Wish Upon

Still traumatized by the suicide of her mother (Elizabeth Röhm) when she was a youngster, 17-year-old Clare Shannon (Joey King), along with her friends Meredith (Sydney Park) and June (Shannon Purser), is having a tough time in high school. So when her dumpster-diving dad, Jonathan (Ryan Phillippe), gives her an old, octagonal Chinese music box with an inscription that promises to grant its owner's seven wishes, she's naturally intrigued. Clare's first wish is that her nasty nemesis, Darcie Chapman (Josephine Langford), would “just go rot.” Sure enough, the next day, mean girl Darcie develops a necrotizing fasciitis. And then an acquaintance inexplicably dies. Predictably, Clare goes on to wish for a large inheritance, instant popularity, and the affection of a hunky jock (Mitchell Slaggert), but gruesome deaths mysteriously mount up. Eventually, Clare asks a nerdy admirer (Ki Hong Lee) to decipher the curious Mandarin lettering on the malevolent box. Finally, Clare realizes that her selfish wishes are actually killing people. Duh! Directed by John R. Leonetti (Annabelle), this is a simplistic version of W.W. Jacobs's 1902 short story “The Monkey's Paw,” in which a cursed artifact grants its owner wishes, each of which exact a dreadful punishment. Not recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include the director's unrated cut, and the behind-the-scenes featurettes “I Wish” (3 min.) and an “Attic Tour with Joey King” (2 min.). Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are two motion comics (4 min.), a “Directing Darkness” production segment with director John Leonetti (3 min.), and a bonus DVD copy of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a lame horror film.] (S. Granger)