The latest Pang Brothers fantasy/horror flick was hotly anticipated on countless film geek sites, had good buzz from a snazzy effects-laden trailer, and even received a beautifully packaged special edition DVD release. With that kind of set-up I usually brace myself for dashed expectations, and unfortunately this was the case with Re-Cycle. On the plus side, the visuals are imaginative and well-done, and the actors pull off roles that require a lot of nuance to remain believable. The other shoe drops pretty early in the story, which takes way too long to get rolling, inviting yawns and heckling (at least from Mark and me). By the time the spooky stuff starts, it’s far too subtle and repetitive to be truly creepy. The story involves a writer of supernatural fiction that gets trapped in a universe of her own making. The weird world has its own crazy rules and logic, which seem to keep changing as malicious creatures and obstacles arise. Several helpful characters pop up to assist the protagonist in her search for a way back to reality, and after a few Deus ex Machina moments, any sense of danger or suspense is lost. Despite the cool sets and effects (a cross between Dark City and Silent Hill), the whole thing feels pretty random and slapped together.

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