Case 39 (photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures)

In his third film as director, German filmmaker Christian Alvart presents a solid attempt at a horror film plagued by its unoriginal plot.

"Case 39" focuses on cultivating the fear inside Jenkins and growing it with a smooth steady pace that results in a sinister and disturbing aura so cherished in good horror films.

Renee Zellweger ("Cold Mountain," "Chicago") plays the jaded social worker looking to find some connection to the world through her work while Jodelle Ferland ("Celine," "Good Luck Chuck") takes up the role of her unique case subject.

"Case 39," which was originally scheduled to be released in August of 2008, unfolds as an eerie glimpse into the illusion of paralyzing fear that is unfortunately deterred by banality.

The film begins with a calm Lilith Sullivan lying on her bed at night as the door to her room slowly opens. Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan peer in through the crack with unnatural looks on their faces. The ominous low hum of the music reverberates as the girl opens her eyes, sits up, and says, “I can see you.”

The film continues this portentous atmosphere until Emily is able to step in and perform her civic duty for the girl. At this point, the film takes a sharp turn that begins to take a toll on Emily’s psyche as the film goes on.

Zellweger is successful in portraying a woman teetering between collapse and survival while exuding such anguish and exhaustion that relate to our most primal emotions, it forces us to empathize with Emily’s plight.

While her performance may not garner an Oscar nomination, she does succeed in doling out a solid performance.

As the film continues, the masterful execution of the first act begins to fade in favor of a mediocre retelling of a tired plot whose twist is obvious even to the most casual horror fan.

Alvart tries to add some spice into this bland storyline by employing the use of some interesting overhead shots and fast cuts, but it only works to detract from the final product.

The lack of cohesion only serves to give the movie a choppy appearance that is coupled with effects that look like a high school AV nerd whipped them up in his spare time.

Overall, the film begins as a wonderful execution of horror reminiscent of Hitchcock and continues as a somewhat less inspired product concluding with an anticlimactic mediocrity that will leave a sour taste in your mouth.

Lacking any real moments of horror, this film may be one to wait on until the DVD release.

Rating: C+

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