Review of Powder (1995) by Jonathan A — 13 Jan 2008

This movie was utterly cringe-worthy, and in most places just downright weird. The acting was so appalling that I couldn't tell what any of them were supposed to be thinking or feeling, and the script was so weak and lacking in backstory or exposition, that I also couldn't tell WHY they were feeling whatever the hell it was that they were supposed to be feeling!

This is a movie that tries to crank the sentimental overtones to full and make people cry, without actually doing anything to earn the emotional investment.

Nothing was done to explain the "estranged father" story of the Sherrif character, nor why his wife was dying - and other questions went unanswered, such as why they would put a child like Powder into a school full of delinquents, and why all the teenagers looked like they were 28.

As the second half of this movie comes into play, things get even more disturbing, as it suddenly and inexplicably turns into some sort of homosexual fantasy, with Jeff Goldbloom getting far too cosy, and the main character ogling a teenage boy in the shower-rooms, despite clearly flirting with the cute red-head girl just moments before. This scene is then followed with more homo-erotic imagery of Power being stripped naked, and thrown into a puddle, after which he magnetically makes his attackers button-fly on his jeans fly off - of which we are treated to several close-up camera angles that I really could've done without!

My lasting impression of this film was that it was directed by someone with absolutely no understanding of "people", and some serious sexual confusion. It was only after some cursory research afterwards that I learned that Victor Salva had actually been convicted of molesting a child actor not ten years prior to making this movie. I think that about sums up everything you need to know if you plan to watch this pile of tripe.