n this remake of the 1967 film of the same name, Brendan Fraser takes on the Dudley Moore role as lovesick loser Elliot Richards. Elliot lives a sad, lonely existence pining for an attractive co-worker named Allison (O'Connor). After she rebuffs his advances in a bar one night he declares, "God, I would do anything to have that girl in my life."
This attracts the attention of soul-seeking Satan, who appears to Elliot in the form of a gorgeous, scantily clad woman (Hurley). She lures him to her office in the back of an ultra-hip nightclub and offers him a deal: his soul in exchange for seven wishes. He is reluctant to sign the contract at first, but relents when she tempts him with the promise of getting the girl.
Elliot makes his first wish "to be very very rich and powerful." His wish is granted and he is transformed into a Columbian drug lord. Elliot becomes the unwitting target in a war over control of his drug operation and cancels the wish amidst a hail of bullets.
Trying to learn from his mistake, Elliot makes another wish. This time he wants to be "the most emotionally sensitive man in the world." Unfortunately, his second wish doesn't pan out any better than the first.
The Devil continues to have fun at Elliot's expense, granting him one fantasy life after another--including that of a basketball player and president of the United States--with similarly unforeseen consequences.
Elliot ultimately decides that he doesn't want to seal the deal by making his seventh and final wish. The "Princess of Darkness," however, is not willing to give up his soul without a fight. Will Elliot find a way out of his contract or will he be forever damned?
An ultimately disappointing remake
Harold Ramis, the talent behind such comedy classics as Stripes, Ghostbusters and, more recently, Analyze This, has updated this version of the Faustian myth with an interesting twist. The concept of portraying the Devil as a beautiful woman is ripe with potential, but it is ultimately inhibited by a repetitive plot and a predictable story.
There are a few good laughs-- especially when Elliot finds himself cast in the role of a drug lord, complete with fluency in Spanish--but most of them come early in the film. The pattern of consequences gets old almost immediately, and it isn't too difficult to guess how subsequent wishes will backfire on the hero. After the first time, it's just a matter of sitting through each scenario waiting for the inevitable punchline to arrive.
What saves the film from total disaster is the performances of its two lead actors, Fraser and Hurley. Fraser is wonderfully versatile and nearly unrecognizable as he changes his personality and physical appearance from one fantasy to the next. His chameleonic talent is particularly apparent when contrasted against that of his female love interest, the decidedly uninteresting O'Connor.
Of course, few actresses would stand out on the same screen with the glamorous Hurley. Her presence is reminiscent of Kelly LeBrock's mischief-making temptress in Weird Science. Like LeBrock, Hurley is adept at comedy and seems to be having a blast as she vamps her way through an inordinate number of wardrobe changes. She is also clearly conscious of her sexuality and the effect it has on the men around her. When Elliot comments that she's hot, she answers in a devilishly husky voice, "Baby, you have no idea."
