2/4  The Messengers Quick Review
It was almost a bad movie. There wasn't anything suspenseful about it.

3/5 Crazy Crows!
  by Jim Gateley (Sunnyvale, CA)
3 of 5 stars for the suspense movie The Messengers. A family moves from civilization to the middle-of-no-where into an obviously haunted house about two steps better than the Addams Family house. We have an unbalanced daughter and a baby brother who "sees things". The house is part of a Sunflower farm. We hire a farm hand to help our family. Strange things start to happen specially with the local crow population. I won't spoil the suspense elements of the movie. Of course, had it been me, I'd never have moved into the house in the first place. This is a well made suspense movie with really odd things happening. Good suspense music. Good plot and well acted. I do recommend this movie.

5/5 Kristen Stewart
  by Kody (New York,NY)
I love Kristen. Every movie of hers in enjoy! This movie is a nice thriller!

3/5 RAIMI & TAPERT TEAM WITH THE PANG BROS
  by fmwaalex (Austin, TX USA)
THE MESSENGERS

I have been a fan of Sam Raimi and all of them since the first "Evil Dead" film and every thing afterward, so you know I own any thing the man is connected to. When he and Rob Tapert created Ghost House Pictures you know I was excited and thus far I have not have hated anything they have put out. I do how ever like some more so than others but for the most part they are entertaining. The Messengers while not a classic or even completely original still manages to be good and I credit the performances mostly for that.

The Rollins family seems nice enough but that does not stop someone or something from picking them apart and hunting them down inside their own home. Years later the Solomon family move in and try to forget about the drunken driving accident that forced them to move. Once there things seem good at first until their daughter Jessica and their son Ben begin to notice something not of this world also live there. As time goes on the occurrences get more and more apparent as Jessica tries to protect her brother. At the same time their dad seems to be losing it Shining or Amityville style and their mother does not believe them. Their father has a hard time with the crops or basically sunflowers until he hires Burwell to help him, still the crows do not like what is taking place and start to get violent. As the family falls apart and the ghosts get restless it seems it is all up to Jessica to learn about what is really happening.

Sam and Rob's Ghost House Pictures did an excellent job casting this film because the strongest attribute this film has is the cast. Kristen Stewart is excellent in this as Jessica and does a marvelous job in the film, she also has a nice look to her like a very real down to earth feel and not a stuck up diva feel. Dylan McDermott does a great job as Roy the father of the family and play the part kinda like an Amityville film. Penelope Ann Miller as well is great in the mother role as Denise and does a great job as well. Still other than Kirsten the MVP of this film just may be John Corbett who plays Burwell. He does an excellent job and his turn in the end is great.

The story over all is fine I guess but it is just your typical ghost/revenge story so there really is nothing new here. Writers Todd Farmer [Jason X, My Bloody Valentine, Messengers 2, and the upcoming Halloween 3] and Mark Wheaton [Friday the 13th remake] made the characters a little interesting but the story was unoriginal for the most part. Directors the Pang Brothers [Bangkok Dangerous, The Eye, The Eye 2, Bangkok Dangerous remake] seemed to want to transition into more of an American style somewhat and that may be why the film suffers a bit. They did not completely switch up their style but they do feel a little more tame in this one.

I would not say that this is a bad movie and in fact I would say it is worthy of viewing from anybody, I bought it but a rental maybe the way to go for the average viewer. I am a huge fan of Sam and Rob so not only did I see this in theaters but I do own it. Do I recommend this film, yes, is it the best film ever, no. If you are a fan of Raimi or any one involved in this film it is highly recommended, I do think the casual fan would enjoy this as well.


3/5 a delightful horror romp through the sunflower fields.....
  by bittersweet (witch city salem ma)
i first saw "the messengers" several years ago...but my interest was renewed with the discovery of kristen steward's involvement....

this is a unpredictable horror tale...full of gorgeous cinematography and beautiful people...it still possesses the "there's something fishy happening here vibe and the jump out at ya dark scary spooky element"....while supporting an interesting family dynamic sub-plot as well..

i, especially, appreciated seeing KS displaying her most individual, clean, refreshing, believable and rudimentary style of acting in another genre other than her portrayal of bells in my beloved twilight.....

it was a delightful horror romp through the sunflower fields.....

4/5 The Crows Know The Evil That Awaits Those Who Enter The Farmhouse From Hell
  by J. B. Hoyos (Chesapeake, VA)
"The Messengers" is an old-fashioned ghost story with great performances from a high caliber cast of stars. Dark and unsettling, it contains crawling, slithering, grotesque images that will remind you of the blockbusters "The Grudge" and "The Ring." Rife with mystery, "The Messengers" will have the viewer asking, "Who or what are the messengers and what message are they trying to deliver?"

A neglected, isolated farm house in rural North Dakota is the creepy setting. Hoping for a new beginning, the Solomon family moves there to grow sunflowers. Unknown to them, the previous family mysteriously disappeared six years earlier. Soon they are experiencing supernatural phenomenon, especially the troubled young teen Jess (Kristen Stewart of "Twilight") who is actually attacked. Unfortunately, because of her drunk driving accident, no one believes her, until it is too late.

"The Messengers" is very tense and suspenseful. The viewer feels much sympathy for the innocent, lovable Solomon family as they watch their lives slowly unravel. Their dreams become nightmares. Their desperation becomes quite clear. The parents (Dylan McDermott and Penelope Ann Miller) outwardly blame their daughter, saying she has an overwrought imagination. Deep inside, however, they feel she is telling the truth. The attacking crows and the oozing black stain on the bedroom wall are all portents of an evil presence. What is this evilness?

Outstanding performances are given by all the leads, especially from the two male actors McDermott ("'Til There Was You") and John Corbett ("My Big Fat Greek Wedding"). I'm not accustomed to seeing these romantic comedy hunks in a horror film. Corbett proves that he is a talented actor. The adorable, perky Miller is great, as always, as the distressed heroine ("The Relic").

Highly recommended, "the Messengers" is a family friendly horror film. After all, it is about a family that loves each other and is struggling to stay together, despite the odds against them. This film is devoid of sex and nudity and contains very little gore. The most disturbing scene is when crows attack and bite Corbett's character.

If you enjoyed, "The Messengers," you may want to watch "The Amityville Horror," both classic original and modern remake. "Christina's House" has similar themes and is also recommended.