release year: 1994
genre: horror
viewing setting: home VHS, 2/1/99
what I expected: H.P. Lovecraft horror
what I got: fairly cheesy horror that didn't live up to its potential
synopsis: On a dark and stormy night, a variety of people end up at an old church - and also end up facing a subterranean race of undead monsters.
impressions: This had a lot of potential. It was based around one of my very favorite themes: a bunch of people (some good, some bad, some ugly) who don't all know or trust each other find themselves in a situation that's more dangerous than anything they ever expected. However...a holey script and bad acting mired this one before the halfway point. The effects and gore were worth seeing, and the plot did have that potential, but overall, I felt let down.
the good: Potential kick-ass plot, nice gore effects, nice-looking female lead
the bad: most of the acting, plot holes, lack of explanation about what the monsters were
acting: Generally below average.
trivia: The female lead, Ashley Lauren, played Kirstie in all three Hellraiser movies.
final word: Worth seeing once for that fraction of its potential that it lives up to.
rating: C-