Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, September 2, 1995 TAG: 9509060009
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: B-12 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MIKE MAYO
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
"Sketch Artist II: Hands That See" breaks most of the rules for sequels. Instead of repeating the original, this film builds on and departs from it. And despite the seemingly foolish premise, it tells a fairly realistic story.
As the only surviving victim of a serial rapist/murderer, Emmy (Courtney Cox) has problems identifying the man for the police. She's blind. But she did touch the man's face and is able to describe him to sketch artist Jack Whitfield (Jeff Fahey). They work together to create a portrait. Writer Michael Angeli and director Jack Sholder ("The Hidden") take some care to treat rape and its emotional aftermath with sensitivity. The body of the film is unusual in that it's built on a strong emotional but non-sexual relationship that builds between Emmy and Jack. There's also a neat surprise at the end.
"The Expert" is an enthusiastically pro-death penalty revenge picture made in Nashville. Jeff Speakman plays the counter-terrorism "expert" whose sister is murdered by a psychopath in a needlessly brutal scene. From that premise, the story wanders down some weird sidestreets, finally ending in a near-empty prison. At times, it becomes so unusual that even the most jaded videophile will have trouble predicting what's going to happen next. Speakman handles the physical action well enough, and gets solid support from James Brolin, Elizabeth Gracen and, in a surprise cameo, Jim Varney.
Speaking of prisons, "Under Lock and Key" is your basic babes-behind-bars exploitation flick with an undercover policewoman (Wendy Westbrook) trying to finagle information from a drug boss's incarcerated moll (Stephanie Smith). Director Henri Charr knows the drill - shower scenes, fights, vicious guards - and he manages to provide about as many intentional laughs as for fans.
"Excessive Force II: Force on Force" earns the dubious distinction of being the only video in recent memory to use the word "force" three times in a five-word, one-number title. Beyond that, it's pretty much a standard shoot-'em-up, kick-'em-up with a female protagonist and a bit more imagination than most. Stacie Randall is Lt. Harly Cordell, the glamourpuss martial artiste who takes on a renegade U.S. Army death squad. The fight scenes range from pretty good to so-so. It's obvious that Ms. Randall's training isn't equal to that of the top male stars in the field, but working with the right people, she could become just as effective on screen.
"The Mosaic Project" opens with a long, kooky chase scene and then becomes a curious hybrid of "Dumb and Dumber," "True Lies" and one of those "Yes, I am" Bud commercials. It's about two beer-swilling bozos (Jon Tabler and Ben Marley) who, upon having microchips implanted in their heads, become super-spies. They are then sent off on dangerous missions by their treacherous bosses (Joe Estevez and Robert Z'Dar). Director John Sjogren lets the pace lag with pointless shots of people walking to one side of a room and then back to the other. The big scenes are more interesting, and since the violence and sexual activity are played down and the comic angle is played up, this one could be fun for older kids. Overall, this one looks like it might've been made as a pilot for a syndicated TV series.
"Skinner" is a flawed film about a repellant subject - torture and serial murder - but at times it's exceptionally sharp. It's similar in some ways to "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer," though not nearly as powerful or frightening. The quirky casting - Ricki Lake as an unsuspecting landlady, Ted Raimi as the killer of the title and particularly Traci Lords as a woman with several secrets and a mission - helps to counter an ultra-low budget.
Director Ivan Nagy creates a Midwestern Gothic atmosphere of dread and horror, particularly at the beginning. When he gets more graphic, the story becomes bloody, sickening and predictable. The really gory moments - meant to be frightening - could almost have come from a Troma "Toxic Avenger" movie.
"Witchcraft 7: Judgement Hour" appears to be the final chapter in this remarkably long-lived series about Will Spanner (David Byrnes), California lawyer by day, warlock by night and full-time son of Satan. This installment is a softcore vampire story that begins with a party for the undead out at the Polytechnic Institute. Given the strict and obvious limits of his budget, director Michael Paul Girard doesn't do bad work. And someone in the casting or make-up department must have had a wicked sense of humor. One of the main supporting characters belongs to the Kato Kaelin hair club, and Will's girlfriend (April Breneman) is a ringer for Hillary Clinton.
Next week: Still more leftovers!
THE ESSENTIALS
Sketch Artist II: Hands That See ***
MGM/UA. Time not listed; about 90 min. Unrated, contains strong subject matter, violence, strong language, incidental nudity.
The Expert **1/2
Orion Home Video. 92 min. Rated R for violence, subject matter, language.
Under Lock and Key **
Imperial. 90 min. Rated R for violence, nudity, sexual content, strong language.
Excessive Force II: Force on Force **
New Line Home Video. 105 min. Rated R for violence, strong language, mild sexual content.
The Mosaic Project **
Monarch. 89 min. Rated R for violence, strong language, one sexy dance.
Skinner * 1/2
A-Pix. 90 min. Un-rated and R-rated for subject matter, violence, strong language, brief nudity.
Witchcraft 7: Judgement Hour ** 1/2
A-Pix. 91 min. Un-rated and R-rated for violence, nudity, sexual content, strong language.
by CNB