Rated PG-13 for violence and terror, some sexual material, underage drinking, and language.
Directed by Nelson McCormick (First Feature Film)
Starring Brittany Snow, Dana Davis, Jessica Troup, Scott Porter, Collins Pennie, Kelly Blatz, Idris Elba, Jonathan Schaech, Jessalyn Gilsig, Kellan Lutz, Craig Susser
Prom Night is suppose to be terrifying…but it’s just terrible.
Donna's senior prom is supposed to be the night of her life. Even though she was surrounded by her best friends, the night turns dark when a former teacher with an unhealthy attraction to Donna escapes from an institution of the criminally insane where he has been since he killed Donna’s entire family.
Jonathan's Word: I'm a big fan of a good scary flick. Note that I qualified the scary flicks that I like with the word “good.” Often the term “scary movies” is synonymous with “cheesy movies.” Please don't presume that all scary flicks are an excuse for gratuitous sex and gore. Unfortunately the genre has plenty of that. But some of the great horror movies feature top Hollywood talent, captivating storylines and creative dialogue. That being said, Prom Night doesn't have much of any of that. Prom Night sways toward the cheese that gives scary movies a bad name.
Todd's Word: Not only is there extra cheese, but the writing is painfully immature and there are so many logistical errors it just became laughable. On the other hand, if you like the horror movies that feature “dumb” girls who run around screaming for 2 hours then you’ll love Prom Night.
Jonathan's Word: Well I did like the opening sequence after the credits. There's allusion to a back story that remains a mystery, there's suspense, and there are some good jump moments. But it's over in less than four minutes and the rest was downhill.
Todd's Word: Sorry man but I disagree. I would rather have seen the 'relationship' progress to the point of murderous jealousy than to see the cheap dream sequence.
Jonathan's Word: I hear ya. But horror films often start with a good scary first scene. Think of the best horror film ever, Jaws. Halloween did it with the slasher films. Scream, made this kind of intense beginning even more popular in the 90’s. I’m just saying that if I judged this film by the first 4 minutes, it would have been a much better score.
Todd's Word: Like “Skip It” instead of “Coaster.”
Jonathan's Word: Exactly (note my score). The film had some decent actors. I love Friday Night Lights' Scott Porter. And Idris Elba from Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls ain't too shabby. But Brittany Snow has a long way to go to show some range in her acting ability. So far she seems to be stuck in the rut of about 4 facial expressions, her most common being the wide open mouth look “OMG” look. Come on Brittany. Try something new. Right now you have the range of a $10 Airsoft gun.
Todd's Word: That’s hilarious!
Jonathan's Word: This is the typical garbage that kids already hear at school but don't need to keep hearing from entertainment. Conversations like these:
- “If you want to talk about sexy, you should see Lisa's dress with that plunging neckline. Ronnies gonna love you in it.”
“Yeah, he's gonna love me even more out of it. It's prom night. That boy's planning on getting laid.”
Todd's Word: It has to be, I can’t imagine a professional writing any of that.
Jonathan's Word: If this was the first scary movie I ever saw, maybe my experience would have been different. But this movie literally has nothing new. The storyline is about as original as De Palma's stairway sequence in The Untouchables. And you'll see the typical, “he's there, no, look again, he's not there!” scenes. And don't forget the proverbial looking into the mirrored medicine cabinet shot, then shut it only to see someone now standing behind you! How novel!
Todd's Word: You forgot the hiding under the bed gag, the dead police officers who are suppose to be protecting her, the “hey girlfriend, stop hiding…where are you…oh its the killer” move and my personal favorite “I’ll hide on the entire floor of the hotel that is under construction and empty.”
Jonathan's Word: Sorry, I can't recommend it to anyone who's seen any other scary movies in the last few decades.
Todd's Word: Well I can't recommend it to anyone who's seen any movie in the last few decades.
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
A should-have-been-rated-R sex scene and a weak redemption story makes me say nope.
Side Note:
As said above, we don’t recommend your kids see this film. But on the occasion that they actually have already seen it, you may want to dialogue about the film with them. These questions below may be a help to you.
Conversation Starter
Three Simple Questions (with Answers You May Be Looking for):
- What are some of the messages or themes you observed in this movie?
- How do you suppose we—as serious Christ-followers—should react to this movie?
- How can we move from healthy, Bible-based opinions about this movie to actually living out those opinions?
Jonathan McKee
Jonathan McKee is the author of over twenty books including the brand new The Guy's Guide to FOUR BATTLES Every Young Man Must Face; The Teen’s Guide to Social Media & Mobile Devices; If I Had a Parenting Do Over; and the Amazon Best Seller - The Guy's Guide to God, Girls and the Phone in Your Pocket. He speaks to parents and leaders worldwide, all while providing free resources for youth workers on TheSource4YM.com. Jonathan, his wife Lori, and their three kids live in California.