Nurse (2013)
Directed by: Douglas Aarniokoski
Written by: David Loughery, Douglas Aarniokoski
Starring: Boris Kodjoe, Corbin Bleu, Judd Nelson, Kathleen Turner, Katrina Bowden, Martin Donovan, Michael Eklund, Niecy Nash, Paz de la Huerta
NURSE (2013)
Directed by Douglas Aarniokoski
Young nurse Danni graduates and starts work at Sacred Heart Hospital where she is taken under the wing of senior nurse, Abigail Russell. Abigail’s extra-curricular activities of luring in cheating males and killing them in a variety of methods is one her co-workers might not approve of, but she hopes to find a partner in crime in Danni. However, her mentoring of the young nurse doesn’t go as planned and she must sew up loose ends before her crimes are uncovered.
Ever since the posters appeared online of Paz de la Huerta in a tight white nurses uniform riding a syringe or stood naked covered in blood, NURSE, or NURSE 3D as it is also known, has been one of the most anticipated horrors to watch. Unfortunately, the reality is that the movie isn’t that great with a poor plot, script and performances that turn it into more of a bloody comedy than a tense horror thriller.
The plot of a woman luring in cheating men to kill them reminds me of a movie called Julia that did the festival circuit this year. Julia was a much more realistic and gritty affair which is what I expected from NURSE. Though Julia did have its faults, it’s a much better put together movie than this with better performances, a darker script and slicker plot. Even the lead character stars as a nurse though in a less glamorous or erotic way than portrayed in NURSE.
One of the main problems of NURSE, other than the poor plot and script, is the film’s star attraction, Paz de la Huerta, as Abby. Whilst there is no doubt that her role of Abby is overplayed, which feels most certainly on purpose, it’s the issue of believability and coherence that’s the problem as Paz often sounds as though she’s talking down her nose leaving dialogue which sounds as though her character is either afflicted with a cold or has a penchant for talking babyish. She certainly has no problem in the sensual department, with her tight curves revealed throughout an array of barely-there outfits and in some cases, not a single piece of clothing at all, but the duckface pouts and wooden acting don’t help the character’s allure one bit.
In contrast, the strongest link of the film is Katrina Bowden as nurse Danni. Manipulated by Abby, she soon comes to realise how dangerous and obsessed her friend really is and creates a likable character which the viewer can root for. Supporting members of the cast Judd Nelson as Dr Morris and Niecy Nash as head nurse of the department, Regina, provide strong back-up, particularly Nash with her witty, outspoken one-liners.
No doubt NURSE is a sexy movie at times, but it often feels unwarranted. There’s not much depth to the film other than what is described in the synopsis and although there’s reasons behind the madness, it’s not enough to make the viewer care. Even from a horror perspective, the film lacks scares or real gore, opting for a bloodthirsty final 15 minutes at the end of the movie with the odd murder throughout.
NURSE is not what I expected or hoped for, but if you’re looking for something not too heavy with a splash of nudity and the red stuff, then NURSE might just be the pick-me-up you need for 84 minutes. Just don’t expect it to be the cure.
Rating: 
Good movie.