Riding the dubious wave of horror-fied childhood classics, Cinderella’s Revenge arrives with the promise of twisted fairy tale carnage. With Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey and its ilk paving the way, director Andy Edwards attempts to bring a slasher spin to the beloved tale of glass slippers and midnight transformations. Unfortunately, this grim retelling is more of a rotten pumpkin than a blood-soaked ball, failing to capitalise on its premise in any meaningful way.

The film follows Cinderella, who, after years of torment at the hands of her wicked stepmother, is granted freedom and power through her Fairy Godmother (played by Species star Natasha Henstridge). But instead of attending a magical ball, Cinderella embarks on a quest for vengeance, carving a path of bloodshed through her stepfamily and anyone else unfortunate enough to cross her.

It’s a fun idea on paper—turning the rags-to-riches fairy tale into a horror-tinged revenge flick—but Cinderella’s Revenge fumbles its execution at every turn. Rather than fully embracing the absurdity of its concept or delivering the kind of gleeful grindhouse thrills it desperately needs, the film lands in a no-man’s-land of weak gore, limp action, and half-hearted humour. Even the kills, which should be the film’s main draw, feel uninspired and rushed, as if the filmmakers ran out of ideas before they even got started.

The presence of Natasha Henstridge as the Fairy Godmother initially seems like a potential saving grace. Given the right material, she could have delivered a delightfully wicked performance, perhaps something akin to Maleficent by way of Evil Dead. But the script gives her little to work with, reducing her to a glorified exposition machine with occasional flashes of menace. Likewise, Cinderella herself lacks the charisma or depth to make her transformation into a bloodthirsty avenger compelling.

Perhaps the biggest problem is that the film never figures out what it wants to be. Is it a straight horror movie? A tongue-in-cheek slasher? A dark fantasy revenge tale? Instead of committing to any one tone, Cinderella’s Revenge awkwardly lurches between them, resulting in a film that feels both tedious and lifeless.

While the trend of turning public domain fairy tales into horror movies isn’t inherently a bad idea, Cinderella’s Revenge serves as a cautionary tale of how not to do it. Lacking style, wit, or even the basic competence to deliver enjoyable schlock, this is one fairy tale that should have stayed on the shelf.

• Saul Muerte