DEATH ROW

Yet another low budget suspense thriller from Kevin Van Hook, the new 'hardest working man' in the horror business, Death Row features the well worn genre staple of 'people trapped in a haunted prison,' failing to inspire either dread or titillation. Not as effective or well paced as his earlier films, this story of culpability, evil, and redemption DOES feature a solid groups of 'jump' scares -- enough to satisfy those seeking mild diversion. A retelling of a story told too many times, atmosphere is the biggest draw here, more substantial in many cases than the characters.

In a plot that attempts to invest some semblance of originality to such cliché elements as a prison setting, escaped convicts, and the standard haunting, Death Row also reflects the you-are-there approach of the modern 'documentary' approach milked so often after the success of The Blair Witch Project. Here the obligatory group of ignorant, arrogant filmmakers are investigating a deadly prison with a demented past seeped in corruption and cruelty. The story wastes little time following the motley crew into the emotional and physical darkness of Isla Del Roca Penitentiary, "where the only thing more terrifying than a convict on the lam are the ghosts of inmates serving an eternal sentence." Provoked by stories from former prison guard John Elias (Stacy Keach), and undeterred by a priests warnings, Keith (Kyle Schmid), Brian (Scott Whyte) and their production crew soon discover they are not alone, menaced by a gang of fugitives, and tormented spirits. The filmmakers struggle to survive attacks of external spectral evil, brutish physical violence, and internal nightmares of conscience.

A plot that could have been taken from a handful of recent low budget horror programmers, Death Row shows uneven flashes of inspiration and enthusiasm that make us regret the often slip-shod character motivations and several scenes of banal dialogue. Style and mood help occasionally raise the tepid story above the limitations of its themes. Casting classical genre themes ands situations into a melting pot, Van Hook crafts a product that satisfies a minimal horror craving. A film easy to forget, the professional budgetary design and occasional bursts of atmosphere lend a solid, unnerving look that isn't reflected by its unlikeable characters. Serving the same function as a quick camp-fire story, this haunted house redux is most successful when relying on the lingering sense of menace and agony infiltrating the set. Originally aired on the Sci-Fi channel under the title Haunted Prison, the director offers minimal if convincing violence. No new thematic ground is crossed by the narrative structure, no taboos crossed, but like a late night ghost story, it creates a quick chill.

Death Row is presented in 1.78:1 and is free from grain or speckling. The colors are vibrant and appropriately moody. Audio is serviceable, doing its job without fuss. Extras include "An Axe to Grind: The Making of Death Row" and "License to Thrill," looking behind the scenes, and "Special Effects Featurette" featuring a look at some key scenes and how they were managed. Most meaty is the "Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Kevin VanHook" wherein the busy fellow speaks about his evolving career, the film, the route from idea to finished product, and some of the more intimate challenges of the process. This is followed by a "Still Gallery" and a DVD-ROM Screenplay.

Review by William P. Simmons