis
Evan Turner
Theodore Turner

PG13           144min           2007

Desperate for a fresh start after a tough two years in Chicago, the Solomon family retreats to s desolate sunflower farm in North Dakota. But the calm of farm life is shattered when 16-year old Jess (Kristen Stewart) and her 3-year-old brother Ben begin to see nightmarish apparitions throughout their new home – visions that nobody else can see. As the visions grow darker, they become fear-inspiring experiences and Jess’ parents (Dylan McDermott and Penelope Ann Miller) start to question their daughter’s sanity. Now Jess must fund a way to save her family and win a battle with forces from far beyond the grave. – from the backcover

“The Messengers” is a horror film that uses the ordinary to invoke scariness. The shadows and tricks of the eye, the things that scare people everyday. Only when the serious frights happen, not one is there to witness it and leave everyone questioning her sanity.

Although the film’s hauntings are ambiguous, you are on the quest to find out why, just as Jess is. As the reason becomes clear you find that the clues are although out this film. Once the killer(s) are revealed it devolves from just frightening the family into straight slasher film.

Together they form a family that really looks like they are a family. Kristen Stewart does a great job at leading this cast and facing the brunt of the haunting. Dylan McDermott and Penelope Ann Miller play a convincingly married couple dealing with the past of their troubled daughter and trying to make a fresh start.

There are only a few special features on this disc. There is an audio commentary with Kristen Stewart and guest. It has three behind the scene features. The are movie previews for: “Across the Universe”, “Premonition”, “Ghost Riders”, “The Grudge 2”, “Seinfield”, “Blood and Chocolate”, “Stomp the Yard”, and “Catch and Release”.

I give it 3/5 Gs.