Garden of Evil 2002 Horror Movie Review

Malcolm McDowell has had one strange career:  after his electrifying appearance in CLOCKWORK ORANGE, he went on to do other lesser roles, but always manages to give good performances (look at THE BARBER).  However, he can’t save this rather lifeless attempt at subtle horror.  McDowell plays Ben Carter, a kindly elderly gardener, or so it would seem.  For some reason, the writers give McDowell this rare (aren’t they always) disease that makes him age faster.  Looking 60, he’s really only 35.  This plot device serves no logistic purpose, and makes one wonder if they didn’t do it to get McDowell.  At any rate, the flashbacks to when he was a teenager are hilarious—-Malcolm still looks 60, but he wears a wig and prances around like one of the Munchkins.  Anyway, his only friend betrays him, and wants to find the perfect purified woman.  Hence, he is killing women and making them into flowers.  (The effects on this are quite haunting, almost of a cartoonish value, but look rather beautiful). Anyway, Angie Everhart, the Sigourney Weaver of the police force, believes McDowell is responsible for the disappearance of her friend, Iris.  (NOTE:  Iris leaves her car there, but no one seems to be concerned she’s in any danger?).  The eternally lovely Olivia Hussey has a brief scene as McDowell’s aunt, who raised him when his real mother ran off and got killed in an auto accident.  Richard Grieco comes on like a combination of Ernest Borgnine and Al Pacino in his role as Everhart’s boss and former lover.  Everhart has a ridiculous scene in a motel room while spying on McDowell, and the movie climaxes expectedly with a confrontation between the gardener and the girl!
Clever if derivative idea, ruined by stunted direction and quite bad acting, especially on Everhart and Grieco’s part.
The finale in which all the girls appear in the flowers is reminiscent of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS without the laughs.

If you are interested, rent, don’t buy.