...and NOT in a good way. THE WICKER TREE is one of the most awful sequels in existence, a completely terrible movie made all the worse by the fact that THE WICKER MAN is one of the best British horror films in existence. I truly have no idea what Robin Hardy was thinking when he wrote and directed this; it looks like the man's talent left him many, many years ago.

This time around, the action is set on the Scottish mainland, where a couple of American evangelists have turned up to preach their usual guff to the residents of a village. The American characters are one of the worst things about this; the acting is horrendous and they're saddled with the kind of goofy charm of an American PIE movie, not a supposed horror movie like this. They're completely at odds with the rest of the production.

Elsewhere, the main thrust of the story of the first film is copied almost word for word, with a couple of (poor) twists to differentiate things. There's time for an extensive sub-plot to graphically portray what the "riding of the laddie" is all about, but I wonder why they bothered because it's hardly profound. Christopher Lee was meant to star in this but had to pull out due to ill health, with the reliable Graham McTavish (RAMBO) stepping in; Lee still appears but only in a brief greenscreen cameo. For once I'm glad he didn't appear for longer and debase himself with a leading role here.

Former child actress Honeysuckle Weeks turns up, unrecognisably aged and forced to strip for the majority of her running time; you have to feel for her that things have come to this. But it's the tone of THE WICKER TREE that is so very, very wrong; that a sequel to one of the classics of British CINEMA, let alone the horror genre, made by the same writer/director of all people, should totally miss the mark and become this kind of mess. All you can do is shake your head and cry.

A Christian church in Dallas sends two of its youths to Scotland to convert the heathens that live there, some of which "don't even believe in angels!" I just love corny dialogue like that. Beth Boothby (Brittania Nicol) looks and sings like an angel. She will be accompanied by her cowboy boyfriend Steve (Henry Garrett). They are chaste "silver ring" promise keepers somewhat to the dismay of Steve.

Not having much luck in the city, the Texas couple is recruited to heathen Tressock by Delia Morrison (Jacqueline Leonard) and Sir Lachlan Morrison (Graham McTavish). Here they worship the ancient lunar goddess. On the island they are treated warmly. Lolly (Honeysuckle Weeks- not a porn name) plays up to Steve, she has taken over the seductress role of Brit Ekland.

I loved hearing Beth preach, "Jesus was greater than Rob Roy..." If you have seen any of the "Wicker Man" movies then you know how things evolve.

It was good to see Christopher Lee pass the baton, unfortunately this film wasn't as great as the original. The acting was fair, with some decent characters. Jack was my favorite.

If I had written this story I would have changed the ending to involve Jack and a "Don't mess with Texas" theme. That would have sold.

sex, nudity (Honeysuckle Weeks, Henry Garrett (rear), Brittania Nicol (rear) Misc. extras)

So the director of "Wicker Man" does a movie called Wicker Tree almost 40 years after the original movie. Just a coincidence? Maybe he needed the money. What we do know, is that he made this one different. And while "companion piece" is the phrase to use with this, you could argue that quality wise, it is a demise.

Still while the horror is almost completely absent (replaced by "humor", if you can find yourself being amused that is), people who loved the original will be intrigued enough to watch this. Unfortunately that might cause them to re-evaluate the Original as well. And it might take away from a movie that actually could and should have been the successor of Wicker Man (also released in 2011 and also playing at Frightfest in London). As it is, it will depend on your take on comedy, to define if you like this or not ... Beautifully shot, but lacking in other departments ...