John Carpenter was a king of horror in the 80s, with too many an excellent horror movie to name, and this movie, while not bad, shows us just how having tons of great elements still may not translate to a entirely good movie. Also, there is a good chance I'd never seen this before. If I have, it was so long ago that I don't remember it.
Donald Pleasance is back as a priest guy who has a giant vial of swirling green liquid he's protecting from public knowledge. For some reason I don't remember he decides to enlist the help of his friend, a college professor played by Victor Wong, to determine exactly what to do with the vial...? Or something...? And, for some reason I don't think they explain, the professor invites his college class to come by this giant church where the vial is held and help...?
Details are scant, and though it could certainly be my not remembering them, I don't think great, concrete reasons were ever really given. Anywho, the vial cracks open when everyone gets there, liquid gets out, and it infects one of the students. She turns evil and soon is converting other people to evil, while outside the local homeless population are all turning evil, and soon enough the good guys are trapped in the church, while evil in there grows...
The main issue I felt with this is that it has a ton of plot dialogue, but not much to it, and it amounts to a very slow movie. The cinematography is excellent, the music is always top notch, the ensemble cast of Carpenter favorites is good, and the makeup and the effects are all very good. It's minimal in approach and minimal in scope, but keeps things interesting with creating a full atmosphere.
Like I said though, rather slow. And not my favorite. It feels a bit overdone in some parts, and it feels incomplete in others. It's not my fave Carpenter, but far from his worse films. I'd set it somewhere lower than The Fog, but well above Escape from Los Angeles. I'm also going to watch Village of the Damned, to complete the Carpenter-athon. Thanks to Idaho Public Library for these rentals, shout out motherfucker.
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