Bram Stoker’s Shadow Builder (1998)
What’s this?! Bram Stoker’s Shadow Builder? The same Bram Stoker who wrote Dracula? With such credentials, this movie is going to be awesome. I bet the story it’s based on is a horror classic just waiting to be discovered!
Those are the thoughts that passed through my head when I first glimpsed at the holographic VHS tape cover of this horror film. Having now seen it, I can understand why this film has remained obscure. It’s dull and unoriginal. I bet a lot of people wanted to expand on the flimsy Wikipedia article, but after seeing the film, couldn't muster up the energy.
When a group of Satanists summons a demon to destroy the world, Father Jacob Vassey (Michael Rooker) is our only hope. If he can stop the Shadow Builder from capturing young Chris Hatcher (Kevin Zegers) before a solar eclipse taking place in a few days, he will prevent the end of days.
I know it’s unfair to compare this film to others that came later, but the way Shadow Builder plays out, it’s essentially a boring End of Days. A demon is going about sewing destruction and determined to end the world while a tough gun-toting hero who doesn’t play by the rules is tasked with stopping him. I’m not saying the Arnold Schwarzenegger picture is good - In fact, I'd say it's bad, but in a fun way. “Shadow Builder” is not frightening, it doesn’t have any interesting or new ideas and none of the characters are compelling.
You could sharpen Michael Rooker and use him to kill vampires he's so wooden. I’m not sure if director Jamie Dixon was thinking he'd seem extra gruff and gritty by wheezing his way through his dialogue, but he’s never convincing. Characters die, others survive. You don't care. There’s no gore, only a little bit of sleazy nudity to jog you awake. The demon walking around is somewhat interesting to look at. I like the concept of him turning people into solid shadows which crumble when exposed to light. Don't think it's worth watching the movie for. It's more interesting in concept than in execution.
This is the kind of movie you immediately forget. Was there a point to Tony Todd as the eccentric outcast? Not really. His actions could have been done by a more prominent character to eliminate the unnecessary plot strands he brings. Why do the bad guys want to end the world? We’re given a quick explanation that proves that all movie Satanists are morons who will end up getting themselves killed by their own dark lord. How does the movie end? I barely remember.
I can’t say I disliked Shadow Builder, but it’s not bad in a fun or memorable way. I bet many horror fans have seen this movie because copies of it keep getting bought for a couple of bucks and then pawned off or sold at garage sales for someone else to watch and then forget. I can’t fathom anyone not putting this one in the box of movies “to get rid of”. (On VHS, September 22, 2015)
