Search - Windfall (2001) on DVD

SO BAD IT'S GOOD

Michael Butts | Martinsburg, WV USA | 01/07/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"WINDFALL is one of those movies that is so ludicrously bad that you end up being entertained anyway. Casper van Dien (Starship Troopers, Cutaway, etc.) and Robert Englund (our beloved Freddy Krueger) star as two thieves who boldly rob a high profile casino on a South Carolina island. When they are caught after a ridiculously unbelievable chase scene, the casino owner (Ray Wise of Twin Peaks and Jeepers Creepers) does what any respectable businessman would do: he hires them as security guards! (Reasoning that since they were able to steal a million clams from him, they would be good guards). Security chief Gregg Henry (Body Double) of course is not too happy about this, as he has been stealing from Wise anyway, and plans on ripping off his entire fortune. His assistant, played with wide eyed stupidity by Jeff Kober (Falcon Crest, One Man's Justice), is also not too happy. Van Dien meanwhile starts courting Wise's assistant (Libby Hudson), and before you know it, someone's trying to silence Van Dien. Wise of course knows that Henry is robbing him, so his motive to hire Van Dien was more of a ploy to snatch Henry than his stated philanthropic motives. The big climax takes place during Hurricane Brenda. The special effects scenes are passable but one realizes we are watching the same two cars being blown around. No one in his movie can shoot the side of a barn, and the boat chase scene is preposterous.
Van Dien is horrible as always; poor Englund looks embarrassed, and Ray Wise looks like he'll never be forgiven for killing Laura Palmer. But still it's entertaining in a delirious way, so I guess they did something right???"