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source: Open Graves

No surprises here. OPEN GRAVES is simply another take on the classic tale of the monkey's paw, with a slight twist. The winner is granted their heart's desire. The losers... well, they get something else. Some, supposedly deserved; but, that's not really clear in viewing. The movie included bad practical effects. And, even worse special effects, which made this movie insufferable. Seeing it on SyFy, which not only edits for content; but, over-edits, just adds insult to injury. Throw into the mix a plot twist concerning a renegade cop. And, then add to that an oh-so predictable ending. And, you end up with OPEN GRAVES. There are so many plot holes in this film that they aren't even worth mentioning. Definitely not worth your time.

Open Graves starts out as something at least different enough from the repetitive ghost stories that became too common in the last few years. Well technically it shares many similar aspects, but remains reasonably different mainly through methods of offing the victims. Unfortunately not different enough. As oversaturate formula demands, we quickly learn several characters are going to die because of a certain event, and after the first few deaths we already know how everything's will play out. After which we're subjected to scenes of the remaining characters, or at least the central ones trying to figure out what's causing the deaths before it's their turn. And of course, Open Graves follows the tradition of similar mystery- related films in the sense that once the cast discover an objective, any characterization disappears, the mystery itself becoming supposedly more important than giving the audience any interest in the people trying to solve it.

This cheapish horror movie mashes up two decent ideas - Jumanji and Final Destination - and comes up with a group of young people being eliminated one by one in accordance with fates predetermined in a board game. Eliza Dushku is the biggest name in the cast (which, considering how the promise shown by her TV roles has parlayed into increasingly indifferent horror movies, is probably a telling comment about this one). Second on the list is Mike Vogel. That's right, Mike Vogel. Right. I said "cheapish" - there are some nice props and a decent explosion. a no-name cast, and little money left for CGI which is presumably why (please excuse spoiler) dragonfly lady emerging from the sea is so badly executed. I won't say "avoid it", but I certainly won't say "seek it out" either.

I have to say this is better than most SyFy outings, but that isn't saying much. The plot is that someone buys a game that is made from the bones and skin of a dead witch from the Spanish Inquisition (and nobody ever expects the Spanish Inquisition!) He and his friends play the game, only to be interrupted halfway through when the friend who went on the beer run is killed in a way that the game predicted. What then follows are a series of kills that are typical for a movie like this, or any of the Final Destination movies. It has the puzzle at the end and the interesting subplot with the cop who wants the game to bring back his family... but otherwise, it's just a mess.

Set in Spain, Jason (Vogel) is a grad student who is surfing and partying with his friends. He meets Erica (Dushku) and a romance is started. He is given an ancient board game dating back to the Spanish inquisition and the idiot and his friends play the game. Whatever happens in the game happens in real life so those who receive a death card die in that fashion. Outside of some decent gore and make up this "barely there at all" plot cannot hold up over the long hall. With horrible dialog such as main character Jason telling Erica "You're a Goth girl in a wetsuit" and cheesy digital effects (check out the snake scene), Open Graves just stumbles along in predictable fashion. It feels like the writers (Bruce A. Taylor and Roderick Taylor) came up with the premise of the game and made the rest up as they went along. Credit must be given to the cast for trying real hard, but this movie is such a mess it never had a prayer of being anything worthy.

OPEN GRAVES has a pretty good plot, its well acted by the cast, Eliza Dushku is delicious as always and the direction is okay but the film is actually not something to write home about, there aren't any real memorable moments that will leave you breathless even though some of the death scenes are rather weird, in fact there's nothing that stands out about this film, the best way to sum it up is that its nothing more than a time passer. However, where I can give it credit is that it does try to be different but unfortunately like you could've guessed it falls short, I'd say only watch this if you want to kill time and if there's nothing else to watch which is the reason I watched it in the first place.

Think Jumanji but with a death curse. A bunch of surfer dudes get their hands on a game that takes the life of some one who is playing it. Supposedly it was made from the skin of a witch during the Spanish Inquisition and carries a nasty curse. Okay, undemanding and just sort of watchable tale isn't anything you haven't seen before.Frankly its a been there and done that story that hits all the right buttons in such away as to have no real surprises. Far from the worst thing that SyFy has run but certainly its not the best. There are better choices out there but if this is your only choice you won't completely hate it.

Some young adults (with models) are in Spain when one acquires a game from an artifacts dealer who apparently disliked him. If they complete the game, they get a wish. However, if they draw a death card, they are out of the game...all the way out. The game, from what I gathered originated during the Spanish Inquisition and is made from a witch's body parts. But don't worry, the curse cards to the game which describe their death are written in modern English with a font to make it look old. Phew! Didn't we see this in another movie with tarot cards? The film is predictable with no twists. It lacked imagination. F-bomb, brief sex, brief nudity, one guy gets crabs.