Release Date:
Tuesday, March 2, 2004
When city life proves too stressful, Dennis Quaid and Sharon Stone pack up the kids and bolt for the comforts of Cold Creek Manor. But where theres fresh air, theres a murderous former homeowner (Stephen Dorff) willing to stop at nothing to heap 1930s thriller movie clichés upon its new residentsand theyre not the only ones with problems. Escalating tension fizzles out an hour too early, leaving us disappointed and the DVD extras with nothing worth exploring. Coopers Documentary is an exercise in how to make documentary footage distinct in a feature filmand its exactly as exciting as it sounds. The deleted scenes prove their suitability for the cutting-manor floor, and the alternate ending is an overreaching embarrassment. Rules of the Genre chronicles the thematic elements essential to a thriller, complete with bullet points on pacing and musicbut judging from how this horror story turned out, we recommend you skip the lecture.