A few years ago Wes Craven presented a flick called "They", a decent horror outing written by Brenden Hood that actually contained some pretty good jump scares and an intriguing premise. So Mr. Hood has returned yet again, this time with Dario Piana at the helm, with a little flick called "The Deaths Of Ian Stone". Once again, the premise is intriguing: a guy keeps getting killed in horrible ways by these demonic beings, and each time he awakens to find himself in another life. And while the movie starts off in the right direction it soon falls off track and never gets back on.

Yep, the first 30 to 40 minutes of this puppy are a well written, awesomely acted, and brilliantly directed first half. The movie is shot extremely well and there is an impending sense of doom that I felt before every "death"...the movie was definitely working. Ian Stone begins as hockey player for a college. He has a hot lil girlfriend. He seems like a genuinely nice cat with a pretty good life. But on a rainy night he is attacked and killed by a demonic creature.....only to reawaken as Ian Stone - working man in an office. He doesn't remember dying, but he remembers something.....it is in there, up in his noggin', trying to get out. Soon enough, he's dead again, this time waking up as another version of Ian Stone....and another....and another....each time remembering a little more about each previous life. Each time meeting a man who tries to explain what is happening to Ian.

Sounds cool, right? It is. At least for the first half.

Unfortunately once things are put into perspective and Ian knows the score things get a bit wacky. I kid you not, it gets so friggin' out there that I suddenly lost interest in the story. Characters show up looking like rejects from "The Matrix" and there are cliches-abound in the final 15 or so minutes. What started off as an imaginative and fun ride suddenly nosedives into some of the most bland and boring set pieces ever.

Regardless, the monster effects are great. Stan Winston's effects studio provides the SFX and they are as good as you'd expect. The creatures are scary looking mo-fo's and quite effective. I'm certainly digging the work the effects team put in to this flick.

Mike Vogel does a hell of a job as Ian Stone, having to portray his character in many different ways, depending on the life he's awoken to. From college athelete to heroin addicted loser, Vogel sells his character well. Kudos also go to Michael Feast who does a bang up job in his role.

The direction is solid and I was really pleased with the look of the picture. I'm not familiar with the directors other works, but I'm certainly open to checking out whatever else he's done.

Unfortunately the fault of this films failings fall on Brenden Hood. It was such a strong first half that I was fully expecting this one to knock it out of the park, but it was not to be. The story gets sloppy as it comes to a close, with a climax that just plain out sucked. I'm wondering if budgetary restraints forced a re-write, because I just can't imagine this is how Mr. Hood intended it to end.

Overall "The Deaths Of Ian Stone" just doesn't live up to it's awesome premise. But hopefully we haven't heard the last from Brenden Hood. The guys got some writing chops, I'll give him that. Maybe next time he'll remember that it's the strong beginnings and the strong ENDINGS that make films so memorable....the viewers can forgive a sagging middle. Once "The Deaths Of Ian Stone" loses footing, it just never regains it.