

If youâ(TM)re into the genre, Iâ(TM)m sure youâ(TM)ll like it better. I also wasnâ(TM)t a fan of the unabashed reference to a sequel at the end. I think if it had been tightened up â" edited down, less haphazard, less jump scenes, shorter â" I think it would have been more powerful. Standing up to oneâ(TM)s fears and sticking together is the only hope of overcoming them, and it felt like it echoed some of the themes of â~Stand By Meâ(TM) in that way. Itâ(TM)s clearly written through the lens of the adolescent and the hell of growing up. Adults are rarely to be seen, and when they are, itâ(TM)s certainly not to bring order to the chaos. We see evil in the form of sadistic bullying, incestual rape, and in the apathy to kids who simply disappear â" all of which are real life things. Everyone has their demons while growing up, their fears, their nightmares. Itâ(TM)s unleashed every 27 years, which I took to represent each new generation that comes along.

I wasnâ(TM)t wild about the canned moments to induce shock, the CGI, and the gratuitous violence, and wish some restraint had been exercised (but I know Iâ(TM)m in the minority, and what the hell did I expect?-) I did like the underlying symbolism of the evil that besets this town and these kids. A film that needed some subtlety, but then again Iâ(TM)m not into modern horror so take whatever I say with a grain of salt (or ignore this review entirely).
