The Reaping

October 15, 2007

Rated: R Runtime: 98 min Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

The only thing special about The Reaping is that it stars Hilary Swank, and that girl acts well enough to make a turd look pretty. I’ll also admit that I spent a fair amount of time during the movie debating if she was going commando in that white dress of hers.

The Reaping Katherine Winter (Hilary Swank) is a college professor at LSU who debunks miracles around the world. If you think you’ve spotted a bleeding Mary somewhere, call Katherine and she’ll prove it’s just science in action. When the town of Haven starts to experience strange things (assuming you call a river of blood “strange”) they send their brightest citizen to plead for her assistance in figuring out what’s happening.

At first it’s all just science to her as there’s obviously some chemical or bacteria causing the water to appear blood like, there has to be a rational explanation for the frogs falling from the sky… and the livestock that goes nuts must have drunk the water. Some of the townfolk discount the science, instead blaming everything on a 12-yr old girl who lives with her deadbeat mother on the outskirts of town. See, the girl ain’t quite right.. she’s EVIL and needs to be stopped. As things progress Katherine starts to doubt her own convictions.. perhaps the town is right?

Pretty typical stuff here, and the movie doesn’t stray far from the formula. For example, a white chick in a horror movie… do you think she’ll go into the woods alone, at night? (MINOR CHORD!) Her sidekick is a black guy, what do you think his odds are of seeing the final credits? (minor chord… HIGH STRINGS!) There’s also the annoyance of the soundtrack that insists on pointing out to you anytime something slightly jolting happens like someone tripping in the river (MINOR CHORD!) or the power going out. (MINOR CHORD!!) Yeah, it’s damned annoying.

When it comes down to it though, the movie doesn’t totally suck. If you’re into Biblical horror type movies and love the sound of Revelations being read by a priest, you’re gonna have a good time. For me it was just OK, but I enjoyed studying the commando factor and that kept me from being too bored. So I’m giving it a very weak 3 stars.

Popularity: 13% [?]

Posted by John | Filed Under 3 Stars, AnnaSophia Robb, DVD, David Morrissey, Hilary Swank, Horror, Idris Elba, R, Stephen Rea, Thriller