Search - Djinn on DVD

A low key storytelling attempt, maybe next time

Steve Kuehl | Ben Lomond, CA | 02/06/2009

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I had ordered this on the artwork as I fell for the Imhotep (Mummy) look-alike and the possibility of an under the radar indie hit. As I played this in the store various customers had the same idea as they thought it was an Arnold Vosloo film and immediately became interested (it is not him).

The story centers on a man suffering through the tribulations of saving his love from some kind of shape-shifting demon. He is helped along by some angels and seers, but the muddling of storyline, fast cuts and blends made people lose interest each time something started to look good. The CGI is decent at times but looks like a cartoon during some of the "dream" sequences. The angry/deep voice over of the demon would attract people's attention, but then the lips stopped matching the words too many times and people would then skip it. The overall feel of the pacing was tedious and confusing as to what was happening at various times.

Technically, the amount of cast/crew sand prints magically appearing/disappearing throughout all of the desert shots, power poles in the background, etc. distracted attention at all of the wrong times. There is a short how to make a film docu that breezes through how "easy" it is to make an indie film and a trailer to supplement the DVD.

I noticed the 5-star review here is from the film's publicist, but I do wish them well in making some more fairy tale films."