The Stepfather
Penn Badgley, Dylan Walsh
Sony Pictures
Unrated
2 Stars
Hollywood’s love for “reboots” and “remakes” rears its head again with this remake of 1987’s cult favorite, The Stepfather, starring Terry O’Quinn (now starring in “Lost”). Obviously updated for the teen generation, hence the PG-13 rating (the original movie was R), this remake tells the story of a son, Michael Harding, returning from military school to find his mom involved with a new, but highly suspicious beau. As Michael’s suspicions grow, so does the psychotic behavior of the stepfather, leading to the ultimate showdown. Unfortunately, the step down in content means the film lacks the visceral impact of the original. Still, this remake does have its moments, especially near the end when things come to a climax. –dark abyss
