Customer Reviews

Taboo (Widescreen)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Anyone who paid attention to the clues given during the movie could solve this "mystery" way before they wanted to enlighten us. This movie was supposed to be an intelligent thriller, but it isn't much more than a slasher movie in disguise.
Still, it's a fun watch if you're having a horror movie bash.

I'm a big Amber Benson fan and only bought this because she was in it. The story sounded like standard stalker fare but I was game. Although the pacing is a bit slow, I must say I found the movie very enjoyable. The twists just kept coming and I liked that I was using my mind to try to keep up instead of just vegging out.
The actors are good and again my only complaints were slow pacing and not fleshing out the wonderful characters they had.

It starts off with a generaly good premice. 6 kids alone all night in a huge house, forced to reminice about a game that they had played exactly one year ago. A game that, in the year since, had ruined lifes and caused blackmail ext...we don't know what exactly happened between these kids, all we have are their charecterizations to figure it out. And that is precisly where the movie goes wrong. The charecters are lame and unoriginal. The drunk, the rich witch, the spoiled right wing jerk, the loud-mouthed un-PC friend, in fact the only charecter that had any layers to them was the charecter that other reviewers have shunned. Jannuary Jones, with her silent, unemotional eyes, holds the most mystery to her charecter. There is no way of knowing what is going on in her head.
Technicly the film is great. Wonderful shots and an interesting pace. Obvioulsly the film was inspired by April Fools Day, much of the way that Scream was inspired by Happy Birthday to me. But what Taboo lacks is a sharp sence of humor. For subject matter this dark, the humor needs to be dark as well, no slapstick will suffice.
All an all not a total waste of time, but the strait to video aspect is understandable.

I watched this one because I was intrigued on how they might work a real gay character into a mainstream "teen" film. After having watched it, I realized they had not, in fact, managed to do accomplish that. I'm not about to proclaim "Homophobe", however because *none* of the characters were particularly developed with perhaps the exception of Amber Benson's portrayal as the group drunk. The plot is very predictable, special effects non-existent and the acting is rather wooden. Because these are all gifted actors and actresses, I am going to assume it's because of the sadly lacking script. I am going to give this film one star for two reasons: because there isn't a "no-star" rating and because the film's set is stellar. In fact, on a technical level, the lights, sound, etc, the film was quite good. Unfortunately that is not enough of a sell to give it any kind of recommendation.

Take Edgar Allen Poe horror story development,
throw in an Italian Aria finale, blend with a
solitary old mansion in a nighttime storm with
lightening and wind, throw in 6 kids (JUST post
college) for a reunion and you have the makings
of a fun, entertaining, non mentally exhausting time,
and that's exactly what TABOO was for me.

Two points, without giving away the story:

1) I LOVE to OUTFOX the writers, and figure out
endings to movies before they are divulged.
This time, I COULDN'T figure out who were
"the bad guy(s)".

2) I was totally SUCKED IN to thinking the movie
was rapidly approaching finale, only to discover
it was just two thirds through and approaching a
second wind. Was I embarrassed with my "sophistication"!

I give this film a rating of 4/5 or 8/10 because I think
everyone involved, from producer through director
and actors, aimed at a light, comedy-horror action
product; I believe there is a complete genre for
that, and relative to the genre it is GOOD.

I got what * I * wanted!

Bill Schaefer

p.s. There was one GIGANTIC BLUNDER in the movie, but
no one has commented on it, so I'll let it rest in peace.

Deserves no stars! The cover gives off a Cruel Intentions/Teens sex out of control look but its really a stupid ,pathetic murder motive jelousey movie thats homophobic and just plain offensive on so many levels. Avoid this garbage at all coasts. Shame on Nick Stahl!

This movie was definitely pretty nasty toward the end. Overall: yes it was a B movie, the effects weren't so hot, and yes, it was like any other teen horror movie of the 90's (scream, I know what..) oh yea and the bad acting and bad music (as mentioned) is there too, so why 4 stars? The ending man!!! Not only is it kind of nasty, it is very Shakespearian, that is in 2 ways: what you find out about the 2 main characters, and how the movie ends. Loved it, hated the rest of it. Probably closer to a 2-3 star movie if you take out those aspects of it. when you watch you will see!

Taboo is a very fun, nicely done little thriller starring Laurie Heuring and Eddie Kaye Thomas. It is about this game that six friends all played, concerning different sins that they had commited. One year later, at their one year reunion get-together, cards are delivered to the house, all containing a certain word describing each person's sin (Rapist, Prostitute, etc.). Soon people start to die one by one, with a nice twist near the end. A bit funny at times, very entertaining, and excellently acted. The plot needs a few more complications, but, in the end, pulls through. I would highly recommend it to anyone that is fans of the actors or actresses, or liked movies such as "Cruel Intentions," "The Incrowd"(also starring L
aurie Heuring.), and other sexual thrillers. This movie is a tad bit different than most of it's type. The violence is kept at a fair minimum, the sex is mostly kept in dialouge, and there isn't much adult or disturbing content meant to jolt the audience. Overall, this movie is alot of fun to watch, worth buying.

~SCORE~
OVERALL: 88/100
PLOT: 17/20 B
DIRECTING: 17/20 B
CAST: 18/20 A-
SPECIAL FX: 18/20 A-
FUN: 19/20 A

~CONTENT~
Rated "R" for Language including sexual dialouge, violence, and some sexual situations.

VIOLENCE: 5
SEX: 5
LANGUAGE: 6
DRUGS: 2
ADULT THEMES: 5

Taboo stars three of todays rising young stars. Eddie Kaye Thomas of American Pie, Nick Stahl of In The Bedroom, and Amber Benson of Buffy The Vampire Slayer. All three very talented actors. However, their performances in this film are utterly rediculous. However, they are the best things about this film. The other three actors involved are three of the worst actors I have ever seen. January Jones as Elizabeth should never work again. She shows no emotion whatsoever throughout the entire film. Not when shes being chased, not when shes having sex, and not even when she sees a dead body. The premise of the film is a cross between Clue and Ten Little Indians, and the film could have made an interesting movie, but we end up watching a mess.
And this so called plot twist? Duh! It does not make the movie any better. Usually, I recommend bad films to people who are fans of the actors in it. However, fans of Amber Benson, Nick Stahl, and Eddie Kaye Thomas should stay away from this filmor you won't be fans much longer.

Taboo is different from anything I have ever seen. When it starts out, it seems like it will be an average slaher flick. But then there is a twist halfway through the movie, that makes it really interesting and dark. This movie is not for everyone, because it deals with a very taboo subject (hence the title). The only thing I didn't like was January Jones, I thought her performance was pretty weak throughout most of the movie. Other than that...it was great!!