When it was announced that indie filmmaker Neil LaBute would remake classic British horror flick The Wicker Man, the world asked 'Why?'. After seeing the results, critics were left in a deeper state of disorientation. Those who actually forked out to see Nicolas Cage running through the woods in a bear suit might've enjoyed an unexpected giggle or two, but this movie earned its description as "shambolic".

Wicker's World

LaBute presents us with his 'Director's Cut' on DVD - a PR move that's akin to bailing water out of the Titanic with a teaspoon. Fortunately for him, it's much quicker to shave a few minutes off the running time of a bad film and amp up the bloody violence to push up the rating from 12a to 15. Unfortunately the film is still rubbish, but at least you don't have to wait quite as long for it to end...

According to what LaBute says in the commentary, it was Nicolas Cage's idea to make Edward Malus a motorcycle cop, recalling the glory days of 70s cop show CHiPs. "It set a different tone," says the director. But let's face it; he only has himself and producer Norm Golightly to blame for the 'different tone'. Golightly explains how he was seduced by LaBute's "new, fresh" approach to the story, after securing the rights to the 1973 original. We assume copious pints of mead were involved...

Oh, The Humanity!

LaBute goes on to insist that the humour was not unintentional. He adds that this "is not just a horror movie" and blames the American critics for lacking a sense of irony, "..like we wouldn't know when something is funny...". However, he doesn't take into account that a) British critics loathed the movie just as heartily and b) the laughter itself was of the scornful variety. Since Cage and co-star Ellen Burstyn don't appear for interviews, we have to assume they're not laughing at all. In short, you'd have to be a basket case to waste money on this DVD.

EXTRA FEATURES