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Ellie (Christina Ricci), a producer of a late night show on TV is driving home from work with her
brother Jimmy (Jesse Eisenberg) when they are involved in a terrible car accident. Though shocked, they try to extricate a woman pinned down by her overturned car, but in a
rapid turn of events in the dark, the woman is shredded to pieces by a wild animal. The terrified siblings manage to escape but they realize they also have been
bitten. Jimmy who saw the animal thinks they have encountered a werewolf but Ellie, who is more sensible, doesn't think so. Both are surprised at the changes that they
experience in themselves. Jimmy reputed to be a weakling pushed around by bullies now impresses everyone as the strongest wrestler in high school. Ellie gets
complimented for her new "aura" and new drawing power. Very much interested now in werewolves, Jimmy researches extensively on the subject and confirms they had been bitten
by a werewolf. Aware of the gradual transformation taking place in themselves, they fight the urge to become werewolves even when crossed or taunted during a full
moon. Jimmy seeks the help of Jake (Joshua Jackson), an admirer of Ellie but strangely, he shows no interest. As killings of young women by a wild beast roaming the
city of Los Angeles are reported, Ellie and Jimmy wish to rid themselves of the curse but how?
Cursed is one of
those forgettable pictures passed off as a horror film with hardly any horror in it. Nothing in the visuals nor the sound effects has scared the viewer. Attempts are
made when the action is set in the hall of mirrors but the movie falls flat. The storyline is predictable with all the expected twists in a werewolf story. The script
has nothing substantial to offer. Since there are no challenges to acting, there are no memorable performances.
Usually lumped together with vampires and other creatures of the dark, werewolves in western
folklore are immediately associated with evil. In spite of the lack of technical achievements in the film, at least it depicts evil as evil. One sees that the evil
creature can kill without mercy. And the film also shows how that evil can be disguised as beautiful and desirable, how it can make itself attractive at times. Ellie
realizes this when she discovers later that among her acquaintances in her place of work are werewolves though they usually appear polished and accomplished. Indeed, if one
is not very perceptive in life, one may see only the gloss and glamour and not the ugliness of evil. It is also noteworthy that Ellie though tainted and "cursed"fights the
urge to become a werewolf. This is especially evident in the restroom scene where she shuts herself off and fights the transformation. Can this suggest that even
if evil has gained a foothold in a person, all is not lost yet? There is still hope that the person can overcome evil by trying very hard to fight against it.
(Date Reviewed: 11 March 2005)
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