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Mean Johnny Barrow's look at IDLE HANDS!!!

Published at:  Nov 12, 1998 1:39:38 AM CST


I remember back in Vegas when I was at ShoWest, they introduced the cast of IDLE HANDS, and they were all... I don't know... well it seemed sorta like they were astounded to even exist on stage. You should have seen them. Staring and pointing at the Stars as they crowded the Sony stage. It's strange being around for these productions, watching them come and go. Time flies so fast it seems, and well here's a review of the film. Gee... in a few mental blinks it'll be time for the video release. sigh... they come and go... Well here's the review.


I am 23 year old male who goes to
tons of movies. Last night I stumbled upon this screening of a new teen
comedy that has a horror back drop "Idle Hands". I thought I would let you
know how I felt about this film.

As we already know, "Scream" has re-opened the horror genre and not
since the
early 80's have I seen such a flood of horror/slasher movies being released
theatrically. We can only hope that movie studios are taking the time to
make
good horror movies instead of multiple rip-offs. Soon will be the entry of
the movie I saw last night "Idle Hands". Thank God it puts the comedy
ahead
of the horror.

With a clever opening sequence, the story quickly unfolds about a young
boy,
"Anton" whose hands get possessed by the devil. Anton, better yet, Anton's
hand begins to murder his family and friends while he tries to maintain a
relationship with the beatiful girl next door. We later learn that some
medieval nun, "Independence Day's & Soul Food" Vivica Fox, has been
tracking
this evil for centuries and must put an end to it before it opens a gateway to
hell.

I think we've seen this plot on numerous videos that litter your local video
stores but with a spunky youthful cast, this movie edges it way throught to
deliver the thrills and laughs it seemingly intended to set out tot do.
Especially when the lead actor playing Anton does some incredible, original,
physical comedy.

The actor who plays Anton pushes past your typical "final survivor"
character,
because he in turn is the killer, well at least his hand is doing the killing.
The actor gives a great comical performance along with a brilliant physical
performance as his hand actually has a mind of its own. Not to mention that
he kills his parents & friends yet we are still forced to like him and hope he
can rid himself of this evil. his physical performance carries the movie ala
Jim Carrey "Ace Ventura".

Anton's two best friends, Seth Green and another actor I don't know, serve
as
hysterical side kicks who constantly smoke pot and live the MTV esque
generation to the max. These major slackers are killed by their best
friend's
hand and return from the dead to provide some of the films funniest
moments.
They seemingly decide not to cross over to Heaven just yet because it was
too
long of a wait and come back to help our hero rid himself of his hands.

Unfortunately Vivica Fox looks lost as some druid woman priest tracing this
evil and trying to put a stop to it. her character takes the movie away from
the hysterics which Anton and his friends create. It is at these moments
that
the audience is jumping out of their seats. If they could only cut her out
and keep the movie in the hands of the boys and Antone's girlfriend, who is
a
12 on a scale from 1-10, I'M NOT KIDDING!!! The movie could be at total
sleeper hit.

The special effects are cleverly believable, especially when Anton succeeds
in
chopping off the possessed hand, and it runs amuck ala "Adams Family".
The
special effects in the end need some work but some studio man pointed out
before the movie began. Hopefully he is not full of shit.

Would I run out to see this film? Yes and boy could they put together a
killer trailer. I just hope kids can control their hand after leaving the
theatre.

Mean Johnny Barrows - Brutal - Blasting - Blazing




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    Readers Talkback

  • Nov 12, 1998 10:28:36 AM CST

    Seth Green

    by rjinla

    I will definately see this movie, if for nothing else, to see Seth Green. He's so great (but underused) as Willow's pet werewolf in Buffy. But Viveca Fox as a nun? Could be interesting, I think...

    Reply to Talkback

  • Nov 12, 1998 11:41:33 AM CST

    HELLO!?!?!?

    by dennis

    It's called Evil Dead. Jesus these people are unoriginal. Seth Green as a stoned GenX-er...wow, what a stretch. He's never played that character on the X-Files or anything. Perhaps I'm being too harsh, but the hand being possessed and then chopping it off thing is reaaaallly pushing it.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Nov 12, 1998 1:48:41 PM CST

    Ideas Schmideas

    by anton_sirius

    Hey, it's a Clive Barker short story too- so what? (From Books of Blood #2- I think- if you're curious.) Ideas are a dime-a-dozen. Every 'original' idea you will ever have in your lifetime is just an 8th generation rehash of an older one. So the important thing is not the concept but the execution, the style, the panache with which the idea is translated from head to reality. Besides, its got Viveca A. Fox in it. (Far be it from me to ignore a union stipulation and miss that A.) Now if they could only find a decent role for Lela Rochon too...

    Reply to Talkback

  • Nov 12, 1998 7:36:34 PM CST

    Devon Sawa plays Anton (yes that old teen pretty boy)

    by finley44

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