DVD Review: Who Knew “High Voltage,” A Rock ‘n’ Roll Horror, Could Be So Boring?

“I was hoping for fun, gnarly camp, instead, I was stuck with a boring performance.”

(1 / 5)
 

After a lightning strike kills the lead singer of a band, she is resurrected with electrifying special abilities.

Jimmy (David Arquette) is a “has-been,” one-hit wonder from the ’80s living in a luxurious Hollywood Hills home. I definitely have a tough time feeling sad for a once-revered successful artist that is still able to maintain a wealthy lifestyle. At one of Jimmy’s parties, a young handsome guitar player named Scott (yan Donowho) and a young pretty singer named Rachel (Allie Gonino) cross paths and inspire each other and Jimmy to make music. It’s as trite as it sounds and after some upfront money from producer Rick (Luke Wilson), they begin recording and set up a show. The first show is a disaster, Rachel is stricken by stage fright and then struck by lightning! She is dead for 3 hours and then comes back as a much more confident and very different person.

I love a good cheesy horror movie but this didn’t work for me. It’s overall just boring and Jimmy’s narration becomes very tedious. The voice-over narration is tired and weary, just like David Arquette’s voice. Luke Wilson looks disenchanted to be there, Rachel is the only character with a bit of an edge and it’s pretty dull, to say the least.

The effects are so low-budget and fake that it made the movie slightly charming. The writing had some laugh out loud moments, “This is a heart benefit, have a fuckin’ heart.” You see, Rachel’s post-lightning strike didn’t just make her more confident it also gave her powers! She sucks out the energy of her victims and shoots out cartoonishly light blue lightning bolts. I was hoping for fun, gnarly camp, instead, I was stuck with a boring performance.

Now available on Blu-ray & DVD


 

Eamon Tracy

Eamon was born in the Netherlands to American parents and lived there and in Belgium for 8 years and then moved to Pennsylvania. After spending most of his life in Philadelphia, he moved to L.A. to be closer to the entertainment industry and sunshine. He lives and breathes movies and hopes there will be more original movies/concepts and fewer remakes!
No Comment

RELATED BY