Friday, April 22, 2011 at 1:16PM The heavens have parted, and allowed the shining glory that is "Weird Al" brighten what could have been a mild mannered day without fits of giggles...
Oh, June 21st, why are you so far away?
Thursday, November 20, 2008 at 9:32PM
The script is solid. There's even a plot! A real, honest to goodness plot! Excuse me while I wipe away a tear of joy over that. It's nothing mind-blowing, but it is a good, and engaging story. It starts out with a young woman running through the swamp, obviously pursued by something terrifying. There is a search party within yards of her, but they can't get to her in time. They find her floating face up in the swamp, and her father instantly blames the resident kook (played by Bruce Dern), and former sheriff, for the death. A hunting party ensues.
Flash to the daughter of the kook (played convincingly and without a saccharin aftertaste by Cindy Sampson) receiving a phone call from a boy she supposedly grew up with, but can't remember. She is convinced to come back to town to help find her father before the posse does. We get introduced very quickly to the most intriguing character of the film, Jimmy Fuller, played with panache and charm by Nicholas Wright.
This is a movie I don't want to give spoilers to, because I really want you to check it out the first chance you get. I will say that Jimmy Fuller is a fascinating character I would have liked to had more time getting to know.
The daughter naturally ends up in her dad's house in the middle of the swamp, and is promptly set upon by the posse, the new sheriff and deputy, and of course, Jimmy Fuller. The mystery is explained nicely, so we're not left wondering what the hell is going on in this town. There is definitely believable reasons for everyone behaving the way they do. This is some nice, and appreciated, attention to detail. Sure, it's a horror movie, but it's always refreshing when the writers respect the story, too.
The CGI on the actual Swamp Devil is laughable. I got cheap giggles out of it because I'm just that kind of person, but a little bit more money into it could have made Swamp Devil a cult classic. There are a few problems with the plot, but forgivable ones. There is one interesting character introduced to us at a diner, who knows Jimmy Fuller, yet we don't get to know what her real back story is. That was disappointing.
I will watch Swamp Devil again when it re-airs on Sci Fi, or any other channel. If it comes out on DVD I will at least Netflix it so I can watch the unedited version, just to see if I missed something that could make it one I need to own. For the great characters alone I recommend watching this. The solid story seals the deal for me. The special effects...not so much, but cheap CGI is just icing on the cake for me, anyway.
