By the time Shocker came around way back in 1989, it was clear that Wes Craven was getting burnt out on all his hard work. This movie does have a lot of creativity, and other key factors that help make it a good movie, however,there are other key elements that drag it down to hell. My first complaint with Shocker...way too many special effects. I'm talking special effects, after special effects, to more needless special effects, to the fact that it's just pure silliness that Craven finds the need to abuse all these special effects. Examples include hero Jonathan Parker falling into a bed full of water ( a dream sequence never explained), to psycho killer Horace Pinker coming to life as a human recliner ( you think that's funny, you have to actually see it!) Shocker is not a bad movie to watch, it's certainly not boring, however, Craven has several other titles, earlier titles I may mention, that are worth having a look before you dive into this fest. I'm strongly advising this for fans only. If you've never watched a Wes Craven movie, I strongly recommend Invitation To Hell or A Nightmare On Elm Street. This one came a year after The Serpent And The Rainbow ( my personal Craven favorite!), and it's literally night and day compared to Shocker. Shocker also lacks a whole lot of logic, but if you're not an over thinker like me, you just may be lucky enough to over look it. I think it's quite funny, just to point out, that the cops in this movie cannot seem to find Horace Pinker, the killer, despite the fact that he's driving around in a TV repairman truck with his name clearly visible right on the side of the truck. They have to depend on someone who is...actually dreaming about the killings before they even happen. ( What is it with Craven and the whole dream thing, anyways?) Surprisingly violent for a Wes Craven film, this one also takes a broad approach into the mind of serial killer, before and after his death on the electric chair. When he is executed, well, they just did him a favor. Now he's a disembodied entity, going through power panels, and even using other people to inhibit through an actual possession. ( Possessing a child? You just lost a star, Wes!) A whole lot of silliness in this one, especially towards the end of the movie, when they're feuding through different TV channels, different TV shows, and different movies. ( Sound different? IT IS!) It's slick, silly, unique, but it lacks a whole lot of scares that we're so used to with a movie written and directed by Craven...it's almost a letdown. Rest In Peace Wes Craven...you are truly missed by many ( and I'm one of them.)

An uneven blend of horror and comedy, this film is definitely entertaining if not exactly good. Directed by Wes Craven, who has had years of experience behind him now, the film seems to have stolen from a number of sources - HOUSE, THE EVIL DEAD, and the director's own A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET. However, the influences blend together into a pleasing film which is virtually a remake of NIGHTMARE, but with a different 'monster' and an opportunity for better special effects. The layout of the film is erratic. It starts off as a standard slasher film, before becoming an undead electrified killer on the loose film (shades of HOUSE 3 here) and then a strange weird film which is quite unlike anything I've seen before, where the opponents fight through the television sets. The final part of the film is by far the most original and the best bit.The acting is pretty much standard here, but all involved acquit themselves nicely with their roles and there are some interesting names to look out for. The main hero, played by Peter Berg (who reminds me of a young Bill Paxton) is pretty much adequate in his role, and is not given much to do except fight a lot and provide a character for the rest of the film to centre around. Interestingly the actor has now gone on to directing, namely VERY BAD THINGS and BATTLESHIP. However, the role of Horace Pinker was given to a then relatively unknown actor, Mitch Pileggi, who is better known these days as Assistant Director Walker Skinner from THE X-FILES! It was a big surprise to see good old Skinner ripping off people's fingers and generally being an all round bad guy, and it makes for entertaining viewing. In fact Pileggi's wild overacting makes the film worth watching, he's hilarious in his role.Added to this is a cameo from NIGHTMARE regular Heather Lagenkamp as a victim (what else?) and Ted Raimi as of Parker's friends. Raimi goes his usual way, getting killed in a most bloody fashion! Horace Pinker is pretty much a standard maniac bloke, stabbing people with a big knife, but halfway through the film he also starts spewing a ton of Freddy Krueger-inspired wisecracks, such as biting off a man's fingers and shouting "finger licking good!". As these lines are delivered by Pilegge with gusto I couldn't help laughing. The film also has some excellent special effects, especially when Pinker runs around in a fuzzy, electric-type form, and these are well worth watching for. The film is a derivative affair, but it's handled with pace, and there is a lot of action in it (just watch for the extended fight scene at the end, where the pair practice wrestling moves on each other!) and if you're in the right goofy mood then you'll probably enjoy it like I did. It's quite difficult not to enjoy really.

I'm not the type of person who reviews movies on technical aspects. I do it based on entertainment. I LOVE Shocker. Its entertaining, fun with a great villain(Mitch Pilegi of X Files fame as the demonic TV repair man Horace Pinker) an incredibly likable hero(director Peter Berg as Jonathan Sparker) and directed by the great Wes Craven. Linker is a television repair man who through the use of black magic comes back from beyond the grave after a date with the electric chair. Now a ball of electric energy Horace can jump from not only person to person but television set to television set. Only young Jonathan and the ghost of his dead love and the heart necklace he bought her can stop the murderous electrical demon. Energetic, fun and at times very dark shocker is a great thrill ride from Wes Craven with a killer soundtrack. Ignore all the negativity and give it a try. Maybe you'll like it. He's nationwide now. No More Mr. Nice Guy.

Wes Craven is a writer director of horror films who was not recognized for his genius until after his genius had already been exploited. "Last House on the Left" in it's original time.... UNHEARD OF!!!! GROUNDBREAKING!!!! "HIlls Have Eyes", SAME THING!!!! Sorry to any snobs out there who are actually bold enough to claim that "Nightmare On Elm Street" is ANYTHING but a perfect horror movie (you just want attention for intelligence that you don't have) "Shocker" for its time, premise, story, and(dare I?), acting... is great! Does it compare in effect to what he had already done up that point.... no. Does that make it a bad horror movie in the year it came out up against late sequels that were running their course... one of which being "Nightmare 5" which had a pen credit to Craven, no. In short... If you like Wes you'll like this... if you like horror of the time... you'll like this... WATCTH IT!!!