Sundays in my household are reserved for two things: ramen and retro movies. After a long day of doing nothing, it feels good to unwind with my wife and either watch films from our childhood or finally circle back to movies we missed upon their release.
This past Sunday was no different, but we were both in the mood for horror. After a lot of searching and rejecting options, we eventually landed on the 2006 reimagined remake of “The Wicker Man.” It stars Nicolas Cage as Edward Malus, a California police officer who travels to Washington after receiving a letter from his ex-fiancée, Willow Woodward (Kate Beahan), claiming her daughter has gone missing and that she only trusts her former lover to solve the case and bring her back. Nothing weird about that at all.
Remaking British Folk Horror
This was my second time watching the film in many years, so a lot of it was a blur to me.
In my opinion, this recreation of the 1973 British folk horror classic comes across more as a suspenseful comedy than the frightening, unfortunate tale it tries to be. Moments that should be filled with terror or dread end up feeling laughable. There are countless reasons people can give for why this didn’t do well at the box office or with critics, but I think what the film lacks most is logical thinking, likable characters, and real stakes.
Everyone is born with that “nope, not today” instinct—some more than others. But for our lead, who is a cop, it’s almost nonexistent. Major red flags are ignored, yet he continues further into the lion’s den. There’s no real detective work, no backup, no relaying of his findings to the proper authorities—just blind fumbling and accusations, as if he has no plan beyond playing it by ear.
And honestly, who can blame him when there’s no help from the villagers? He’s greeted with fiery stares and hostility from the start. You’d think Officer Malus would get the hint that he’s not welcome on this remote island. With nothing but lies and repulsive attitudes from nearly everyone he encounters, I couldn’t find a single character to care about. At no point did I feel concerned for Malus, the missing child, or even convinced that she existed. After an hour and a half of stonewalling and misdirection, I found it hard to care about any of it.
The Climax is Hilariously Horrifying
Then the ending hit—and suddenly, I remembered everything.
The last 15 minutes of this film are hilariously horrifying. After all the deception, Malus finally reaches his breaking point in chaotic fashion, running through the forest and wreaking havoc on every member of the community he encounters until he’s ultimately cornered like a wounded animal. I didn’t remember much about the film, but the ending definitely stuck with me. The bone-breaking climax captures the desperation of a doomed man, suffering a terrible fate because he failed to see what was right in front of him.
Even though I didn’t enjoy the film the way it was intended, I appreciated noticing parallels and clear inspiration for Ari Aster’s 2019 “Midsommar”—from the isolated community to the ritualistic sacrifice wearing a bear costume. In some ways, “Midsommar” accomplishes what this film set out to do, especially in terms of building tension.
Not my favorite Nicolas Cage movie, but still a Sunday well spent on the couch.
