In an attempt to bring something positive to the inner-city, a group of wealthy suburban teens decide to purchase an abandoned mansion in the ghetto and convert it into a happenin' nightclub. Their parents, who spent their youth in the city, have passed down an urban legend about a man named Bones, who was brutally murdered in the area. Unfortunately, the kids don't heed their warnings and stir up trouble when they happen upon the bones of the dead 70s gangsta residing in the basement of their new digs. "Bones" is a fun mix of old blaxploitation and contemporary horror. The acting (like most things about the movie) is hit or miss. The young actors playing the teens do a tolerable job. Snoop plays the titular roll and doesn't have that many scenes, but he's decent when he's on screen and probably the smoothest horror villain ever. Pam Grier gives an out-there performance as Bones' lover from the old days, now a worn and slightly crazy fortune-teller overly-protective of her teen daughter. The movie tries to take on some interesting themes about the intersection of class and race, as well as the suburbanization of America's cities. But who am I kidding, the real selling point here is the nastiness. There's plenty of sick gore scenes (including lots of icky maggot sequences!) they will please any horror fan. Some of the special effects are misguided, but some of them are effectively creepy. Overall, it's not as bad as many genre fans claim it is. It's like a less serious take on "Candyman." The plot is a somewhat muddled, and I never really understood the motives of half the characters. If you can overlook the obvious missteps and silly abrupt ending, there is an enjoyable movie in there.
Review of Bones
