Daria 2: The Curse of the Misery Chick:Script,
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Benjamin
Breeck's review
This review comes to us courtesy of Benjamin Breeck.
Daria 2: Curse of the Misery Chick (Touchstone Pictures, 2000)
Review By Benjamin Breeck
When MTV studios and Touchstone pictures announced that they were dropping
the dynamic duo of Joel Schumacher and Akiva Goldsman for the sequel, Daria
fans rejoiced. I ought to know, as I was one of them. I
didn't see the original until I rented it on video at Blockbuster,
so how did I get to
see the sequel before almost everyone else?
I entered MTV's Script An Episode of Daria Contest, and got one
of five first prizes. I don't know who came in grand place, but I
do know his/her
episode will probably make it to the fifth season if it doesn't honk
of Tracy Grandstaff, Glenn Eichler, or Susie Lewis. I had a choice
for my
prize: it was either preview Daria 2 or join the cast of Real
World X. I chose the former, as it would be a much shorter experience.
The new movie was written by Kevin Williamson and directed by Wes Craven,
and takes place (mostly) three years after the events of the first movie.
Daria and Jane have now shacked up as roommates, and much more.
Although the Fashion Club is dead, there are those who mourn its passing,
and after Todd
escapes from a mental hospital, all pandemonium ensues. To say
more would be to spoil the plot.
This isn't a bad movie. It's just that it isn't a DARIA
movie. Jennifer Love Hewitt has way too little screen time for it
to be a Daria movie, which
is too bad, as Craven seems to be able to push her more than Schumacher
could. If you've seen the first movie, that the ending won't really
surprise you, though I do think that it could have been done better.
The characterization is much better this time around, though how much
of that is attributable to the cast and how much to Craven and Williamson
I'll
never know. I think that Reeves (Agent Danielson) was a little
distracted by his role in the upcoming Matrix sequels, and I miss
Upchuck. They
replaced Sting as Van Driessen with Kevin Costner, though what they
offered to Costner to do that scene I have no idea. They recast Lolita,
which I
think was a good idea, and Val from Sick Sad World, which I
didn't. One question: where's Tom? This film promised Tom and
didn't deliver. Maybe
Tom Sloane was played by Tom Green, who got an anonymous cameo.
Then there's Natalie Portman, who declined the title role of original Daria
to
play Novalee Nation in Where The Heart Is. I never figured
out her roll in this mess.
I must say that it wasn't really bad, as a horror movie, and certainly
better than Schumacher's opus, but it simply isn't a Daria movie.
And
that, ladies and gentlemen, was what I was really hoping for.
I recommend it, but only as a horror movie.