One would think a movie starring a "Baywatch" babe and a Playboy Playmate, co-produced by another Playmate and released by Troma would have its own singular charms; however, THE CHOSEN ONE is neither as sexy or as intentionally silly as that combination suggests.
In the battle between the forces of darkness and light, only the Sacred Crescent, a magic talisman, will allow good to prevail. In a rural valley, the Crescent's keeper, Emma Braveknight (Shauna Sand), is murdered by a thug named Cole (Michael Stadvec). Emma's sister McKenna (Carmen Electra) comes
home for the burial. She reunites with her old boyfriend, local sheriff Henry (Dave Oliver), and is summoned by Emma's spirit to a ritual where she is made keeper of the Crescent. Nora (Debra Xavier), Henry's girlfriend who's angered by his return to McKenna, goes back to Cole, her old flame, and
Cole and his boys beat Henry up. Encouraged by Emma's ghost, McKenna heals Henry with her touch. She goes after Cole, and Nora shoots her, only to be shot dead herself by Cole.
McKenna awakens with paranormal "powers of the raven." Nora also revives, transformed by evil forces. After some resistance, McKenna gives in to her destiny, dons a silver and metal outfit and sets out as a crimefighter. Nora kills Cole's goons, and McKenna and Henry set out to find her. Nora
recruits a couple of small-time crooks to help her, and one of them shoots Henry when he and McKenna confront Nora. McKenna magically transports herself and Nora to an urban setting, where she kills Nora after a prolonged fight. She then returns to the valley and revives Henry.
A STAR WARS-style opening title crawl (complete with the heading "Episode One: Renewed Hope") hints that these filmmakers have the right comedic spirit--a suggestion that's quickly dashed once the film itself begins. With no development given to the notion of the apocalyptic battle between good
and evil mentioned at the outset, this is really just a rural crime melodrama with a few mystical gimmicks thrown in; the mix of good ol' boy cliches and cheapjack fantasy proves a very awkward one indeed. A lighter touch behind the camera might have helped, but Lawrence Lanoff's direction is
straight-faced and flat-footed, and none of the actors seem capable of giving the material the ironic tone that it deserves. Certainly, Electra and Sand--the abovementioned former "Baywatch" cast member and Playboy Playmate--appear to have been hired on the basis of their looks, not their dramatic
or comedic gifts (the other Playboy alumna involved in the production, India Allen, wisely chose to remain offscreen).
In an attempt to give the mundane proceedings something of a mythic air, many scenes are accompanied by narration that explains things that are already self-evident--the narrator's comments include insights like "Although she is beautiful, McKenna burns with an unpredictable fire." One doesn't
know whether to chuckle appreciatively or simply yawn and turn the whole thing off. (Violence, extensive nudity, sexual situations, profanity.) leave a comment
