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Robert Kurtzman is known mostly for his exceptional makeup and other special f/x. He's worked with both Freddy and Jason, and he helped to form one of the best f/x houses in the industry. He found considerable cult success with the quirky but exceptional The Rage. Again it is those technical abilities that stand out. So I was a little bit more than curious when I was discovered that his recent film, Deadly Impact, was something quite different from anything I had associated with the name in the past. I was even more drawn to the project when I was told I had an opportunity to interview the man about the movie. Unfortunately, time was limited, and I had not seen the film yet. So, 20th Century Fox sent over a screener of the movie for me to see before the interview with Kurtzman and also the film's star Sean Patrick Flanery. I am reluctant to write reviews from these screeners, so this review was delayed while the studio was sending what we call in the trade “final product”. It just means that the package I finally received was exactly the same that you will find at your favorite retailer. Meanwhile, screeners are often badly- dubbed DVD-R's of the film. It was enough to get me through my interviews, but would the film be good enough that I would really want to watch it all over again in order to write a more detailed review? The answer, to my surprise, was yes.

Why was I surprised? First of all, I really hadn't heard much buzz on the movie. With Flanery's recent success with the Boondock Saints sequel, I expected more industry noise than I was hearing. The movie appeared to be a direct-to-video rush job. It was also directed by a man whose experience and talents haven't usually been in the director's chair. These can all be bad signs for a movie. I guess we get jaded here, because we see so many bombs that fit these categories that it's often hard to stay objective. Still, every now and then a gem pops up in the mud, and it restores that objectivity and your faith in an industry that can really let you down. Deadly Impact is, without a doubt, that gem.

Christmas Town deals with Liza McCann (Nicole de Boer) an overworked real estate agent that travels to Hollyville with her son to visit her estranged father.  Hollyville is filled with Christmas decorations and Yuletide spirit, which frustrates Liza, who has hated Christmas since childhood. However, through a series of surreal events, Liza begins to change her viewpoint and the story unfolds from there. 

This film attempts to transcend the typical coming home for Christmas story by infusing it with supernatural and magical elements.  However, the result is a difficult pill to swallow. The performances are flat, the score is dull and the story seems all too familiar.  The comedic moments of the film are cliché and boring and unfortunately the characters are not likeable either.  Nevertheless, the director does salvage some of the film with a beautiful British Columbia backdrop. There are some gorgeous landscape shots and are threaded through the film well.  On the other hand, when the highlights of the film are without characters or dialogue, it does not bode well for its cause.  This is a Christmas misstep and should be avoided at any cost.