Cold Creek Manor (2004)

Cold Creek Manor (2004)

Generally speaking, when a film is released straight to video, there’s usually a good reason for it!

This thriller, packed with clichés and featuring a plot that ultimately falls rather flat, disappointed quite a few people with its story of a quiet little family who move to the countryside to live in a vast, dilapidated mansion in Cold Creek!

The Dennis Quaid–Sharon Stone pairing doesn’t really work and isn’t always convincing in the horror scenes! Stephen Dorff does well as the psychopathic former owner! A special mention for him. He was already memorable as the main villain in the first Blade (1998).

All in all, there aren’t many jump scares, and eventually you stop being scared of this ‘shallow’ Devil’s Throat!

But despite all these negative aspects, the weak plot and the rather half-baked direction, surprisingly, I didn’t hate this film! I wouldn’t say it’s a complete disaster, nor a total waste of time, as there are clearly far worse films out there. Admittedly, it was a feature film that showed far more promise… but never mind!

Sharon Stone is, sadly, rather wasted here, even though she’s a great actress whom I can’t bring myself to criticise.

Nothing particularly innovative, but it’s still a decent thriller – directed by Mike Figgis, the talented director of Stormy Monday (1988) – with a strong cast. The story is gripping nonetheless, and I wasn’t really bored for a single moment. It’s a shame the ending is rushed and lacks bite, but on the whole, it’s an enjoyable feature film.

As far as I’m concerned, whilst the love triangle plot is fairly conventional, all the ingredients needed for suspense are very much present.

In conclusion:

A very good psychological thriller for three-quarters of the film, but after that, it falls into Hollywood clichés. It’s a shame.

Sharon Stone, though largely absent, still has plenty of charm.

Dennis Quaid is perfect as the family man who’s a little too accommodating towards outside intruders; he plays his part well. It’s amusing to note that he plays the opposite role in The Intruder (2019).

The young Stephen Dorff exudes a sizzling sensuality that almost leads Sharon Stone down the wrong path.

And let’s not forget the breathtaking Kristen Stewart in her early days, already showing great promise. It’s a shame we don’t see a bit more of her.

I’ll give it 3.5/5, as the film is, sadly, let down by its ending.