Director Christian Alvart. Starring Renee Zellweger, Jodelle Ferland, Ian McShane, Bradley Cooper. Horror/Thriller, USA, 100 minutes.

One of the most fondly remembered moments from last August’s FrightFest revolves around Christian Alvart’s CASE 39. Another long-delayed fantasy horror movie – Alvart signed for it the week we showed ANTIBODIES at our 2005 event! – we learned quite late in the day what we had advertised as CASE 39’s UK premiere actually was its world premiere instead.

So we had to hastily arrange security measures and were asked to gauge post-screening reactions. Together with a Man from Paramount, I stood in the Empire lobby randomly grabbing people for a quick vox pop. And I’m not joking, no matter whom we pounced on – from Goth to housewife – everyone said they enjoyed it. In what became a bit of a running joke between Paramount Man and me, I tried desperately to find someone who was even slightly critical. But, you know something, I honestly couldn’t. Everyone said it was scary, had made them jump a lot, and they enjoyed it. So make of the following what you will. CASE 39 was made before PANDORUM, but in the release pattern scheme of things should at least repair Alvart’s damaged reputation after that sci-fi misstep. Clearly showing signs of re-shooting (watch star Renee Zellweger’s weight fluctuate), it’s a fun variant on the mini psychopathic/evil children genre that should find favourable comparison in the ORPHAN aftermath. Family services social worker Emily Jenkins (Zellweger) fosters a 10 year-old girl she seemingly saves from atrocious child abuse. But when Lily (SILENT HILL’s Jodelle Ferland) begins showing her true demonic colours, causing Emily’s friends to die in horrific ways, she realizes the parents were acting in appalled self-defence. While you will probably remain one-step ahead of Ray (THE CRAZIES) Wright’s story at all times, Alvart manages to keep the emotionally charged events moving at a fast enough pace to gloss over the mounting credibility factors. Loaded with startling imagery (Ferland being shoved into a gas oven the most shameless, Emily constantly flipping between reality and illusion the most jolting) and inventive deaths (boyfriend Bradley Cooper’s CGI hornet infestation nightmare), it’s still the sneaky left-field shocks Alvart punctuates the increasingly action-orientated narrative with that prove most effective. Comparisons to Val Lewton’s THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE might sound arbitrary but Alvart does toy with that type of child-like, dark suggestiveness.  Zellweger does the stunned bewilderment bit well.

Ultimately the morphing of Lily into demonic form is an unnecessary formula frisson, yet it’s Ferland who shines the most as the manipulative goodness-feeding fiend hiding behind wide-eyed, butter-wouldn’t melt, innocence. 

Alan Jones

© London FrightFest Ltd. 2000-2010
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THE CRITIC-AL LIST
5 STAR FAB - 1 STAR RUBBISH

Kick-Ass
Alice In Wonderland
The Crazies
Case 39
The Wolfman
Legion
The Lovely Bones
Black Death
Daybreakers
Avatar
The Stepfather
Ninja Assassin
The Descent: Part 2
Amer
The Twilight Saga: New Moon
The Box
2012
Disney's A Christmas Carol
The Horseman
Solomon Kane
Pandorum
Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs
District 9
An Education
G.I. Joe: The Rise Of The Cobra
Orphan
A Perfect Getaway
The Imaginarium Of
Doctor Parnassus
Up
Harry Potter
And The Half-Blood Prince
The Taking of Pelham 123
Transformers
The Revenge Of The Fallen
Antichrist
Terminator Salvation
Last House On The Left
Inglorious Basterds
Angels & Demons
Adventureland
Star Trek
Crank: High Voltage
Coraline
Dragonball Evolution
Let The Right One In
Drag Me To Hell
Race to Witch Mountain
Knowing
Monsters Vs. Aliens
Not Quite Hollywood
Lesbian Vampire Killers
Martyrs
The Children
Surveillance
Watchmen
The Unborn
The International
Friday The 13th
Franklyn
Push
Punisher:War Zone
The Uninvited
Amusement
The Good The Bad And
The Weird
Hush
Underworld
The RIse OF The Lycans
My Bloody Valentine
Bolt
Slumdog Millionaire