NATURE’S GRAVE
(R)
MOVIE: ** (out of 5)
DVD EXPERIENCE: * (out of 5)
STARRING
Jim Cavezel as PETER
Claudia Karvan as MARCIA
Directed by: Jamie Blanks
Studio: Screen Media Films
BY KEVIN CARR
Jim Cavezel and Claudia Karvan star in this horror movie remake about a couple visiting the wilderness. They don’t have respect for Mother Nature, and so Mother Nature bites back. Peter (Cavezel) and Marcia (Karvan) are a couple whose relationship is on the rocks. They try to patch things up on a camping trip. However, when they start to hunt without reason or cause, it seems that the natural order of things around them starts to exact revenge.
I like a good horror movie, and I’ve been a fan of the limited scope film like this one. Unfortunately, the execution of this movie leaves a lot to be desired. Jim Cavezal is a fine actor, and he carries the film well. Claudia Karvan is new to me, but she also does a fine job in the role.
The problem I had with this film was the fact that I had no sympathy for the charcters. They are, at their core, wretched people who deserve to have their relationship fall apart. The key to a good horror movie is to have a certain degree of relatability to the characters. If you don’t fear for their safety, the threat doesn’t seem real.
This film is a remake of film “Long Weekend” from 1978, which I haven’t seen. I suppose the original could be good. It’s a decent premise. I might check it out in the future, but I have a feeling that this is going to be one of those instances where the remake just doesn’t live up.