A provocative twist on slasher tropes can’t save this Scream-inspired misfire, despite strong turns from Brittany Murphy and Michael Biehn.

Cherry Falls arrives on the heels of the late ’90s slasher revival, clearly aiming to ride the wave created by Wes Craven’s Scream, but instead crashes headfirst into its own uneven tone and underwhelming execution. Released in 2000, Geoffrey Wright’s high-concept horror flick flips the slasher trope on its head — targeting virgins rather than the sexually active — yet it ultimately lacks the finesse or wit to carry its premise beyond surface-level shock.

The film is buoyed, in part, by the late Brittany Murphy’s off-kilter, captivating presence as Jody Marken. Her performance injects the film with some much-needed emotional depth and unpredictability. Alongside her, Michael Biehn brings a grounded seriousness as the town sheriff, delivering a performance that feels like it belongs to a more sophisticated script.

However, despite its intriguing central idea and flashes of satirical promise, Cherry Falls struggles with identity — caught between wanting to parody slasher tropes and simultaneously embracing them without the cleverness that made Scream a genre-defining success. Its tonal inconsistency makes it feel more like a pale imitator than a bold reinvention.

By the time the third act rolls around, the film loses what little momentum it had. A rushed and weak resolution undercuts any tension or investment, leaving viewers with more questions than satisfaction. It’s a finale that feels as though the filmmakers ran out of time — or worse, ideas.

The Prognosis:

Cherry Falls is a curious relic of post-Scream horror, notable more for its cast than its execution. Brittany Murphy’s performance remains its most memorable asset, a haunting reminder of a talent taken too soon. But beyond that, the film fails to leave much of a lasting impression.

• Saul Muerte