![[box cover]](../../reviewimgs/b/badseed.jpg)
Bad Seed
Luke Wilson does not star in enough movies. One of the most charismatic and uniquely personable male performers around, Wilson's name is rarely seen above the credits. When a film finally does come along with Wilson in the leading role, it inevitably leads to the question, "Why did it have to be in this piece of crap?" Bad Seed makes no sense, starting with its title. It refers to nothing, except for a classic story of a malevolent child, to which this film bears no relation. The first 20 minutes are fast and furious, as the cuckolded Wilson learns of his wife's infidelity, finds her murdered, and in a rage mistakenly kills the retarded brother of her lover (Norman Reedus). Not a bad first act, if contrived. But the remaining 70 minutes consist of a painfully protracted and unmotivated cat-and-mouse game between Wilson, a hapless P.I. (Dennis Farina), and Reedus. Why, Luke, why? Artisan's DVD presents Bad Seed in a nice anamorphic transfer (1.85:1) with audio in both Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby 2.0 Surround. Someone apparently thought this weak movie deserved two commentary tracks, one with Wilson and proud writer/director Jon Bokenkamp, and another with Bokenkamp, producer Ron Eguia, and composer Kurt Kuenne. Behind-the-scenes interviews, trailer. Keep-case.
—Gregory P. Dorr
