Case 39 (2009)

Case 39 (2009)

Case 39 was directed by Christian Alvart (who has since also directed and released Pandorum) and written by Ray Wright (who just released The Crazies) and I feel that his mix of director and writer actually show full well with how the movie turned out. Christian Alvart put together a very solid looking movie just as he does in Pandorum and Ray Wright has written up a great concept that I just couldn't put both of my feet solidly behind as much as I really wanted to with the concept of the film. My only complaint with Alvart’s work on this is he appears to go with the scares over building up suspense and with the plot of the film I believe this was a mistake.

This story follows Emily Jenkins (Renee Zellweger,) a social worker who on a routine trip has found that a young girl Lilith (Jodelle Ferland) appears to be being abused by her parents; Edward (Callum Rennie) and Margaret (Kerry O'Malley.) I have to admit the first scene she has with meeting the couple is one of the stronger scenes in the film just with how unsettling off it was. How are you supposed to talk to a couple that reacts so indifferently to not at all to what you are saying? It is painfully obvious though that there is something wrong in this house as you can tell from every nuance of how they communicate that things are just not right.

With the conviction that Lilith is in a bad environment and is at both mental and physical risk, she goes on a crusade with her boss to try to have the child removed from their custody. Emily fails in being able to accomplish it as they smooth talk their way out of any problems when talking to her boss. After this fails we see Emily show up at Lilith's school as she is clearly concerned, gives the girl her phone number, and asking her to call if anything is to ever happen.

We flash forward to Edward and Margaret preparing to do something and Lilith calling Emily begging for help and claiming her parents are going to kill her. Lilith shows up with a police officer she is friends with and breaks in as they find the parents trying to roast the young girl alive in an oven. After a decently choreographed fight sequence we have the parents subdued and the daughter saved just in time.

From this point everything appears to be going well for the main characters. The parents are in prison, Lilith is safe, and Emily is ready to move on to the next case - until Lilith tries to be adopted by her. When she succeeds all is going well until the people that matter in Emily's life start to commit suicide or be murdered. While the first two are a bit strange it’s fairly obvious to Emily quickly that something is going on. Once she starts to put together the clues that Lilith is behind it – it may be too late.
A lot of the plot felt forced and just did not work well at building up suspense. It really went for the quick thrill on each kill and didn’t help to tie them in for a large build up. While the concept of how Lilith kills her victims through their greatest fears is a great concept – it was poorly executed.