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Fallen Angels

2003, Movie, R, 97 mins

Fallen Angels: Review

History repeats itself as four classmates revisit the trauma that marred their teen in a slasher flick that juggles supernatural and earthly elements. Nell Fisher (Esme Eliot) alienated the other schoolgirls at Holy Angels' Academy when she reported that popular history teacher Richard Leighton (Jeff Fahey) attempted to rape her. Jade Bowman (Cassandra Bell), Laurie Campbell (Emma Willis) and Natalie Lawrence (Elly Fairman) went out of their way to make her life a living hell and while fending off Leighton's advances a second time, Nell started a fire that killed 30 students. One of the apparent casualties was Nell's best friend, Susan Cooper (Mara Derwent). Five years pass. Natalie has become an actress, Jade is a model and Laurie is a wealthy divorcee, while Nell is financially strapped and still a social outcast. Hoping to break into film production, Natalie's high-powered agent, Melanie Flesicher (Melissa Simonetti), sets up an exploitative documentary about the Holy Angels tragedy, complete with a producer, a director and a paranormal expert. Fleischer's project proceeds form the notion that Leighton's ghost stalks the school's halls, which doesn't sit well with the families of the victims or with Sheriff Ed Rooney (Michael Ironside), who used to be the school custodian. Jade, Laurie and Natalie still treat Nell dismissively, while someone tries to shut down production by eliminating key personnel. Nell confronts the demons of her adolescence as a hooded psychopath knocks off the director and producer. Is the murderer Leighton's vengeful spirit, did he escape the inferno alive, or does a surviving family member want to punish Nell? Whether phantom or flesh and blood, the maniac intends to stop any re-examination of the deadly arson. Although director and co-writer Ian David Diaz capably dusts off hoary movie-scare tactics borrowed from CARRIE (1976), A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (1984) and SUSPIRIA (1976). Overall, his film works better as a vengeance thriller than an outright horror picture. leave a comment --Robert Pardi