Soul Survivors (film)

Last updated
Soul Survivors
Soul survivors.jpg
Promotional poster
Directed by Stephen Carpenter
Written byStephen Carpenter
Produced byStokely Chaffin
Neal H. Moritz
Starring
Cinematography Fred Murphy
Edited byJanice Hampton
Todd C. Ramsay
Music by Daniel Licht
Distributed by Artisan Entertainment Gold Circle Films
Release date
  • September 7, 2001 (2001-09-07)
Running time
84 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$17 million
Box office$4,299,141 [1]

Soul Survivors is a 2001 psychological thriller film starring Melissa Sagemiller as college student Cassie, whose boyfriend Sean (Casey Affleck) dies in a car accident that results from her driving after a night of partying. The accident leaves Cassie wracked with guilt and emotionally vulnerable to the point that she begins hallucinating strange visions and waking-dreams, even though Cassie's friends Annabel (Eliza Dushku) and Matt (Wes Bentley), as well as a local priest, Father Jude (Luke Wilson), all attempt to assist her in coping with the loss.

Contents

Plot

Cassie and Sean, along with ex-boyfriend Matt and good friend Annabel, go to a nightclub situated in an old church with religious beliefs for Cassie. There, Cassie sees Deathmask (Carl Paoli), a man wearing a clear, plastic mask, and Hideous Dancer (Ken Moreno), an imposing man with a scarred face. Deathmask tries to grab her on the dance floor, but she pushes him away and steps outside the club with Sean.

In the parking lot, Matt eavesdrops on their conversation. Sean confesses his love for Cassie, who claims she feels the same way. When Sean returns to the club, Matt convinces Cassie to give him a last 'goodbye' kiss. Sean sees this and reacts badly, giving Cassie the silent treatment as they drive off. Cassie, who is behind the wheel, continually looks away from the road until the car crashes. Cassie's next memory is of being rushed to the hospital; Matt and Annabel are unharmed, but Sean has been killed on impact.

During the following school term, Cassie has several visions (in bed) of Sean. She also has visions of Deathmask and Hideous Dancer in the company of Matt and Annabel. She believes the two men are chasing her on several occasions, although Annabel and Matt assure her that the incidents are all in her mind. After one chase, Cassie faints and is rescued by Father Jude, a young priest who is sympathetic to her fears and offers to listen if she ever needs someone to talk to.

A few nights later, after being chased again, Cassie knocks at the church door, and Father Jude gives her sanctuary. He gives her an amulet depicting St Jude and allows her to sleep in his small room in the church. Upon awakening that morning, Cassie sees that the calendar in the room reads 1981. She enters the office of the attending priest (Rick Snyder) and asks to speak to Father Jude but is told that Father Jude died in 1981.

After being made to participate in a swimming competition, Cassie is chased by Deathmask. Defending herself with the tube of a fluorescent lamp, she ends up stabbing him in the stomach, but when Cassie returns with Matt, they find there is nobody in the pool. Even though she believes that Matt and Annabel are conspiring against her with Deathmask and Hideous Dancer, Cassie requests that Matt take her home to her mother. Instead, he drives Cassie to the club, saying he wishes to pick up Annabel. Cassie follows him but gets lost, eventually finding Annabel with a new lover, Raven (Angela Featherstone). When Raven tells Cassie to "leave or die," Cassie exits the club and returns to the parking lot. There, Matt drunkenly insists on another "goodbye forever" kiss, but Cassie smashes a bottle on his head, knocking him unconscious, before pushing him from the car and driving away. She then arrives at the site of the accident, witnessing Annabel dying from it.

After then being run over by a car, Father Jude approaches her, offering assistance; after taking it, she awakens in the hospital. On a gurney next to her is Raven, who speaks a few words of comfort before dying. Father Jude arrives and explains everything she has experienced has been a sort of coma dream – in the original accident, Cassie and Sean had survived, while Matt and Annabel were killed. The occupants of the other car – Raven, Deathmask, and Hideous Dancer – were also fatally injured. Cassie has spent the course of the film in a heavenly state, wherein those killed in the accident attempt to keep her with them. Father Jude – an angel from heaven – and her visions of Sean kept Cassie alive. He then asks if she would be willing to die to save Sean's life. She agrees, and he then asks her if she would be willing to live for him. Cassie says that she doesn't want to die. She then awakes in a hospital room with her parents and Sean by her side; they embrace. She then marries an excellent guy at a future wedding.

There is an alternate ending in which Cassie wakes in bed with Sean beside her. She gasps and grabs her neck and chest. Sean says, "That dream again?" and she nods.

Cast

Production

Artisan nabbed Carpenter’s spec script, at the time known as Soul Survivor for a mid-six-figure after a small bidding war with Paramount and Fox. [2] Filming took place in Chicago and surrounding suburbs. Some scenes were also filmed in Gary, Indiana. The filming started in May 1999 and concluded in September 1999.

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 4% of 47 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 2.9/10.The website's consensus reads: "Soul Survivors' stock characters and utter lack of suspense gives viewers little reason to attempt deciphering the confusing plot." [3] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 20 out of 100 based on reviews from 11 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". [4]

The New York Times panned the film, saying, "Yes, there is an explanation for everything, but it is a long time coming and not worth the wait." [5] Empire gave the film two stars and said "We’ve been here before, and we’ll be here again." [6] JoBlo.com rated the film 4 out of 10 and said " It just didn’t feel like a whole movie to me. It’s more of a collage of tensionless, repetitive scenes (a chase, an apparition, a chase, an apparition...and so on) patched together with crazy lighting flashing about and loud music booming in the background." [7]

The film opened wide on 601 screens in the United States and Canada and grossed $1,140,698 for the weekend, the lowest for a wide release during 2001. [8] [1] It grossed $3.1 million in the United States and Canada and $4.3 million worldwide. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eliza Dushku</span> American actress (born 1980)

Eliza Patricia Dushku is an American and Albanian actress. She is best known for starring as Faith in the supernatural drama series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1998–2003) and its spin-off series Angel (2000–2003). She also had lead roles in the Fox supernatural drama series Tru Calling (2003–2005) and the Fox science fiction series Dollhouse (2009–2010), for which she was a producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Annabel Lee</span> Poem by Edgar Allan Poe

"Annabel Lee" is the last complete poem composed by American author Edgar Allan Poe. Like many of Poe's poems, it explores the theme of the death of a beautiful woman. The narrator, who fell in love with Annabel Lee when they were young, has a love for her so strong that even angels are envious. He retains his love for her after her death. There has been debate over who, if anyone, was the inspiration for "Annabel Lee". Though many women have been suggested, Poe's wife Virginia Eliza Clemm Poe is one of the more credible candidates. Written in 1849, it was not published until shortly after Poe's death that same year.

<i>The Gathering</i> (2003 film) 2002 film

The Gathering is a 2002 British thriller/horror film directed by Brian Gilbert and starring Christina Ricci.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dinah Marler</span> American Daytime Soap Opera Character

Dinah Marler is a fictional character from the CBS Daytime soap opera Guiding Light, last portrayed by Gina Tognoni from July 5, 2004 to September 18, 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Max Cunningham</span> UK soap opera character, created 1995

Max Cunningham is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Ben Sheriff from 1995 to 1997, and Matt Littler from 1997 to 2008. He first appeared on 13 November 1995, and Littler took over the role in September 1997. In 2008, Max was the second longest running character in Hollyoaks, after Tony Hutchinson. In May 2008, it was announced that Littler had decided to leave the show and would depart in July 2008.

<i>Lawn Dogs</i> 1997 film by John Duigan

Lawn Dogs is a 1997 British fantasy-drama film directed by John Duigan and starring Mischa Barton and Sam Rockwell. The film tells the story of a precocious young girl (Barton) from a gated community who befriends a landscape worker (Rockwell), and examines the societal repercussions of their friendship. Written by Naomi Wallace, the film was released by Rank Organisation, and was the company's last production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cassie Ventura</span> American singer, dancer, actress, and model (born 1986)

Casandra Elizabeth Ventura, known mononymously as Cassie, is an American singer, dancer, actress, and model. Born in New London, Connecticut, she began her musical career after meeting producer Ryan Leslie in late 2004, who signed her to his record label, NextSelection Lifestyle Group. She was then discovered by rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs, who signed her to a joint venture with his label, Bad Boy Records, to commercially release her 2006 debut single, "Me & U". The song marked the first of her two entries on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number three.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flynn Saunders</span> Soap opera character

Flynn Saunders is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by Martin Dingle-Wall from 2001 until 2002 and by Joel McIlroy from 2003 to 2006. He first appeared in the episode broadcast on 13 July 2001 and died on 13 February 2006.

<i>My Little Eye</i> 2002 British film

My Little Eye is a 2002 horror film directed by Marc Evans about five adults who agree to spend six months together in an isolated mansion while being filmed at all times. The idea for the film came from reality television shows such as Big Brother. The title refers to the guessing game I spy.

Melissa Sagemiller is an American former actress, active from 2001 to 2014. She is known for her performances in films Get Over It (2001), Soul Survivors (2001), Sorority Boys (2002), The Clearing (2004), The Guardian (2006) and Mr. Woodcock (2007). Sagemiller also starred in television dramas Sleeper Cell (2005–06), and Raising the Bar (2008–09), and from 2010 to 2011 had the recurring role as A.D.A. Gillian Hardwicke in the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sharon Newman</span> Character from the soap opera The Young and the Restless

Sharon Newman is a fictional character from The Young and the Restless, an American soap opera on the CBS network, currently portrayed by Sharon Case. Created by William J. Bell as a love interest for Nicholas Newman, the character debuted on June 27, 1994. Before Case took over in September 1994, the character was portrayed briefly by Monica Potter and then by Heidi Mark. When first introduced, Sharon was a young girl from the poor side of town; her early storylines included being raped by Matt Clark and the revelation that she had given up a child for adoption. Nick and Sharon married, had a son named Noah, and later won custody of Cassie, the daughter she had as a teenager. Their marriage faced a number of problems, including infidelity on both sides. Following Cassie's death in an automobile accident, Nick cheated on Sharon with Phyllis Summers, resulting in a pregnancy which ended their 11-year marriage.

<i>Satans Playground</i> 2006 American film

Satan's Playground, also known as Chemistry, is a 2006 American horror film directed and written by Dante Tomaselli. The film stars Felissa Rose, Ellen Sandweiss, and Edwin Neal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick and Sharon</span> Soap opera character

Nicholas and Sharon Newman are fictional characters and a supercouple from the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. Nick is portrayed by Joshua Morrow and Sharon is portrayed by Sharon Case. The characters of Nick and Sharon first met in 1994 and soon became involved. They were faced with a range of problems, such as their different levels of class, Sharon's ex-boyfriend Matt Clark, and Sharon's secret past: she was pregnant three years earlier and gave up the child, Cassie, for adoption. The couple married in February 1996, and after having a son, Noah, Sharon was reunited with Cassie. Nick grew to love Cassie and became her adoptive father. Sharon's best friend Grace Turner developed an obsession with Nick and slept with him twice. In the following years, the couple dealt with the return of Matt Clark and infidelity on both sides among other obstacles, which Nick and Sharon managed to eventually move past.

Lincoln Heights is an American family drama television series that premiered January 8, 2007 on the ABC Family network with 13 episodes ordered for the first season. It was approved for a second season, which premiered September 4, 2007. Vanessa Hudgens' song "Say OK" had been used in a commercial to promote the second season. To promote the third season, the song "Crush" by American Idol's seventh season runner-up, David Archuleta was used. To promote season 4, the song "Avalanche" by Marie Digby was used. The show's theme song was written and performed by bassist Stanley Clarke and singer-songwriter Blaire Reinhard. On January 29, 2010, ABC Family announced the cancellation of the series after four seasons.

<i>Premonition</i> (2007 film) 2007 film by Mennan Yapo

Premonition is a 2007 American supernatural psychological thriller directed by Mennan Yapo and starring Sandra Bullock in the lead role, Julian McMahon, Nia Long, and Amber Valletta. The film's plot depicts homemaker Linda experiencing the days surrounding her husband's death in a non-chronological order and attempting to save him from his impending doom.

<i>Step Up 2: The Streets</i> 2008 American film

Step Up 2: The Streets is a 2008 American dance film directed by Jon M. Chu and written by Toni Ann Johnson and Karen Barna. The film is the sequel to Step Up (2006) and the second installment in the Step Up film series. It stars Briana Evigan, Robert Hoffman, Will Kemp, and Cassie Ventura.

The Cunningham family are a fictional family in the long-running Channel 4 soap opera, Hollyoaks. The family were one of the original families introduced in 1995, debuting on the first episode of Hollyoaks. They originally consisted of Gordon Cunningham and his ex-wife Angela, and their children: Dawn, Jude, Cindy and Max.

<i>Getaway</i> (2013 film) 2013 American film

Getaway is a 2013 American action thriller film starring Ethan Hawke, Selena Gomez, James Maslow and Jon Voight. Directed by Courtney Solomon and written by Gregg Maxwell Parker and Sean Finegan, the film is distributed by Warner Bros., Though originally reported to be a remake of the 1972 film The Getaway, the film is actually an original story. This is the first film directed by Solomon in eight years, with his last being 2005's An American Haunting. The film was a critical and commercial failure, grossing $11 million against its $18 million budget.

<i>Battle of the Damned</i> 2013 American film

Battle of the Damned is a 2013 American science fiction action horror film written, produced and directed by Christopher Hatton. The film stars Dolph Lundgren, Melanie Zanetti, Matt Doran and David Field. Following a deadly viral outbreak, private soldier Max Gatling (Lundgren) leads a handful of survivors and a team of robots in a fight against an army of the dead.

<i>Star</i> (TV series) 2016 American music drama television series

Star is an American music drama television series created by Lee Daniels and Tom Donaghy for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It revolves around three talented young singers who navigate the music business on their road to success and stars Jude Demorest, Brittany O'Grady and Ryan Destiny. The series, which is set in Atlanta, consists of original music, along with musical fantasy sequences, as dreams of the future. Queen Latifah, Benjamin Bratt, Amiyah Scott and Quincy Brown co-star.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Soul Survivors at Box Office Mojo
  2. "Horror on campus". Variety. Archived from the original on September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  3. "Soul Survivors". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved 2024-09-07. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  4. "Soul Survivors". Metacritic . Archived from the original on 2020-07-20. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
  5. Van Gelder, Lawrence (2001-09-11). "FILM REVIEW; Sweetheart, You're Back, But You're A Bit Pale". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 2017-10-06. Retrieved 2017-10-06.
  6. Thomas, William (2000-01-01). "Soul Survivors Review". Empire . Archived from the original on 2017-10-06. Retrieved 2017-10-06.
  7. "Soul Survivors (2001)". JoBlo.com . 7 September 2001. Archived from the original on 2017-10-06. Retrieved 2017-10-06.
  8. "Box office news". Variety . January 21, 2002. p. 21.