Review of Fingerprints (2006) by Don S — 03 May 2014

Fingerprints is a lousy supernatural horror/thriller. I'm very forgiving of horror films and I have praised many that I probably shouldn't have, but there are times when a horror film is so terrible even I won't give it a pass. Fingerprints is one of those rare horror films that I failed. Worse yet, this isn't just some run-of-the-mill kind of crappy horror film, but it's one that actually has an intriguing premise and all kinds of potential that are shamefully wasted.

The film focuses on a troubled girl who just got out of rehab and is moving to a new town with a troubled history of its own nearly fifty years back when a tragic train collision with a school bus killed all the children on board. Now, there's a series of urban legends around town about what really happened, paranormal events at the tracks like the dead children being seen, and the ghosts of the children even pushing cars over the tracks to safety if they stop too close to them.

In the midst of drama at home and at her new school, the main character ends up finding herself caught up in the town's history and tries to solve what really happened to those children, all while people start turning up dead.

What should have been an interesting ghost story combined with thriller elements instead turns into a horror film that is not scary or atmospheric, and a thriller that is so stupid that no amount of suspension of disbelief could ever forgive the glaring plot holes and reveals that are so dumb, they're outrageous in their idiocy. The story is horribly written and never pulls in the viewer as it should, and is also made worse by bland, one-dimensional characters who do things no human being would ever do, or do things that seem more appropriate for a comedy.

The acting is also downright terrible most of the time. I've seen cheesy low budget nonsense from the 70's and 80's that have Oscar or Academy Award-caliber acting in comparison to this drab horror/thriller. The only thing that keeps some of the acting lively is the occasional moment of unintentional humor (Sadly, such moments are few and far between).

With no scares, no atmosphere, no thrills, bad storytelling, and horrid acting, even by the standards of low budget horror, Fingerprints is garbage and one to avoid. Unless you enjoy being bored numb by bad storytelling, following poorly-developed characters, and being constantly baffled by gaping plot holes, this is not for you.