The Wicker Man (2006 film)
| The Wicker Man | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster
|
|
| Directed by | Neil LaBute |
| Produced by |
|
| Screenplay by | Neil LaBute |
| Based on |
|
| Starring | |
| Music by | Angelo Badalamenti |
| Cinematography | Paul Sarossy |
| Edited by | Joel Plotch |
|
Production
companies |
|
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
|
Release date
|
|
|
Running time
|
102 minutes |
| Country |
|
| Language | English |
| Budget | $40 million |
| Box office | $38.8 million |
The Wicker Man is a 2006 horror film written and directed by Neil LaBute and starring Nicolas Cage. The film primarily is a remake of the 1973 British cult classic The Wicker Man, but also draws from its source material, David Pinner's 1967 novel Ritual. The film concerns a policeman named Edward Malus who is informed by his ex-fiancée Willow Woodward that her daughter Rowan has disappeared and asks for his assistance in her search. When he arrives at the island where Rowan was last seen he begins to suspect something sinister is afoot with the neo-pagans who reside on the island.
The film received overwhelmingly negative reviews from film critics at the time of its release; critics pointed to the film's unintentional hilarity, weak acting, and poor screenwriting. The film was also a financial flop, grossing over $38 million against a $40 million production budget. Since its original release, it has developed a cult following as an entertaining unintentional comedy, particularly due to Cage's over-the-top performance.
Cage dedicated the film to his friend Johnny Ramone, the guitarist of the band The Ramones, who had died in 2004.
Policeman Edward Malus (Nicolas Cage) receives news from his ex-fiancée, Willow Woodward (Kate Beahan), that her daughter, Rowan (Erika Shaye Gair), is missing. He travels to the Western United States and takes a ship cruise to a coastal area where he gets a pilot (Matthew Walker) to take him to an island off the coast of Washington State where a group of neo-pagans live.
The island is led by Sister Summersisle (Ellen Burstyn), an elderly woman who supposedly represents the goddess they worship. Sister Summersisle explains to Edward that her ancestors had left England to avoid persecution, only to settle near Salem and find renewed persecution in the Salem witch trials, before arriving on the island. Sister Summersisle explains that their population is predominantly female as they choose the strongest stock—evading Edward's concern about the birth of unwanted males. The economy of the island relies on the production of local honey, which Edward learns has declined recently.
...
Wikipedia