The Scream team - director Wes Craven and writer Kevin Williamson - turn their attention to werewolves in Cursed, a diverting but toothless horror comedy. Ellie and Jimmy (Christina Ricci and Jesse Eisenberg) are siblings who discover that there are hidden advantages to lycanthropy, from unexpected sporting skill to raw sex appeal. Unfortunately, the werewolf that nibbled them in the first place is still prowling around their apple-pie Los Angeles neighbourhood, hungry for a second helping.
Cursed has certainly lived up to its name: the version that limps into cinemas this week has suffered reshoots, cast members dropping out, and a severe snipping of gory moments in order to secure a PG-13 rating in the US. The result is an almost fatally compromised product, a wolf movie for the generation that has only a smidgeon of that show's audacity and sophistication.
"RICCI MAKES A DELIGHTFUL WEREWOLF"
Where the threatened teens of Scream knew their horror clichés inside out, the Cursed gang don't seem to have the first clue as they wander blithely into darkened cellars like lambs to the slaughter. The actual slaughtering, meanwhile, is conspicuous by its absence; there's barely a drop of blood on display.
Still, it's not all bad news. Ricci makes a delightful werewolf, ecstatically sniffing out steaks and nosebleeds like a carnivorous Bisto kid. There's a were-labrador, a charming gay subplot and 13 Going On 30's Judy Greer steals the film with an outstanding turn as a fiendish, highly strung PR girl. Cursed is no Scream, but it is at least a healthy yelp.
Cursed (2005)
