by Yazmin Ghonaim

THE SKULLS Rob Cohen (2000) The Skulls, directed by Rob Cohen ("thirtysomething", "Miami Vice") and written by John Pogue, explores the corruptive powers of an elitist, secret society. The Skulls sets its story in a prestigious university campus, where the somewhat secret organization is at least known for recruiting fresh, worthy candidates and transforming them into powerful and wealthy men. The Skull's protagonist is Luke McNamara (Joshua Jackson), a struggling college student whose humble background distinguishes him from the rest of the Ivy League crowd. Dependent on part-time work and student loans, the outstanding student seems a most likely candidate, and is soon summoned to "try out" for The Skulls. In spite of angry cautioning from his closest friends Will (Hill Harper) and Chloe (Leslie Bibb), who oppose the clandestine nature of The Skulls, Luke is seduced. Taking the viewer inside "The Skulls'" walls, the plot reveals a family of successful men, headed by Litten Mandrake (Craig T. Nelson), who welcomes Luke and other new members with generous gifts. However, Luke doesn't lose his objectivity and remains watchful of his assigned "soul mate" and Litten's puppet son, Caleb Mandrake (Paul Walker). Conflicts arise when Will becomes the first known victim of The Skulls' rigid politics and Luke's integrity is consequently tested. By creating a character that the viewer may easily identify with, and by tempting him with recognizable luxuries, The Skulls initially seems to offer an intriguing story. However, the film fails as it never fully immerses its protagonist in the depths of the conflicts associated with the untouchable Skulls. With the exception of the pivotal death scene of the film's most passionate character, and of the final scenes where Caleb considers rebelling against his father, conflicts seldom reach a fully dramatic stage and are rather depicted as dangers that can be mostly avoided with luck and self-confidence. The Skulls tries to portray an underground world that rises above the average person's fantasies. However, the film does not successfully integrate its props and its images of skull paraphernalia, expensive cars, fine clothes and hard cash into a narrative level. The Skulls tries to incorporate too many elements such as sex, a car chase, a suicide attempt, a mental institution, a corrupt cop, a duel, sports and college life, without developing any one on a meaningful, narrative level. All in all, The Skulls is a film that stems from an interesting premise which quickly branches off into many nonessential directions.		DVD Music Books Search by keywords:
Outstanding Features: Set Design The Skulls Movie Review © 2000 Cinephiles - All rights reserved Photo © 2000 Universal