MOVIE REVIEW : ‘TRICK’ NO TREAT FOR HEAVY-METAL FANS

The ads for “Trick or Treat” (citywide) ask “What are you afraid of?” Unfortunately, you’d never figure out the answer from watching this clunky heavy-metal horror movie, which is far too tame for hard-core horror fans and far too lame for loyal head-bangers, who can see much scarier stuff at a Slayer concert. Heavy-metal stars Gene Simmons and Ozzy Osbourne are both in the film, but both have tiny, toothless parts that fail to take advantage of Simmons’ acting abilities or Osbourne’s camp appeal.

The focus of the story is Eddie Weinbauer (Marc Price), a loner whose fondness for heavy-metal makes him the target of a torrent of abuse from his school’s jock elite, who wear ties and probably prefer Huey Lewis and the News. Eager for revenge, Eddie looks to inspiration from Sammi Curr (Tony Fields), a ghoulish heavy-metal hero who is under considerable fire himself, having just been banned from appearing at the local school’s Halloween dance. When Curr dies in a mysterious hotel fire, Eddie seeks solace by playing the star’s last record over and over. Anti-rock crusaders have always complained that heavy-metal albums, when played backwards, contain hidden Satanic messages. Sure enough, a grief-stricken Eddie hears them, too, and uses Curr’s nasty advice to launch a series of counterattacks on his tormentors.

Of course, matters quickly get out of control, and soon Eddie finds that no one is safe from the dead rocker’s sinister crusade, even his biggest fan. Charles Martin Smith (who has a cameo role as a high school teacher) does an able job in his directorial debut, but his team of writer-producers don’t give him enough outrageous material here to lift the film out of its screaming-teens doldrums. The film makers also fumble the whole anti-rock crusade angle, giving the part to Ozzy Osbourne, who comes across as a pretty halfhearted religious zealot--he’s certainly the first heavy-metal detractor we’ve heard with a thick English accent. Osbourne is also only seen on TV, which never gives him a chance to get involved in the story-line. Meanwhile, Gene Simmons, who might have made a marvelous villain, is wasted in a bit part as a metal deejay.

Heavy-metal and horror movies are kissing cousins--they both thrive on cheap thrills and evil splendor. But this is a very weak-kneed shocker. The best thing you can say about “Trick or Treat” (MPAA-rated R for nudity and gore) is that it doesn’t give anti-rock crusaders like Tipper Gore any fresh ammunition. It’s so cartoonish and inoffensive that some parents might even like it, a reaction which might really frighten heavy-metal fanatics.

‘TRICK OR TREAT’ A De Laurentiis Entertainment Group presentation. Producers Michael S. Murphey and Joel Soisson. Director Charles Martin Smith. Writers Murphey, Soisson and Rhet Topham. Camera Robert Elswit. Editor Jane Schwartz Jaffe. Music Christopher Young. Original Music Performed by Fastway. Production Design Curt Schnell. Costume Design Jill Ohanneson. With Marc Price, Tony Fields, Lisa Orgolini, Doug Savant, Elaine Joyce, Gene Simmons, Glen Morgan and Ozzy Osbourne.

Running Time: 1 hour, 37 minutes.

MPAA-Rated: R.