Product: Ring of Darkness (2004)
Rating: 3.0
Rigorous Try-Out; Long Gigs
"Ring of Darkness" shows how an ambitious musician and a supernatural boy-band use each other to advance their art.Lead singer Gordo (played by Greg Cipes) attempts to desert the band Take Ten but is overpowered on a beach. The band members (played by Jeremy Jackson, John Wynn, Colin Bain, and Matthew Thomas Baker) and its manager (played by Adrienne Barbeau) announce that, since Gordo just went into rehab, there will be auditions for a new lead singer. Shawn Walker (played by Stephen Martines) believes himself above boy-bands, but girlfriend Stacy (played by Ryan Starr) pushes him into auditioning. Shawn, Max (played by Eric Dearborn), and Jonah (played by Jeff Peterson) make the cut and are invited to the band's private island in the Pacific. Shawn brings along Stacy.On the island, curious individuals have a way of disappearing. There are frequent shirtless scenes, strange rituals, two groupies, old magazine collections, and mysterious phone calls to an off-island character played by Mink Stole. The try-out field shrinks down. The last candidate has to figure out the most useful relationship possible with the band.The photography and settings are good. The direction moves the story along. Some of the make-up special effects are too flimsy to be convincing. The acting is a bit wooden and un-erotic, although I enjoyed Jeff Peterson ("Prison of the Dead" and "Ancient Evil") and Stephen Martines as try-outs and Josh Hammond ("Alien Arsenal", "The Brotherhood", and "Jeepers Creepers 2") as an unsucessful competitor.There are no extra features other than the film's trailer and three other previews.