That being said, The Wicked is an amusing and entertaining teen thriller that is definitely aimed at the younger audience. Its never truly frightening nor does it tread into the well known territory of topless females and unnecessary sex. We instead get teased with lots of shadows darting around in the peripherals and sexual innuendo but never to the point of frustration.
The movie takes place in a small town where a local legend has existed for decades. There is an abandoned house in the middle of the woods and story has it that a witch used to live in it but was burned at the stake. In modern day, if you throw rocks at the house and break a window, shell come after you. Its a little on the silly side but its a fun background, reminiscent of other b-grade horror flicks such as Darkness Falls or My Soul To Take.
Max (Devon Werkheiser, Beneath the Darkness) and Zach (Justin Deeley, 90210) are brothers who dont get along. When Zach and his friends decide to camp out by the Wickeds house, Max and his tomboy best friend Sammy (Diana Hopper) decide to crash and ultimately all the teens must confront The Wicked before the night is over.
Being a straight to DVD b-grade horror movie, a lot could have made this movie unwatchable. Luckily, director Peter Winther was able to pull together a cast that isnt bad and a script that isnt groundbreaking but is a far way from intolerable. The entire cast does exactly what is expected from a teen scream, theyre sensual, humorous and wide eyed at all the right moments and the location and legend of the entire movie help amp up the total entertainment value. No one actor outshines any of the others and it helps detract from the overall inexperience of the cast. The worst acting comes from many of the adults in the movie but their on-screen time is minimal so it doesnt become a hinderance. Nothing is truly frightening but its all laced in a gothic fairy tale vibe, really making the movie perfect as an entry level horror film, something a younger person could use to introduce themselves into the medium.
Looking at the director and writer of this movie is actually pretty strange. Winther hasnt directed much but he produced on movies such as Independence Day and Godzilla whereas Michael Vickerman wrote Warriors of Virtue. Thats right, the nineties movie with elemental samurai kangaroos. So its an eclectic bunch behind the camera but they manage to pull together an enjoyable teen horror movie.
I touched on how expectations play a lot into whether you’re going to enjoy a movie or not. Its something that the late Roger Ebert really emphasized and definitely something I take into account before every viewing. So that being said, The Wicked is an easy to watch horror movie with a fun background and solid cast.
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