by Jox on 16 Jul 2006, 10:36
Well, I saw IT WAITS or what has been left off an aborted Dolph project, and I can say I'm really happy that the Swede got to do "The Defender" instead, because as it is now this is closer to "The Minion" than "Predator".
Given the fact that the script was rewritten for a female lead and that the same director remained attached, it's hard to tell how much different the film would have been had it stayed a Dolph Lundgren vehicle. But it sure didn't help to remodel the script and to lose it's lead (FYI: Dolph's departure is due to financing issues with Bauer Martinez not a casting decision. The project was then taken over by another company).
With a concept like this one, no one would question a Dolph Lundgren being alone in the woods struggling in a "man to man" combat with a demon. But when the decision is made that the main character will be a mid-twenties girl played by an LA-based actress who'd probably should have stayed on the Sunset Strip, then come along the annoying boyfriend wannabe, bad dialogues and terrible backstory with the knowledge in psychology of a 12 year-old...
For its budget, it actually isn't that bad. The cinematography is fair, the pacing has some flaws but the editing is good as well as most of the score (except a few cues and songs performed by the director's wife).
The region 1 DVD is surprisingly enhanced with a 21 minutes promotional featurette as well as an audio commentary by the director and actress. If Dolph isn't mentioned anywhere, the director and the producer Stephen J. Cannell both seem to be happy with the project changes.
They should look back and think again.