_**Something weird is happening in a small Maine town linked to a “cursed” area of woods**_

An eerie force that emanates from an infamous patch of forest causes weird things to happen in a small Maine town. A writer (Marg Helgenberger) becomes obsessed with its origins in the woods while her beau struggles with alcoholism and is perplexed by what’s happening (Jimmy Smits).

Based on the Stephen King novel, “The Tommyknockers” (1993) was originally a two-part TV “miniseries,” which just makes it a long movie at three hours. It was inexplicably rated R for (supposed) sci-fi terror/horror & a tasteful sex scene, but it’s more like PG-13 at worst. The plot hails back to the sci-fi/horror of the mid 50s (I’d mention an obvious book/movie from that era, but I don’t want to spoil anything for those not already in the know).

The story would’ve worked better if it were tightened up and released as a two-hour movie. As it is, there’s some padding and so my mind occasionally wandered, particularly in the mid-section. But, if you don’t mind the 3-hour runtime, the flick does a good job of establishing the town and its inhabitants amidst the increasingly bizarre events. The warmth & love of some characters is counterbalanced by the caving to carnality of others. Everything comes down to the final twenty minutes where the film delivers the goods with a compelling and somewhat horrific payoff.

On the female front, Helgenberger looks real good in jeans while Lords is (to be expected) oversexed, but she’s effective enough in the acting department.

The movie was shot in Puhoi, New Zealand, which is a half hour drive north of Auckland. Some interiors were done in warehouses in Auckland, such as the inside of the such-n-such. CAST includes John Ashton & Joanna Cassidy as cops, Robert Carradine & Annie Corley as restaurant owners, Traci Lords & Cliff De Young as postal workers and Allyce Beasley as the latter’s wife, a deputy. E.G. Marshall is also on hand.

GRADE: B