“Ten thousand years will give you such a crick in the neck.”
Genie- Aladdin (1992)
Robert Kurtzman has had an amazing career. He’s the king of horror effects. Kurtzman has worked with all the greats and done just about everything you can imagine in the horror genre. Kurtzman is also from Crestline, OH, a stone’s throw from where I grew up.
I write all that because I want to make my love for his mastery of the effects known before I eviscerate this film. Wishmaster starts like so many bad horror films, explaining why the Djinn unleashed on the world is entombed in a gem. Like you would guess, the special effects and makeup in this opening are terrific.
Throughout most of the film, the effects and makeup are next level. But just about everything else is complete garbage. I’m sure everyone working on this gave their all, but the talent is lacking. The cinematography reminds me of a late-night skin-a-max movie. Nothing is shot well, and the color palate is plain.
The acting is subpar, and even Andrew Divoff, who plays the Djinn, isn’t good. He has the easiest job and can’t pull it off… be creepy and scary. Tammy Lauren is our lead scream queen, and she’s an absolute dud as well. Her character is dumb and bland.
The worst part of this film is the awful script. The idea is great. A genie (Djinn) in a bottle story, but the genie is evil. Instead of granting your wishes, he’s trying to find the best way to torment you. With every wish, you get deeper and deeper into his grip. Instead, the plot is slow and devoid of tension.
The most disappointing aspect of Wishmaster is the fact that Robert Kurtzman is a talented man. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have an eye for direction. The script is lazy. The cinematography is generic. The scariest thing about Wishmaster is that it spawned four sequels.
