Rish Outfield's reviews
Not a slasher, rather it's an updated twist on Rosemary's Baby. At times, I felt it was almost a remake--how else do you explain Charlize Theron's awful Mia Farrow haircut? "No one WANTS to look like that," you say? Good point.
Time after time (and all through the trailer), I was reminded of Polanski's film, but this time it's extra-terrestrials instead of Satanists behind our bad-short-haircutted heroine's pregnancy. Still, although I paid way too much money for it, I found this to be a pretty good movie. Since tyranist didn't like the snail's pace "Rosemary" moved at, this may be more to his liking, since we don't have to wait until the last thirty seconds to find out what's going on. Some of the more "Rosemary's Baby"-ish moments were also some of the movie's best moments. Paranoia on the mother-to-be's part, overheard whispering voices, reassuring words from the husband that are anything but, etc. Theron is a wonderful, genuine actress ('genuine' meaning 'unpretentious'), who really shines in everything she does. It doesn't hurt that she looks like an angel, though. She is unashamed to really feel, and I felt with her (as I did with the much more manic and cringing Mia Farrow in the original). Johnny Depp manages to be menacing and frightening, while maintaining a certain unexplainable likability--a great feat. Still, don't get me wrong, this is one of those unique films where I related solely with a female protagonist (I like it when that happens, it feels like I'm growing).
I noticed that Depp (wow, two horror films in one year, way to go, Mr. Ex-21 Jump Street!) had top billing, but he shouldn't have. I understand how it all works, but the movie is called, after all, The Astronaut's Wife, isn't it (which calls to mind any combination of non-Horror genres, like Romance, Drama, Action, or Porn)? The ending of the film, I could've done without (though I debated giving it an Crappy Ending skull and decided not to). It felt like the writer just ran out of steam at the end, having thought up all sorts of intelligent stuff before, but finally giving up in an exhausted heap.
Best Scare: Just the suspense of: Will she escape the evil?
I'd Recommend It To: It's worth a rent, if you want. Probably not for couples, though.
Warning: The Big Daddy twins make an appearance.