(2003)

review by:

5-21-03

Written and Directed by: Devin Hamilton Starring: Natalie Anne Sutherland, Danny Wolske, Laura Nativo With: Julie Strain and Brinke Stevens

After a group of vigilantes kill off the members of a cult, one of them adopts a little girl who was to be sacrificed. Years later Rebecca, unaware of her past, is visited by Roman, a warlock who gives the young witch a magical amulet. Her newfound power soon corrupts her, and Rebecca's adopted sister Erin must do something. Let me start by saying this movie was alright. The story's been done before, and a lot better. The Craft, as far as I'm concerned, is the only movie of this type we really need. The acting's so-so, as can be expected, though Wolske was apparently told by someone to bob his head whenever delivering lines. The worst thing about Birth Rite is a horrible little kung fu scene they found necessary to include. Nativo supposedly did her own stunts, but Wolske's stunt double is so prominently shown in one shot that they actually have to blur his face so we can't tell it's not him. They sure fooled me. I usually find random kung fu funny, but this was just unnecessary. Birth Rite is somewhat saved, though, by its ridicule value. So much of the dialogue can be construed sexually (or more sexually) that we spent more time laughing than listening. Rebecca, "I walked in on him jerking off." Erin, "Eww, I used to do that all the time." Well, there's at least two ways to hear that... Some of the situations in Birth Rite are great. A girl is eaten by a toilet. Rebecca hypnotizes her adopted brother and sexes him up (hm...). And of course there's Julie Strain, this time playing a conservatively dressed history teacher (She's really the reason we rented this...). The best part about this movie, though, is a slow-motion shot in which Erin deeply screams "Nooooooooo," followed by a shot of Rebecca looking like Ozzy Osbourne. This movie wasn't great, but we had a lot of fun watching it.

AKA: The Devil's Back to Bone

Rating