The Source (2002)

To call this direct-to-DVD sci-fi flick B-rate, campy, and uninspired would not even come close to describing just how bad it was. I'd call it a "cult" movie, but frankly, there's no one I can imagine who would "follow" it enough to actually create a fan community or anything like that. And yet, I didn't hate the ninety minutes I spent watching it, nor do I regret dropping a five spot on it. It's a movie I've had my eye on for years now. I can't even remember where or why I first heard about it, but for years now I've had it on my short list of "hard-to-find unpopular movies that could be worth a viewing" DVDs. I finally found it a few days ago and knew I had to buy it. Look, I didn't expect much. I didn't expect this movie to have good acting, editing, or writing. So in a weird way, it lived up to all of my expectations. Since no one out there could possibly give a shit about "spoilers," here's the very predictable plot in a nutshell. Four outcast teens - an angsty goth, a hippie, a nerd, and a rebellious chick - get tormented and harassed at school. Not only by fellow students, but by their teachers and principals as well. One day the four teens stumble upon a strange glowing pile of yellow shit. It gives them powers. Suddenly, the rebel girl can make people obey her commands, the nerd can read minds, the hippie chick knows telekinesis, and the goth dude can damage and heal body parts from afar. I mean, clearly the goth and the rebel girl have superior powers, but whatever; all four seem happy. In the second act, they use these newly acquired powers to get back at those who have wronged them in a number of unoriginal and cliched ways. ("Pick your nose," demands the rebel girl to a helpless cheerleader who has no choice but to obey. Oh, the humanity!) Things are finally looking up for our four friends. But then, naturally, someone lets the power go to his or her head. Surprise - it's voice command rebel girl. In the third and final act, she abandons her three companions and begins her conquest of the entire school. Wishing to be seen as nothing less than a god, Rebel Girl demands her former friends not to use their powers on her. And then as she gets more and more corrupted by her own power trip, she starts attempting to kill them. The movie's climax comes when Goth Man uses some logic and his powers to deafen himself. (He can't destroy Rebel Girl's powerful and suggestive vocal chords, but he sure can make himself immune to them.) Now free from further orders, he physically assaults Rebel Girl and takes her down. Fade to black. Some time passes and the three friends go back to destroy the yellow shit that made them superhuman but when they arrive at the scene they find it's already gone. Instead of panicking, they just assume it has disappeared. The movie ends as Rebel Girl, catatonic and wheelchair bound at rehab, receives a visit from a strange man. Lo and behold, its one of her remaining loyal minions, and he's brought her some of the yellow shit as a present. Her eyes begin to flash blue and a wicked smile spreads across her face. Uh oh! Here we go again. It isn't even worth my time to critique the bad acting, boring side plots, or ridiculously cheap-looking "special" effects. Basically, a lot of shit glowed fluorescent. I can't tell you that this is a movie you should seek out and watch, but every now and again I think it's not a total waste of time to watch a B-movie and think, "I could have made this, but I'm glad I didn't."