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The Skulls

Actor(s): Joshua Jackson, Paul Walker, Hill Harper, Leslie Bibb, Christopher McDonald
Director(s): Rob Cohen
56

Movie Details

MPAA Rating: PG-13
Content Advisory: Violence, Brief Nudity, Adult Situations, Not For Children, Adult Language
Movie Release: 2000
DVD Release: 10/24/2000
Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV
Edition: Special Collection
Audio Tracks: English, French
Subtitles: English
SwapaDVD Credits: 1
Number of Discs: 1
Run Time: 1 hrs 47 mins
Studio: Universal Studios
Total Copies: 30
Genres: Thriller, Psychological Thriller

DVD Synopsis

In this suspense drama, a college student finds himself immersed in forces beyond his control. Born and raised in a working-class Connecticut community, Luke McNamara (Joshua Jackson) made it into an Ivy League college, where he's done quite well; his dream is to be accepted into Harvard Law School, but he knows that it will take more than a good report card to beat out the competition. When an upper-crust secret society called the Skulls asks Luke to join, he eagerly accepts, thinking that the club's connections will help him gain acceptance to Harvard. He enjoys the Skulls' luxurious lifestyle, but when his roommate, a journalism student, dies of an apparent suicide, he's convinced that something is wrong. The deeper Luke digs into the secrets of the Skulls, the more he's convinced that his friend's death was no suicide and that he's put himself in more danger than he imagined. The Skulls was the first starring vehicle for Joshua Jackson, who gained fame on the TV series Dawson's Creek; the supporting cast includes Paul Walker, Craig T. Nelson, Hill Harper, and William L. Petersen. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Actors

Joshua Jackson - Luke McNamara
Paul Walker - Caleb Mandrake
Hill Harper - Will Beckford
Leslie Bibb - Chloe
Christopher McDonald - Martin Lombard

Editorial Review of DVD

Rob Cohen's collegiate conspiracy theory thriller The Skulls comes to DVD with a surprising amount of features, including a widescreen, anamorphic transfer, Dolby Digital 5.1 Audio, a commentary track by Cohen, and deleted scenes. A "making of" featurette, production notes, cast and crew biographies, and web links also make this disc an above-average look at one of 2000's more average films. ~ Heather Phares, All Movie Guide

Member Movie Reviews

Jennifer F. (KnJFisher) from GILLETT, PA wrote on 5/24/2008...

Though it poses a good moral dilemma, `Skulls' is presented in such an implausible way as to render it crippled at birth. Luke McNamara is a small town boy of modest means attending an Ivy League institution that is never really named but is obviously Yale. He is hoping to be called for membership into the Skulls, a secret society of great status and power. Members of this society have the doors of power, wealth and influence thrown wide to them. This is a dream come true for Luke, who spends much of his time fretting over the hundreds of thousands in student loans he is incurring. When he discovers that one of the members has committed a felony, he is torn between his desire for wealth, his loyalty to a friend, and his conscience.

Writer John Pogue (`U.S. Marshals') has conjured up a good moralistic tale, but it is so full of ridiculous premises that it becomes laughable. This is supposed to be a secret society where other than the members themselves, no one knows who the members are. Yet, Pogue and director Rob Cohen present it in such a way that they may as well be advertising their identities on TV. The building where the secret meetings take place is prominently marked with a Skull, and only members have keys to the building. So, Duh, anyone seen entering the building must be a Skull. New members get brand new $50,000 automobiles and $100,000 in cash, as if no one will notice this sudden burst of good fortune. The new members are branded on their wrist and we are supposed to believe that they will never be seen by anyone without their wristwatch on. The list of inconceivability goes on ad nauseam.

The acting is generally quite good. Joshua Jackson (`Cruel Intentions', `Urban Legend') is excellent as Luke. He plays the part with just the right combination of idealistic zeal and moral grounding. He gets great support from Paul Walker (`She's All That', `Varsity Blues') as Caleb Mandrake, the spoiled rich kid trying to step out of his father's shadow. Craig T. Nelson gives a wonderfully nefarious performance as the chairman of the Skulls and Caleb's father.

Maybe secret societies exist, and maybe they don't. The fact that no one is sure indicates that if they are more than mere myths, they are a lot more secret than depicted here. I rated this film a 6/10. It is an interesting idea that loses credibility in the telling.