Mothman (2010)

Very well executed

Sorry, this movie sucks

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

Blistering performances.

RELEASED TO TV IN 2010 and directed by Sheldon Wilson, "Mothman" details events in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, where a group of friends hide the truth about the death of one of their friends. Years later, when one of the group returns to town (Jewel Staite), a supernatural creature with links to the unjust slaying of Cornstalk in 1777 preys on them due to their guilt of murder. Jerry Leggio plays the old blind man who has interesting insights about the Mothman.Some people were disappointed with 2002's "The Mothman Prophecies" because it was a mystery/horror film that shot for art and depth (and, in my opinion, succeeded) when what they really wanted was a conventional monster movie. Well, "Mothman" quells that desire as it's a straight creature feature. Being a TV flick, though, it only cost $2 million while "The Mothman Prophecies" was a theatrical release that cost $32 million eight years earlier. As such, it's no surprise that the latter is the superior production. Yet that doesn't mean "Mothman" isn't worth checking out if you appreciate TV-budget monster movies now and then.The prologue where someone inadvertently dies during youthful festivities in the woods is well done, except for elements of the cover-up. There's simply no reason that the teens couldn't have reported the kid simply drowned and they found the body. But it could be argued that they were young, dumb & drunk/high. I was too at one time.I liked the whole fictional linkage of the Mothman to Hokoleskwa (aka Cornstalk), which showed imagination in the scripting. Jewel is a worthy female protagonist and I didn't have a problem with the no-name cast who surrounded her (Connor Fox, Jess Sylvia, Susie Abromeit, Michael Aills & Matty Ferraro).As for the cartoony CGI monster, I actually found it kinda scary the first time I watched this movie (back when it originally came out) and even had a nightmare about it, which is something that almost never happens (these types of flicks rarely scare me, but I find them entertaining). Viewing the film again 7.5 years later, the monster isn't quite as effective as I remembered it, perhaps because a similar type of creature was used in the same director's superior "Scarecrow" (2013).It goes without saying that you shouldn't look to this movie for much accuracy about the Mothman sightings in 1966 Point Pleasant, which culminated in the December 15, 1967, collapse of the Silver Bridge and the death of 46 people. The movie simply uses the Mothman lore as a springboard for its own story.THE FILM RUNS 91 minutes and was shot in Denham Springs, Louisiana, and points nearby. WRITERS: Sonny Lee & Patrick Walsh.GRADE: B-

Jewel Staite gives one of her finest performances in this exciting horror film from visionary director Sheldon Wilson. With an intelligent and insightful script by gifted screenwriters Sonny Lee and Patrick Walsh, Mothman brings a fresh and creative energy to the notorious legend. Amazing special effects highlight the film and Wilson uses the skillful depiction of the red-eyed creature spectacularly. The dialog is smart and clever and the characterizations have depth and humanity. It is refreshing in a horror film to see people behaving like human beings rather than cardboard cutouts simply running for their lives and screaming. Overall, this is an extraordinary motion picture of unusual power that succeeds beautifully as a horror film and brilliantly as a study of individual courage in crisis.

I admit that I do dislike most of the movies airing on the SyFy channel, but I watch them out of curiosity to get novelty value or to see if either of them are actually surprisingly watchable when there is nothing or little else on. Mothman as I've said is not SyFy's worst by a long shot, but it is not very good, as a matter of fact it is rather weak.The acting is better than anticipated though none are particularly great, but they are undermined by stock and stereotypical characters, a very rushed and underdeveloped story, a laughable script and when they seemingly realised that they only had twenty minutes left and had not finished telling the story the writers decided to include a twist. Unfortunately this twist is utterly moronic leading to one of the weakest endings I've seen in a while.In conclusion, not the worst but weak. 2/10 Bethany Cox

I believe that this movie is getting a worse credit then it deserves. I saw it the other night (before going to sleep was not a good idea) and it was not that bad. You have to admit that Sci-Fi (I prefer the old name) has had worse. And even though I missed the first part (I came in when the lady got killed in her car), the storyline is coherent enough to still make sense. The method of how the Mothman emerges is lacking and has been used. I mean, come on, reflective surfaces? There are an infinite number of reflective surfaces. The windshield glass that they didn't smash is reflective like the mirrors. The gun's barrel, the car's wheels, and their cell phone screens are all reflective.