Since the publication of “The Monkey’s Paw” in 1902, horror fiction has constantly reminded us to “be careful what you wish for.” It’s a phrase I’m sure you’ve heard countless times, and it perfectly encapsulates a certain type of scary story. Make a wish, and it’ll come true… but not without a generous helping of twisted irony. The recent indie movie phenomenon “Obsession” plays with the concept, but there have been thousands of fright films built on wicked wishes. One such picture is the aptly named “Wishmaster,” a gruesome gem from 1997 that indeed has the tagline, “Be Careful What You Wish For.”
“Wishmaster” is what happens when Freddy Krueger takes over for Robin Williams. Its plot concerns The Djinn, a sinister genie who grants wishes that–you guessed it–go horribly wrong. Critics savaged it at the time of its release, and it never quite caught on beyond a modest cult following. High art, this ain’t. But it’s one of the most genuinely entertaining horror movies of the 1990s.
I affectionately refer to “Wishmaster’s” overall style as “Dumb Clive Barker.” Despite his gnarly visuals and concepts, Barker always approached his grotesquerie with a sort of intellectualism. His demons often represented big ideas. “Wishmaster” represents the idea that slimy monsters and over-the-top gore are cool. Still, like a Clive Barker story, this is dark fantasy filled to the brim with gooey effects and phantasmagorical horrors. The Djinn himself is an eloquent supernatural being summoned by foolish mortals, not unlike Barker’s Pinhead from the “Hellraiser” franchise.
But the Djinn isn’t a mere Pinhead clone. Played to perfection by Andrew Divoff, this wish-granting devil is a charismatic force of evil that can scare with the best of them. In his true form, the Djinn is a fright to behold. With skin the color of rancid guacamole and tendril-like horns, this genie is a nightmare in flesh. And yet, he’s even more horrifying in human form. Divoff’s wide grin, combined with his gravelly voice, makes for a villain that’s fun to watch while still being seriously unnerving. The Djinn walks the tightrope between disturbing and funny. A character that fantastical could easily be a caricature, but Divoff gives him enough gravity to keep The Djinn terrifying throughout.
Even though it’s a nearly 30-year-old movie, I don’t want to give away too much of “Wishmaster” for those who haven’t seen it. There’s a lot of that classic “Monkey’s Paw” irony, but it goes even weirder than the average “twisted wish” story. Imagine if a creature of pure malevolence operated on the same level as Bugs Bunny and was set loose in the real world. In less than 10 minutes into the movie, we see a hideous snake-man, a skeleton rip itself out of its fleshy prison, a man fused with a wall, and other sickening “wonders” that would be the climax in any other picture. “Wishmaster” is as imaginative as it is sick, which is really saying something.
Several paragraphs could be dedicated to the numerous references to classic scare fare in “Wishmaster.” Every character is named after a prolific horror writer, and nearly every supporting player is an icon of terror. Robert Englund, Tony Todd, and Kane Hodder are among the victims of The Djinn. In other words, the Djinn takes out Freddy, Jason, and Candyman in one movie. In addition to being a great time in its own right, “Wishmaster” also serves as a glorious celebration of the horror genre.
Honestly, I cannot recommend “Wishmaster” enough. (The first sequel is also pretty darn good, but the installments without Divoff really suffer.) It’s everything you could possibly want from a cheesy monster movie and more. In my book, The Djinn occupies the same space as Freddy and the other great supernatural horror entities from that era. At the time of writing, I haven’t seen “Obsession.” That said, I imagine it would make for a brilliant double feature with “Wishmaster.” Why stop at only one wish?
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