Soultaker

OK, I saw this film through Mystery Science Theater 3000, but I did see the movie, so I figured I would leave a comment on it. I just love once again how Joe gets stuck with the crummy roles while his brother and nephew's are just getting the Oscar winning roles left and right. Soultaker is technically what you would call the movie that was meant to be good. It seemed like the director and actors just took this movie extremely seriously and had very cheesy effects, a story that didn't make much sense, and not to mention pretty crummy acting abilities. This is one of my favorite MST3K episodes, simple because a lot of what they mention is what we are thinking throughout the film and I'll explain why in a moment.

Natalie and Zach are a couple who broke up and are now trying to work things over. But since Zach is in upper lower class and Natalie is in middle class, it just ain't gonna work. But on the way home, they and Zach's friends get into a car accident and now the angel of death/Soultaker is after them to meet his quota of soultaking. But also it seems like he's had some kind of other life relationship with Natalie and just can't seem to move on. So now Natalie and Zach must race against the ever appearing five million times a minute clock to save their souls and lives.

Well, I guess Zeppelin was wrong when he sang that there was a stairway to Heaven, I wonder if Black Sabbith was wrong too, lol. Basically there are a lot of plot holes in this movies, like no one can see the characters and they can't be killed, yet somehow they can still press buttons and open doors? The Angel of Death had a very strange face and was a bit distracting from the story itself. Soultaker was just a lousy film that was rushed and makes you just feel so bad for Joe, the under-appreciated Sheen/Estovez brother.

2/10

Soultaker is not as bad a film as some would make it out to be, but it is still not good. The directing is well-done, and I think one of the better areas of the film. Joe gives a good performance; all the other actors are decent, save for David Shark, who is sub-par.

The technical aspects of the film aren't bad. The dialogue is hackneyed at spots, but I think the biggest weakness of the film is its pacing. It starts out well; introducing the characters and setting up the premise, but hits its biggest snag halfway through. The film suddenly stagnates as the characters sit around a house. It appears to be trying to build tension, but instead it's boring and drawn-out. It then picks up the pace again but quickly loses it during the incredibly long hospital sequence at the end. By that time the audience has already figured out where the plot is going and it's all just stretched out to be exhaustingly long.

All in all, despite its clearly small budget, it's the underlying screenplay, not the technical aspects, that hurt this movie the most.

Poor Joe, while the rest of his family is out doing respectable movies, he's doing this kind of crap. I've seen two of his movies, thanks to the wonderful people at MSTK and I couldn't think of any other place that they should be viewed.

"Soultaker" is not a good film--that I won't even try to argue. However, I know bad films and currently have reviewed more bad films than anyone on the planet. And, compared to the many, many horrible movies I've subjected myself to, it just isn't THAT bad. So why, then, is it currently #40 on IMDb's infamous Bottom 100 List. In other words, of the thousands and thousands and thousands of eligible films on the site, only 39 have a lower overall score than this one! This means it's horrible, right? No. This means it was featured on "Mystery Science Theater 3000" and fans of the show assumed it was horrible because it was on the show. Sometimes movies on "MST3000" are bad or sub-par and that is all. This would also explain why "Girl With the Gold Boots" is also on the list, even though it's among the director's BEST! Too often people just assume the films they make fun of are that bad--but seeing it without the running comments reveals that SOME of the film isn't bad- -such as the main plot idea.

The plot is VERY simple. A total jerk is driving like a nut and wrecks his car--killing himself and the three others in the car. As their bodies are lying dead in the wreck, the souls of the four are alive and well and walking about--though no one can see them. Soon, a guy who looks almost exactly like an old version of Emelio Estevez shows up and starts sucking souls out of the four bodies. He dispatches one but stops when he sees the girl--she is the reincarnation of a girl he loved when he was alive--before he became a grim reaper! During his hesitation, the three manage to escape and run from him. This is funny, as Estevez' character NEVER runs and they constantly run--yet he always catches up to them--just like the guy from Halloween!! Can the three manage to elude the reaper and manage to be reunited with their bodies?

The film is funny to watch because of the clothes, BIG hair and styles of 1990. And, the acting isn't very good. And, it's a chance to see Joe Estevez, the black sheep of the Sheen/Estevez clan because he is a politically conservative guy--unlike his older brother Martin Sheen. But the idea of the plot is interesting--even if most of the rest of it isn't. Not bad enough to make any worst of list--but bad enough to laugh at and marvel at the amateurish way it was made.

Ok, I just had to say a few words here. Yes, I'll disclaim myself as a HUGE MST3K fan....HOWEVER....I am also a sincere student of fine films. With that said, I'd like to address the previous comments regarding City of Angels "ripping-off" Soultaker. City of Angels is a REMAKE of Wim Wenders' WINGS OF DESIRE. It was made in 1987. Three years prior to Soultaker. So....in essence, Soultaker could be said to be "ripping off" WINGS OF DESIRE. But, in truth, it is not a rip off, it is merely a shadow (no pun intended) of many movies that deal with the subject of the afterlife.

Now, on to the meat of things. No, this is NOT the worst movie ever made. That title goes, without reservation, to Red Zone Cuba. Cut, or uncut, it is still Hollywood's biggest embarrassment. However, as it stands, Soultaker is not the BEST movie ever made, slashed for MST3K, or not.

But, come on people (and you know who you are). ANY movie, good, mediocre, bad or horrendous is fair game for movie critics and at-home MSTies everywhere. Who hasn't, after the 98th showing, ripped a little on Star Wars? Even Citizen Kane, Gone with the Wind, and Casablanca have been spoofed! Humor can be seen in ANY film (yes, even APOCALYPSE NOW is not exempt to a few quiet, open-for-comment, moments.)

Honestly, Soultaker is not that bad. Not good, but not that bad. The acting is decent, the story flows, and I have to admit that I actually paid more attention to the story than I did to the bots. I know, I know, that's treason in MST-land, and my head could be in danger of being lopped off at any moment (or at least jettisoned into space).

Let's all just admit that bad and mediocre movies just add to the tapestry of filmmaking and that they are ALL fair game to a little criticism at worst, and a little humor, at best.