The Films of Neil LaBute

In the Company of Men

Your Friends & Neighbors

Nurse Betty

Possession

The Shape of Things

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The Wicker Man (June 18/07)

The Wicker Man is - initially, anyway - a surprisingly faithful remake of Robin Hardy's 1973 horror classic, as writer/director Neil LaBute apes the original's painfully deliberate build-up and overall vibe of aimlessness. But LaBute's decision to place the emphasis on increasingly campy elements ultimately transforms the film into a strangely compelling piece of work, and there's certainly no denying the effectiveness of Nicolas Cage's almost absurdly over-the-top performance. Cast as policeman Edward Malus, Cage doesn't show even a hint of restraint throughout much of The Wicker Man's running time; it's consequently not surprising to note that Cage's work here has already started to garner a cult following, as there's just something inherently entertaining about watching the actor one-up himself every few minutes (ie first he cold-cocks an unsuspecting woman, then he cold-cocks an unsuspecting woman while clad in a bear suit). Stripped of Cage's broad shenanigans, The Wicker Man would clearly not come off nearly as well as it does - although, to be fair, LaBute does manage to improve on the original's downbeat conclusion (ie Malus' inability to escape from his situation makes much more sense this time around).