(2002)

review by:

3-24-03

Written by: Chris Fisher Directed by: Max Makowski Starring: Nick Stahl, January Jones, Amber Benson

A bunch of rich kids gather in a house and play Taboo, a game which asks "Would you ever...?" A year later they receive an unsettling package. Then people start dying...or do they? While Nick Stahl is a pretty good actor, Taboo unfortunately centers around Elizabeth, who is played by January Jones. Throughout most of the movie we almost believe her face will explode if she attempts for one second to act. We do get to see a bit of an emotion change in a later scene, though, where she takes on the facial expression of needing to relieve her bowels. Not that the acting could hurt this movie's plot chunks, most of which are drowned out by music presented as loud as the dialogue. Everyone suspects that the mysterious package was sent by Elizabeth who, we find out, did send it. So much for throwing people off the trail. She was behind the game a year before and, based on answers she somehow knew they'd give, Elizabeth devised a brilliant plan of blackmail and murder...all so that she could sleep with her half-brother, or something. Taboo does have a bit of ridicule value, though, which always makes movies more entertaining. At one point someone gets beaten to death, and the blows sound like drunken whale calls. In another scene, one candle provides a ridiculous amount of lighting for a room, including overhead and fill light. These occasional chuckles don't save the movie, however, which is mostly just boring. In fact, if you find yourself wanting to see Taboo, you're probably better off renting Clue instead.

AKA: I Know What You Casually Suggested Last Winter          Clue 2: Revenge of the Bad Actors.

Rating