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Amazon.co.uk Review
The Stepfather is one of those movies that telegraphs its ending almost as soon as it starts; so, since we already know the destination, the only question involves whether or not we'll enjoy the journey. When we meet the guy who calls himself David Harris (Dylan Walsh, Dr. Sean McNamara in the Nip/Tuck TV series) during the opening credits, he's stepping over the bodies of the wife and kids he's just murdered, out the door and on his way to a new life. Sure enough, he's soon flirting with attractive divorcée Susan Harding (Sela Ward), and six months later they're engaged and living together with her three children, including prodigal son Michael (Penn Badgley), who has just returned from some kind of military reform school. It doesn't take long for Michael to begin suspecting that his stepfather-to-be is not all that he seems; Susan's sister, Jackie (Paige Turco), who hires David as a real estate agent, has her suspicions too, as does a cat-loving old neighbour. Only Susan remains clueless; then again, one of the many shortcomings of the movie, which was directed Nelson McCormick and written by J.S. Cardone, is its failure to adequately explain why she fell for this creep in the first place (we're often told how charming he is, but said charms are little in evidence). All that remains is to see how the tale will play itself out, and while McCormick supplies a few scary moments, he leaves no cliché unexplored (including Charlie Clouser's ominous, obvious music) on the way to the expected violent climax. In the end, one can only wonder why someone thought remaking The Stepfather was a good idea; the 1987 original offered both a much better explanation for the killer's motives and a significantly more compelling performance by Terry O'Quinn in the lead role. --Sam Graham
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The Stepfather (played by Dylan Walsh - Nip/Tuck) is about a serial-killer that has a preference for single mothers with children. He moves into their lives rapidly, fronting as a recently-bereft mourning father himself who just needs love. Once inside, he tries to force the family into his idea of a perfect family unit - whether the mother and kids like it or not with violent results should anyone dare to differ.
Resultantly, he has to deal with the suspicious friends & neighbours who notice that he only uses cash, shies away from anything that requires his social security number or any official documentation. Naturally, the teenage son (Penn Badgley - Gossip Girl) is highly-suspicious and so begins a Disturbia-stlye cat & mouse play except the killer is inside the house.
Where this film falls completely flat is any sense of tension that should have been present in this film is robbed from it by the opening scene showing that he is, in fact, a serial killer. So we are not on board with the rest of the family umming & aahing about 'is he/isn't he', we are literally just left waiting for him to go off. I mean he is right there on the cover, knife in hand FGS!! The one card this hackneyed plot had to play is not knowing whether the man you have let into your house & family is a killer or not - and that was ruined from the get-go.
Maybe - I stress this - maybe, worth a watch if you like these type of predictable horror movies (scary but predictably safe) but other than that, this is really one to avoid!!
Resultantly, he has to deal with the suspicious friends & neighbours who notice that he only uses cash, shies away from anything that requires his social security number or any official documentation. Naturally, the teenage son (Penn Badgley - Gossip Girl) is highly-suspicious and so begins a Disturbia-stlye cat & mouse play except the killer is inside the house.
Where this film falls completely flat is any sense of tension that should have been present in this film is robbed from it by the opening scene showing that he is, in fact, a serial killer. So we are not on board with the rest of the family umming & aahing about 'is he/isn't he', we are literally just left waiting for him to go off. I mean he is right there on the cover, knife in hand FGS!! The one card this hackneyed plot had to play is not knowing whether the man you have let into your house & family is a killer or not - and that was ruined from the get-go.
Maybe - I stress this - maybe, worth a watch if you like these type of predictable horror movies (scary but predictably safe) but other than that, this is really one to avoid!!
7 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The original was an impressive, unassuming little movie from the 80s (which, incidentally, has been given a pathetic full-screen dvd release), so I was looking forward to seeing how they'd screw up the remake. To be fair, it starts promisingly enough, with serial fruitcake Dylan Walsh attempting to mould Sela Ward and her offspring into the perfect family. Nip Tuck veteran Walsh is surprisingly intimidating as the steppie from Hell and there are some effectively uncomfortable scenes as his mind starts to unravel. It's a more aggressive performance than Terry O'Quinn's brilliantly warped portrayal in the original, but the 1987 film had a streak of black humour that worked particularly well and is sadly lacking in this reworking. Other shortcomings include:
1) Far too much screen time devoted to the stepson's relationship with his girlfriend, which is basically an excuse for the director to perve on massively annoying bimbo Amber Heard.
2) A gaping hole in the plot concerning the real father's disappearance halfway through the film. Why isn't he reported missing?
3) A crucial sub-plot from the original (victim's brother attempts to track down the murderer) has been ignored. Consequently this adaptation hits a flat spot and never recovers, becoming hopelessly repetitive in it's storytelling.
4) The climax is totally underwhelming and unexciting.
The film is certainly watchable and superior to some of the other appalling recent remakes, but I can't help thinking this was a missed opportunity to improve on the humble, low budgeted (but very entertaining) original.
1) Far too much screen time devoted to the stepson's relationship with his girlfriend, which is basically an excuse for the director to perve on massively annoying bimbo Amber Heard.
2) A gaping hole in the plot concerning the real father's disappearance halfway through the film. Why isn't he reported missing?
3) A crucial sub-plot from the original (victim's brother attempts to track down the murderer) has been ignored. Consequently this adaptation hits a flat spot and never recovers, becoming hopelessly repetitive in it's storytelling.
4) The climax is totally underwhelming and unexciting.
The film is certainly watchable and superior to some of the other appalling recent remakes, but I can't help thinking this was a missed opportunity to improve on the humble, low budgeted (but very entertaining) original.
Format:DVD
Aimed more towards the teenage market than it's superior original,The Stepfather is a below-average irritating mess of a thriller aimed at making a quick buck from those who aren't even aware there is a much better movie from the 80s out there with the same title.
Dylan walsh is unconvincing as the serial killer who's obsessed with the concept of the perfect family.Terry O' Quinn was much more intelligent,chilling and belivable in the original 8os cult chiller.
Dylans' character makes too many silly mistakes considering he's supposed to have got away with this murdering business for a number of years.He even forgets to delete the history on the family computer after checking his photo-fit on America's Most Wanted website.(DUH!!)
The two teenage characters in the movie (the future stepson, and his girlfriend played by Amber Heard) are totally useless spending most of the running time frolicking about in the family pool.
Ms heard's contract no doubt stated 'your character must spend most of her scenes walking around half-naked looking empty, and void of any human emotion'.Not so different, in fact, from her character in 'All The Boys Love Mandy Lane'.Is this girl being typecast by any chance?
All in all this is a feckless bit of movie-making with few redeeming qualities as so far as a good thriller goes-unless of course you are just looking for footage of Amber Heard strolling about with a minimum amount of clothing on.If so then you've just struck gold!
Dylan walsh is unconvincing as the serial killer who's obsessed with the concept of the perfect family.Terry O' Quinn was much more intelligent,chilling and belivable in the original 8os cult chiller.
Dylans' character makes too many silly mistakes considering he's supposed to have got away with this murdering business for a number of years.He even forgets to delete the history on the family computer after checking his photo-fit on America's Most Wanted website.(DUH!!)
The two teenage characters in the movie (the future stepson, and his girlfriend played by Amber Heard) are totally useless spending most of the running time frolicking about in the family pool.
Ms heard's contract no doubt stated 'your character must spend most of her scenes walking around half-naked looking empty, and void of any human emotion'.Not so different, in fact, from her character in 'All The Boys Love Mandy Lane'.Is this girl being typecast by any chance?
All in all this is a feckless bit of movie-making with few redeeming qualities as so far as a good thriller goes-unless of course you are just looking for footage of Amber Heard strolling about with a minimum amount of clothing on.If so then you've just struck gold!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Stepfather
This movie is excellent,has a great story to it also some great acting just whats needed for a good night in..................
Published 6 months ago by sarah
usual thriller with bright star
Fairly typical story about two families, newly-united by second marriages for each, with a homocidal step-father. Not much new there. Read more
Published 6 months ago by M. FUSCO
I agree, stick with the original on the Stepfather
This was a major disappointment as I like the original film from the 80s alot. The original film has almost cult-like status and that would certainly be the one to watch..
Published 12 months ago by MJ. (scary drood)
the stepfather 2009
Brilliant film ,absolutely loved it,based on true life story aswell,i would,nt say it,s really a horror,maybe a bit scarey,really depends on the person,the scarier the better for... Read more
Published 24 months ago by Mrs. S. J. Thurland
Daddy's Kinda Back
'The Stepfather' is a psychological thriller, which is a remake of a movie of the same name and released in 2009. Read more
Published on 19 April 2010 by Mitun
90 minutes of utter boredom
I remember watching the original way back when it was first released and thought it was brilliant, terry o'quinn was a revelation and when i heard it was being remade i was quite... Read more
Published on 21 Mar 2010 by Matthew J. Tucker
Capable thriller
This doesn't really qualify as a horror film, it could so easily have been a run of the mill slasher but actually turned out to be quite an intelligent thriller. Read more
Published on 27 Feb 2010 by PJ Rankine
Wow
Great Movie Just Got The US Import Today so happy with it buy the way this is region free so it can play in every blu ray around the world
Published on 24 Feb 2010 by Mr. J. Roche
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