13th Child

Spooky flick about the Jersey Devil lurking in the desolate Pine Barrens

Just before Halloween, a special investigator (Michelle Maryk) is sent to the Pine Barrens north of Atlantic City to look into the possible death of an escaped convict and whether or not it had anything to do with the legend of the Jersey Devil. She teams-up with a ranger and a NYPD officer (Christopher Atkins and Gano Grills) as they focus on a misanthropic recluse, who lives in a remote estate that was built in 1760 (Cliff Robertson).

"13th Child" (2002), subtitled “Legend of the Jersey Devil,” is a creature feature about New Jersey’s notorious cryptid. Lesley-Anne Down has a bit part at the beginning as a District-Attorney and Robert Guillaume (“Benson”) has a bigger role as a patient at an asylum, but the story is focused on the four principles noted above.

In its favor, it was actually shot in the Pine Barrens and works up some genuine spookiness with regular shots of the mysterious woods, an asylum, tarantulas, a taloned black hand, a hoof leg, horns, grisly body parts and so forth. There’s the usual sequence of frivolous youths interested in a tryst with Robyn Parsons (Bobbie) a highlight. The best part is Cliff Robertson’s offbeat misanthrope, who’s an interesting character. Robertson, incidentally, cowrote the script with Michael Maryk, who was also the executive producer and obviously related to the blonde protagonist.

Speaking of whom, Michelle Maryk as Kathryn is serviceable but, seeing as how the entire story revolves around her investigation, a more well-known, formidable actress would’ve been preferable. ScarJo was only 17 years-old when this was shot, so she was out of the picture; but someone of her later caliber would’ve been effective for the role. As it is, this was Michelle’s first feature film, a major role at that, and she was never able to acquire much success in the biz.

Some parts drag too much, so the story needed tightened up, but I appreciated the creepy tone and milieu. The creators weren’t in a hurry, which should be commended. As with “Jaws,” the monster isn’t revealed until the end. Up till then, its depictions are dark, stylized and fragmentary. The art director was obviously inspired by “Alien.” Some people don’t like what he came up with or, at least, its execution, but at least it’s not CGI.

The reason the movie’s called “13th Child” is because of the popular origin of the creature revolving around Mother Leeds becoming pregnant with her 13th child in the 1700s and putting a curse on it. Scriptwriters Michael Maryk and Robertson add the twist of the 13th child being a Lenni Lenape, named Matongwa, and the creation of the Jersey Devil had something to do with mistreatment of the Indians by the British.

The later “Mothman” (2010) was obviously influenced by it.

The flick runs 1 hour, 39 minutes, and was shot in Batsto Village and the corresponding Wharton State Forest, which are located between Port Republic and Hammonton, two other places used in filming; all of these areas are a 35-50 minutes-drive north or northwest of Atlantic City.

GRADE: B-