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Review #235 of 365
Film: The Wicker Man (2006) [PG-13] 97 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $12.50
Where Viewed: Carmike Wynnsong 16, Johnston, IA
When 1st Seen: 3 September 2006
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Directed by: Neil LaBute • Written by: Neil LaBute
Based on: Anthony Shaffer's 1973 screenplay
Featured Cast: / Where I Remember Him/Her From:
Nicolas Cage (World Trade Center)• Ellen Burstyn (Same Time Next Year)• Kate Beahan (Flightplan) • Frances Conroy (The Aviator) • Molly Parker ("Six Feet Under" & "Deadwood") • Leelee Sobieski (Here on Earth)• Diane Delano (Jeepers Creepers 2) • Aaron Eckhart (Thank You For Smoking) • James Franco (Annapolis)• Jason Ritter (Happy Endings & "Joan of Arc")
Soundtrack: order the CD below
Related Soundtrack: Download The Wicker Man (2002) by Magnet from 
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word or less review of this film]
How fun to take a nearly throwaway comment by Julius Caesar with zero corroborating evidence and stir up an entire mythology about it leading to a brilliant twisty British film of 1973 that gets updated and remade into a USA mystery thriller in 2006. Thus is the life of the Wicker Man, a huge human effigy made from flexible wood such as willow and then burned at the end of a festival. For the update, directed and written by Neil LaBute, we have California police motorcycle officer, Edward Malus (Nicholas Cage) who is depressed and forlorn because he was unable to rescue to victims of a horrendous car crash from their fiery death including a little girl, being called to a tiny island in Puget Sound by his long, lost fiancée to find her missing daughter Rowan. Upon arrival at the secret refuge colony under the charge of Sister Summersisle (Ellen Burstyn), he finds this bee-deviled island ruled by women with men in strictly subservient positions and used mainly for procreation. After some searching and seeming subterfuge, he finally meets up with Sister Willow (Kate Beahan) his once beloved. She is filled with sorrow as her daughter is nowhere to be found. She has little information as to how she disappeared and seems confused, scared, dazed, and crazed during most of their encounters. Edward conducts a very thorough investigation as any good CHiP would, but every thing he uncovers leads to more questions than answers. Everyone is congenial to a point, but it is clear they are all hiding something. The spectacularly dreary twist will not be revealed here, just suffice it to say that when Willow instructs Edward to believe nothing of what he sees nor anything that anyone tells him because nothing is as it seems, that's turns out to be not only the only true thing he's ever told on the island and the one thing to which he really should have paid attention.
"… spectacularly dreary twist…tightly directed and paced…continues to build until the final climactic scene where the audience will finally make its appointment with The Wicker Man."
While the film is being heavily promoted as a horror film (see the scary poster), the film is more of a mystery thriller with a decidedly horrific and nasty ending. Unlike The Sixth Sense where there are clues to find if you figure out the twist early, there are no clues here to follow. Quite literally, you will be in Edward's shoes, knowing nothing, until he does. This creates a satisfying mystery that's as engulfing as it is perplexing. Mr. Cage does a very good job of keeping the plausibility just high enough as his encounters with the locals become increasingly absurd. He looks drawn, confused, and bewildered. Edward knows they are all hiding something--something big, he just cannot figure out what until it's too late. Ellen Burstyn, who simply hasn't aged a day since I first remember her from Same Time Next Year, turns in a delightfully wicked portrayal as Sister Summersisle, the island's matriarch and direct link to Mother Earth. Doey, teary-eyed Kate Beahan also does a terrific job as Sister Willow. Watch as late in the film, Edward has had his fill of these women and their sisterhood silence and pops the annoying Sister Beech (Diane Delano) right in the chops and then tosses ever-curiously sweet but conniving Sister Honey (Leele Sobieski) into a wall of framed glass pictures. This is the only redemption, unfortunately, he will receive. Tightly directed and paced, the film never meanders. Everything continues to build until the final climactic scene where the audience will finally make its appointment with The Wicker Man. Oh, and you got to love the "six months later" scene. Look out James Franco and Jason Ritter!
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Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Other Projects Featuring The Wicker Man (2006) Cast Members
Nicolas Cage • Ellen Burstyn • Kate Beahan • Frances Conroy
Molly Parker • Leelee Sobieski • Diane Delano • Aaron Eckhart
James Franco • Jason Ritter
Other Projects Directed by: Neil LaBute
Other Projects Written: Anthony Shaffer
| CD Soundtrack | VHS | DVD |
| Related Book | Related Poster | Related DVD |
The Wicker Man (2006) Review-lite [150-word cap]
How fun to take a nearly throwaway comment by Julius Caesar with zero corroborating evidence and stir up an entire mythology about it leading to a brilliant twisty British film of 1973 that gets updated and remade into a USA mystery thriller in 2006. Thus is the life of the Wicker Man, a huge human effigy made from flexible wood such as willow and then burned at the end of a festival. For the update, directed and written by Neil LaBute, officer Edward Malus (Nicholas Cage) is called to a tiny island in Puget Sound by his former fiancée to find her missing daughter Rowan. Upon arrival, Edward's investigation leads to more questions than answers. Everyone is hiding something. Tightly directed and paced, the film never meanders. Everything continues to build until the final climactic scene where the audience will finally make its appointment with The Wicker Man.
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