Skinner 1998 Horror Movie Review

Worth watching once to see the movie it might have been. An amazing performance from Raimi, who slides deftly among the layers of the psychopathic title character without once overplaying his hand in a truly chilling performance. Ricki Lake is also subtle and effective as the unhappy landlady with a slowly growing attraction for her strange boarder. Unfortuately, the high-caliber performances are wasted on a meandering script and unfocused direction—and a fatally slow pace which destroys any interest we might have in what’s going on. As for the gore, it isn’t that it’s too much, it’s that it’s not enough. Too little and too late, it’s almost half-an-hour before we know anything more about the movie than what we read on the box, and by then we’re no longer interested. A shame, and most of the people involved deserved better.