The Skulls *** (2000, Joshua Jackson, Paul Walker, Hill Harper, Leslie Bibb, Christopher McDonald, Steve Harris, William Petersen, Craig T Nelson) – Classic Movie Review 466

Joshua Jackson stars as Luke McNamara, a naive but ambitious, upwardly mobile college senior student from a working class background, aiming to gain acceptance into Harvard Law. He is persuaded to join a posh, elitist college secret fraternity society called The Skulls, which turns out to have some very sinister practices. But then some highly disturbing incidents, including his best friend’s supposed suicide, lead Luke to set about to investigate the true nature of the secret college fraternity organisation.

Written by John Pogue, director Rob Cohen’s 2000 effort is a pretty decent campus psychological thriller, with an eerie atmosphere and good, solid performances. But it is let down by the script’s lack of credibility and much silliness in plotting, characterisation and dialogue. It is based on conspiracy theories surrounding Yale University’s Skull and Bones student society, though Yale is never mentioned by name during the film.

Nevertheless, the acting helps carry it. Jackson is the effective embodiment of sincerity and, perhaps surprisingly, Paul Walker is splendidly creepy as Caleb Mandrake.

Hill Harper’s character, Will Beckford, who plays Luke’s roommate in the film, is modelled on director Rob Cohen’s real-life Harvard roommate. Will wisely says: ‘If it’s secret and elite, it can’t be good.’

Also in the cast are Leslie Bibb, Christopher McDonald, Steve Harris, William Petersen and Craig T Nelson, David Asman, Scott Gibson, Nigel Bennett, Andrew Kraulis, Derek Aasland, Jennifer Melino, Noah Danby, Mak Fyfe, David Christo, Shaw Madson, Jesse Nilsson, Shawn Mathieson, Steven McCarthy and Matt Taylor.

It was mostly filmed in  Toronto, Canada, with Knox College, University of Toronto, as the college location, though the boathouse in the opening scene is at Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, US.

There have been two made-for-video sequels so far with different casts: The Skulls II (2002) with Robin Dunne, Nathan West and Ashley Tesoro and The Skulls III (2004) with Clare Kramer, Bryce Johnson and Barry Bostwick.

Director Rob Cohen hired Paul Walker again the following year for The Fast and the Furious (2001). Paul Walker died in a car crash on November 30 2013, aged 40. Adieu, dear departed.

© Derek Winnert 2013 Classic Movie Review 466

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