idlehands2k Reviews

Children of the Corn: Revelation (2001 Video)

Heavy on story, light on surprises

[26 November 2001]

The seventh entry of the unending "Children of the Corn" series -- this one titled "Revelation" -- is heavy on the story, but light on the suspense or surprises.

With only one brief mention of He Who Walks Behind the Rows, this installment instead focuses on an apartment building in which zombie-like kids take it over... killing all of its inhabitants.

Lacking the shared backstory of the original "Corn" movie, this one takes off only in the last 20 minutes or so. Along with parts 4 and 5, this one also lacks a menacing leader child... and it hurts the film during its climax.

"Revelation", while attempting something different and bringing something new to the "Chdilren of the Corn" table, it lacks in other basic areas, hampering this otherwise solid effort.

Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest (1995)

Ambitious and Surprising Sequel

[26 November 2001]

After the disappointing "Children of the Corn II", the 1996 direct-to-video sequel subtitled "Urban Harvest" moves the setting from a rural Midwestern town to the Windy City of Chicago. A change of atmosphere gives the "Children of the Corn" franchise a much-needed boost and this entry is sometimes scary, often imaginative and boasts some unique special effects.

A couple (Jim Metzler and Nancy Lee Grahn) adopt a pair of abandoned teens. The older one (Ron Melendez) is conflicted with his Gatlin, Nebraska past, while the younger one (Daniel Cerny) prepares to recruit an all new batch of followers to resurrect He Who Walks Behind the Rows.

The movie is pretty tense and actually works on many levels... but the finale -- while planned out well -- looks really cheap onscreen and brings about lots of unintentional laughter.

"Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest" is one of the strongest entries in the franchise, and for the first 85 of its 91 minute running time, it proves to be a first-rate thriller.

The Brotherhood 2: Young Warlocks (2001 Video)

It's Good to be Bad

[9/10 · 20 November 2001]

This sequel to 2000's surprise video hit "The Brotherhood" shifts the focus from vampires to warlocks as yet another innocent young guy (Sean Faris, "Pearl Harbor") learns of a sinister attempt to bring the forces of evil to a campus college.

Not a real horror movie by any standards, but this movie is only directed at a certain audience -- as evidenced by the many scenes of the cast stipping and in their boxer briefs.

Also stars Forrest Cochran from the original "Brotherhood" movie playing a different character, and hot newcomers C.J. Thomason, Justin Allen and Greg Lyczkowski.