8A - The Michigan Daily - Monday, September 15, 2003 ART S U Poor acting eats away at 'Fever' Courtesy of Columbia Antonio Banderas, Enrique Iglesias and some other guy re-for- mulate the Mariachi trio in Robert Rodriguez's trilogy finale. For those who are tired of the slew of chick flicks and sugar-coated sequels served up this summer, never fear, "Cabin Fever" is here. Oozing with blood, guts and profanity, Eli Roth's new horror flick is sure to dis- gust and delight genre enthusiasts and thrill-seekers alike. Written, directed and produced by Roth, "Cabin Fever" follows five col- lege friends who rent a remote cabin to celebrate graduation and stumble upon the breeding grounds of a horri- ble flesh-eating virus. Before long they are forced to trade beer and bathing suits for shotguns and shovels in a Cabin Fever bloody struggle At Quality16 and for survival. When Showcase within the first 20 Lion's Gate minutes the kids encounter an 11-year-old boy named Dennis sporting a mullet and a tenden- cy to bite strangers, it's obvious that this is no normal vacation. "Fever" marks "Boy Meets World" staple Rider Strong's return to the realm of movies people might actually pay to see. Strong stars as Paul, the love sick friend to Jordan Ladd's ("Never Been Kissed") unattainable good-girl Karen. Sadly, Strong's extended stint on the Disney Channel has taught him lit- tle in the way of acting. Yet maybe it is his sugary sitcom pedigree combined with his annoyingly awkward line deliveries that make it so enjoyable to watch him suffer. Ladd's performance 4 Courtesy of Lion's Gate I'll have what she's having. EL'S 'MEXICO' is decidedly bland; however, one unfor- gettably grotesque scene will inevitably insure that her character does not go unnoticed. Rounding out the cast from young Hollywood is Joey Kern ("Super Troop- ers") as the golden-haired Jeff, Cerina Vincent as Marcy, his sexually charged girlfriend, and James DeBello as the beer-chugging squirrel-shooting fifth wheel. While Kern hands in a less-than- stellar performance that leads one to wish he would trade in acting for mod- eling, DeBello's good timing offers wel- come comic relief in the occasional slow spot. Overall, the fact that the youthful cast is essentially unheard of lends the characters an everyman quali- ty, which makes their plight increasing- ly horrifying for the viewer. Roth is a relative newcomer, as this is his first project eligible for substan- tial commercial success. Yet he is well versed in what it takes to instill horri- fied fascination in his audience. lie never misses an opportunity to use his special effects and makeup crew to their full capacity, and they deliver all of the gory details one could wish for- including several sound effects that border on too much information. Forced dialogue hinders the begin- ning, replaced by chaos in the second half. By this point, the audience is too occupied with simultaneously covering their eyes and watching through the cracks to hold a grudge. However, blood and guts fail to completely over- shadow larger weaknesses such as the less-than-par supporting cast, several embarrassingly unfunny jokes and an ending as predictable as it is disap- pointing. With that said, Roth remains admirable for his unwavering dedica- tion to the horror tradition. This ded- ication, demonstrated through fantastically elaborate gore, unflinching sexuality and gritty courage, is what saves his film from the pathetic fate of your average, modern slasher flop. This plot variation creates interest and doesn't become excessively muddled; however, it does lead to a protagonistic shift: Sands becomes the film's driving force. Depp's char- acter is clearly scripted and crafted to, draw and hold attention. He speaks in quips and has a very curious, unpre- dictable demeanor about him. All these traits come to fruition in an astounding closing gunfight involv- ing a then-blinded Sands. Just as in the movie, much here has been said about Depp - some- what at the expense of the other cast members. Banderas turns in another sound performance, executing his best scenes with a scowl on face and a gun in his hand. Willem Dafoe, Cheech Marin and Enrique Iglesias round out the notable cast, but their roles, especially relative to Depp's, are not remarkable. "Mexico," more than "El Mari- achi" or "Desperado," attempts to entertain and doesn't take itself, and consequently its characters, as seri- ously. The roles are more caricatured, the dialogue more comical and the film itself more focused on techni, cally sound, dynamic action than reflection or personal emotion. Amid all these changes, though, the tale of the mariachi retains the simple poignancy and entertainment value that made it so great. 10 Good Jackson equals bad 'No Good Deed' By Jennie Adler For the Daily MOVI E REVI EW ** Shotgun toting bank robbers? Samuel Jackson? What could be better? For starters, Jackson as Good Deed" is the latest film directed by Bob Rafelson, better known for his work "The Postman Always Rings Twice" opposed to lesser- the bad guy. "No No Good Deed At Madstone and Showcase Remstar classic story, but it lacks quality acting and is filled with nauseating dialogue. The plot is typical - bank robbers take police officer Jack Friar (Jackson) hostage when he stumbles into their hideout. Jack's simple life of cello play- ing and insulin shots are brought to a halt as he involves himself in the crime; for his life, or maybe love. The bad guys are led by Tyrone (Stel- lan SkarsgArd, "Good Will Hunting"), with team members including his lover, Erin (Milla Jovovich, "Resident Evil"), who, strutting around in her slinky out- fits, seems to have "the ins" with every guy in town. Hoop (Doug Hutchison) takes care of the dirty work while trying to keep his temper under control and the Quarres (Joss Ackland and Grace Zabriskie), the elderly swindlers seem almost,,&eleva t to the quickly dissolv- ing sure-fire heist plan. With everyone doubting each other's loyalty and clash- ing motives, it's no wonder; they are all fighting constantly. Jackson, interestingly, strays from his usual line of swearing badasses to play not a good neighbor and a moral cop but a cellist as well. With Jackson - the best actor in the film (as is usual for him) -- tied to a chair for almost the entire movie, Rafelson leaves the others awkwardly stumbling around the film's greatest asset. The movie too often relies on this group of shoddy actors as well as Jackson's cheesy lines. The body count, however, takes care of the bad acting. The quirky characters provide entertainment but not enough to hold the movie. Maybe Jackson should stick to "Shaft, because in the end, no good deed goes unpunished. 40 seen "Erotic Tales". Originally based on Dashiel Hammett's short story "The House on Turk Street" way back in 1924, "No Good Deed" is decidedly noir-fare due to the dark setting and 41 VbT : - " d& j r r r .