Masters of Horror - Right To Die (TV)

When I saw, in the official synopsis from Showtime on Right To Die, the following: "This topical horror story takes a supernatural stand on the right-to-life debate." My first thought went to the famous quote from Samuel Goldwyn from way back when, in reference to movies and entertainment: "If you want to send a message, use Western Union." I could not agree more. Putting a "message" in a horror film, especially, is a tricky tightrope and it usually can't sustain the balance. (Coming soon to a DVD player near you: just such a movie, called Sublime, which is a decent psychological spooker, but too obviously based on the Terri Schiavo case.)

As it turns out, the debate on euthanasia is touched on in the story, but Right To Die is not at all about the right to die. It's just a rip-roaring, totally terrifying horror mini-movie. The story starts off by showing Cliff (Martin Donovan) and his wife Abbey (Julia Anderson) taking a night drive out to their cabin, where they hope to spend some quality time alone. It's pretty obvious that things are tense between them; Cliff's driving too fast, and Abbey is nervously sucking a cigarette. Before you can say "Got a light?" the car crashes and subsequently explodes into flames, leaving Abbey a crispy critter and Cliff with barely a scratch.

Abbey is horribly disfigured, left skinless and unable to breathe on her own, yet she struggles to hold onto what's left of her life in the ICU. Cliff has a decision to make: Should he be selfish and keep his beloved with him, or honor what he says were always her wishes and yank the plug? Between the attending medical staff and his attorney (a superlatively smarmy Corbin Bernsen), Cliff decides it's best to let her go… but is it? Every time it seems that Abbey is going to die, her spirit comes to visit Cliff and let's just say it's not a friendly ghost.

Why is Abbey so burning mad? Well, it's relatively easy to figure out before the zingers arrive, but this did not lessen the enjoyment of the story for me because it was so dynamically-directed, expertly-edited, well-written, and ably-acted.

While I did see an early screener without all the computer imagery fully completed, what I viewed looked great and unlike some of the rubbery monsters we've seen in previous episodes (talking to you, Pro-Life), over-the-top devils (ahem, Valerie On The Stairs), and silly CG oil-slick psychos (sorry, Damned Thing), KNB Efx Group's experience on working on TV shows like C.S.I. Miami has paid off tenfold when it comes to the seriously scorched spouse and the poor soul who winds up being her reluctant skin-donor. It's every bit as good as their work on the big screen for movies like Hostel, The Hills Have Eyes, and Sin City.

Right To Die debuts tonight on Showtime, with replays throughout the weekend.

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Reviewed by Staci Layne Wilson