New(er) Flix: The Wicker Tree (2011)

After over 30 years and two failed attempts at financing, this one got made.  Was it worth all of the effort?

A Born-Again Christian Singer named Beth is sent on a mission trip to Scotland.

As long as this isn't just a retread of The Wicker Man, this should go well.

Oh right- that's exactly what this is.

Sadly, an on-set (not this one) injury forced Christopher Lee to only make a Cameo.  Sorry, but Graham McTavish can only do so much here.

Instead of one victim, we have two.

Instead of restoring fruit harvest, we have restoring fertility.

Oh...I see what you did there.

Beth's man gives up his Purity Pledge and Ring after seeing this woman for only the second time.  Granted- she's naked and inviting here (literally), but, wow, what conviction.

As the time comes, the Village prepares for the creepy work ahead.

Serious question- how far in do you have to be to take 'buttering up a naked woman for a human sacrifice' as common-place?

Can Beth turn the tide?  Can the evil Villagers be stopped?  Does the Film have any new ideas other than lots of generic Country Music?

To find out, watch the Film.  You'd be in rare company if you did.

A pretty nothing retread.  No offense to Director Robin Hardy (especially considering that he's dead), but what was the point of this?  Quick History Lesson- Hardy had a Script which he pitched to Lee during the Production of Lord of the Rings.  Lee was on-board and got others (like Sean Astin) interested.  No funding.  Hardy turns his Script into a Book and then back to a Script.  Funding falls through again.  Finally, the Film gets made.  After all of that work, what did we gain?  We got what is just about a Remake of a Film that just had a (famously bad) Remake.  What's changed?  The goal of the Villagers- kind of.  The Setting is now Scotland.  We have victims lured to the Island under far more traceable circumstances.  Seriously, the group knows where they sent Beth- this can't end well!  Without SPOILing all of this, could they even divert people away from their crimes?  So if there is very little about the Plot that is changed, what else is there?  There's a smattering of sort-of commentary- like showing Beth's recent past- and some decent Characters mixed in throughout.  There's also some randomness like having bird's eye vision for a few Scenes.  The Film also doesn't really present us with Leads that are as engaging or interesting as in the first Film, so, this is, again, an inferior copy.  I wanted to be wrong.  I wanted to be the one to tell you that 'No, this is a good Film.'  It's not.  It's not badly-made, but it is unnecessary and does nothing for nobody.  Sadly, all we get to be that interesting is Christopher Lee in a (badly-disguised) Green Screen Flashback...

It should be good.  It's not.  Watching this Movie will 'not bring back your damn honey,' so don't bother.