Cursed (2005 film)



Cursed is a horror film released in 2005 by director Wes Craven, starring Christina Ricci, Joshua Jackson (Fringe), and Jesse Eisenberg (Zombieland).

Siblings Ellie (Ricci) and Jimmy (Eisenberg) are driving back to their home near the Hollywood hills one night when they collide with another vehicle, sending it careening into the forest below. While attempting to help the other driver, a young woman named Becky Morton (Shannon Elizabeth) get out of her car, they are suddenly attacked by a large beast emerging from the shadows. The creature drags Becky into the forest after biting and scratching Ellie and Jimmy. When paramedics arrive and ask the siblings what kind of animal attacked them, Jimmy can only respond that it looked like a "wolf the size of a man".

Soon after, they start noticing changes within themselves. They're getting stronger. Their reflexes are faster. They seem to be more attractive to members of the opposite sex... and the scent of blood has a powerful affect on them. Jimmy is quick to realize what's going on: they're becoming werewolves. His excitement is quickly overshadowed, however, when they learn that more and more young women are being violently attacked. Ellie and Jimmy realize that the werewolf that cursed them is stalking the streets of L.A., and with the first full moon since their attack quickly approaching, they may very well be its next prey of choice.

Notable for having its werewolf designed by Rick Baker.

This film contains examples of:
" How did this happen?
 * All Star Cast: Not at the time it was made, but looking retroactively you have Mark Zuckenberg as a werewolf, and Peter Petrelli as a wrestler.
 * Armoured Closet Gay:
 * Beta Couple: Jimmy and Brooke, to Ellie and Jake.
 * Blondes Are Evil:.
 * Bloody Hilarious: Becky's death scene in the beginning of the film can qualify.
 * Can't Get Away With Nuthin: Played for Laughs with this little line...

I guess there's no such thing as safe sex with a werewolf."


 * Conspicuous CG: While the live action makeup and animatronic werewolf effects look great, there are times where the CGI counterpart doesn't look quite as polished.
 * Defeat Equals Explosion: When the werewolf who infected all the other major characters dies, he inexplicably explodes in a burst of greenish energy.
 * Executive Meddling: Oh God. This film was more or less shot twice because of production problems. And then the second version of it was hacked up in order to get a PG-13 rating.
 * Expository Hairstyle Change: To demonstrate his werewolf sexual aura, Jimmy gels his hair into a trendy style.
 * Face Heel Revolving Door:.
 * I Didn't Mean To Turn You On: The lycanthropic curse causes those around them to be extremely attracted to the one who is cursed. Ellie especially notices this with a male assistant of hers, and Jimmy is surprised when it happens to ... neither of which the siblings had any intention in pursuing.
 * It's a Small Net After All
 * Jerk Jock: Bo (played by Milo Ventimiglia), the captain of the high school wrestling team and Jimmy's rival for Brooke's affection.
 * Lovable Jock:.
 * Just Hit Him: How does a werewolf with sharp claws and teeth fight? By throwing people around apparently.
 * Unless said werewolf is trying to AVOID making more of their kind.
 * Letting Her Hair Down: Ellie does this as demonstration of the werewolf sexual aura. Joannie comments on this.
 * Mr. Exposition: Jimmy, thanks to a few handy books about werewolves.
 * One Scene Wonder: Portia De Rossi as the fortune teller.
 * Our Werewolves Are Different: Werewolves in Cursed have a powerful sexual allure to members of the opposite sex. And sometimes the same sex. In addition, while silver is painful to lycanthropes, it cannot kill them.
 * Really Gets Around: Jake. By the time the film's over, we've counted four women he's been with in the last month or so.
 * Red Herring: Kyle, briefly. And very poorly done too.
 * Shout Out: The design of the night club owned by Ellie's boyfriend, Jake (played by Joshua Jackson), is one big shout out to classic horror movies. It is lined from wall to wall with supposed memoribilia from the movie sets, including the silver-tipped cane from the original The Wolfman.
 * Vampire Werewolf Refugee:Ellie and Jimmy. While Ellie falls under the "What Have I Become?" category, Jimmy leans more towards a "Friendly Neighborhood Werewolf" type.
 * Wrestler in All of Us: After Jimmy figures out what he's becoming, he uses his skills to try out for the high school wrestling team and wins using various obvious pro-wrestling moves, including a straight-legged backwards suplex complete with a 5 second "pause" (and a pre-suplex one-liner) before dropping his opponent.
 * What Could Have Been: You have no idea. . ..
 * You Are What You Hate: