Cherrypicker

The writers were THIS close to making dialogue that humans might actually say and behaviors that might be how people act. I mean, it was truly impressive to see that much effort put into almost hitting the mark. From the opening scene of Chase mutilating a player in a hockey match, I understood that I was watching something written by aliens posing as screenwriters.

This movie is neither a horror nor a black comedy. It tries to be either, but in a drunken way that just makes everyone involved seem desperate and kinda sad.

Characters are unlikable, though the little girls are kinda cute. The situations are ridiculous, and everyone seems to make the stupidest choices ever. We the viewers have to be told several times how good a mother she is, though all evidence points to the contrary. The score is always trying way too hard, and never really matches what's going on.

Even as background noise, this movie isn't good. Really should be only 2 stars, but the premise had a lot of potential in my opinion. Skip it, unless you really want to see for yourself how bad it is.

Ankle Biters (or Cherrypicker) is a story about four little girls who set out on a quest to destroy their mother's love life and harm their future stepdad, Sean (Zion Forest Lee). And they do succeed in a spectacular fashion.

It starts as a spoiled child comedy and feels kinda innocent. The girls just put spider eggs in Sean's ear and put a pin in an apple he's supposed to eat. But then, well, everything goes sideways. There's gore and there's death.

I was not impressed by acting - except for the four little girls who were just great. The actresses are real-life sisters Dahlia Reed, Violet Reed, Lily Reed and Rosalie Reed, and they keep their real names in this movie. So, not much in terms of acting, and some poor dialogs. But camera work is good, and blood specal effects really deliver.

It's nuts, and it's fun.

From the frozen north comes a comedy/horror so "horrible" that it sat on the shelf for two years and was given a name change. Hi-concept films (young children misinterpret love-making as a threat to their mother -- and seek retaliation) barely work for the SNL crowd, so this one was pushing the envelope even before filming started. Colin Mochrie, once considered one of Canada's best improv artists, seems lost here, as does most of the picture-perfect, airbrushed, cast. If you keep in mind that many Canadian projects enjoy government subsidies, the true source of the horror will become that much clearer.

Four adorably blonde haired, blue eyed little girls mistake their widowed mother's rough sex play with her retired hockey player lover for a criminal assault by the latter, and accordingly determine to kill him.

A Lolita-ish baby sitter annoys them too.

The filmmakers were probably inspired by 1956's "The Bad Seed," which - unlike "Ankle Biters" - was primarily a serious psychological drama. It also had much more distinguished acting performances than this relatively frivolous exercise.

Nevertheless the frivolity is highly entertaining even though the final twist is not merely dark but jet black. But after all, it is a horror movie, albeit mostly a funny one.

I actually liked this movie. The girls acted well enough especially Rosie. The storyline was intriguing. Nice ending. Watch it! Its not boring at all.