Weekly Review -- A night (not) to remember

Prom Night (2008) -- One of the horror movies tailor-made for the new generation -- text messages, bling, MTV-style quasi-glitz and all -- this flick is an instant chuck in the sale bin. Just like many girls her age, Donna (Brittany Snow) is anxiously awaiting her prom. However, her anxiety is not only of the jewelry-fits-dress variety -- a few years earlier, an obsessive teacher murdered Donna's entire family to get to her, and has been locked up ever since. Of course, just when Donna and her friends arrive at their prom, guess who shows up? Everything about this movie screams mediocre. The cast is barely worth mentioning, although Jessalyn Gilsig manages to elevate her role as Donna's aunt, using unfeigned emotion to show heartfelt worry. The killer is not only stereotypical, he is not even one-dimensional. I kept wondering when he would get bored with spewing out the clichéd 'we'll be together forever'-type lines, fling his hands in the air and walk away. The other characters, murders and all the sneaking and hiding are strictly by the numbers, making one wonder why this movie was even made. You do not need a date for this prom; in fact, you do not even have to waste money on one ticket.

4/10