An attractive cast of young performers lead by Brittany Snow (Hairspray) is the main selling point for Prom Night; a remake of the 1980 Canadian slasher film starring Jamie Lee Curtis. Snow makes for a capable lead as the sole survivor of her family's massacre at the hands of an obsessed teacher (Jonathan Schaech); who returns three years later to finish his campaign on the eve of her senior prom. While no one's idea of a classic horror film; the Paul Lynch-directed Prom Night offered viewers a modest whodunit angle in between the killings; here; the villain's identity is known from the get-go; and what's left is a string of mechanical stalkings (which feature a surprisingly modest amount of blood) and reams of turgid teenspeak; which is handled as best as possible by Snow and her cast mates. The end result is a dull; suspense-free chiller that manages to make its mediocre source material seem inspired by comparison. Older moviegoers may note the presence of actors Idris Elba and James Ransone; both used so well on The Wire; and so thoroughly wasted here. --Paul Gaita

Stills from Prom Night (click for larger image)