4
out of 5.00 -
Film:
3
Extras:
4
Video:
4
Audio:
5
-
8/25/2009
It's always a treat to review any Wicked release spotlighting Kaylani Lei. This Asian beauty has an undeniable allure and sexual prowess which have yet to disappoint. She truly shines onscreen even if her movies do not. Disappointingly, such is the case with THE ORACLE, a feature released in 2007 which has now made its way to Blu-ray disc. I did not see the standard DVD, but I fully trust the original Empire Review which praised the surround soundtracks, even if the video didn't quite reach the highest score due to some minor artifacts. Here, the Blu-ray didn't strike me as reference standard, but I have yet to see a Wicked title look anything below average in high definition. Even with some grain and unavoidably dark scenes, the widescreen picture is a visual treat and further proof that porn needs high def and vice versa. The Behind The Scenes featurette was presented only in anamorphic standard definition, though the bonus scene (featuring Kaylani Lei and Randy Spears - and not Chris Cannon as indicated on the Blu-ray menu- from RISE) was displayed in glorious high def.
While reviewing this feature, I immediately felt more than a certain deja vu in seeing Kaylani Lei's assume yet another role of a woman under oppression by the supernatural. In THE ACCIDENTAL HOOKER, she played a hooker-vampire recounting her life story. In THE WICKED she played a troubled wanderer suffering from demonic nightmares. In THE ORACLE, she stars as con-woman in possession of a other-worldy source of power, which naturally corrupts those who abuse it. It's yet another adventure into darkness and the mystique, which quite frankly, has become tiresome. I realize that dramas are difficult to pull off in porn, especially given the limited acting talent and budgetary restrictions for the genre. But nearly every other Wicked movie bases its drama on fear, anger, and betrayal and it's getting as familiar and as dull as the last STAR WARS prequel. (Compare this formula to modern classic features which focus primarily on interpersonal relationships like JUSTINE: NOTHING TO HIDE 2, MARISSA, and BAD WIVES and you'll get my drift.) The overall unlikable characters, and the effects-ridden novelties have made the whole approach a cliche and downright predictable. (I realize that THE ORACLE was originally released before THE ACCIDENTAL HOOKER and THE WICKED, but that doesn't change my reaction to this way overdone theme.)
Fortunately, Director Francois Clousot camera work is above-average, and all six sex scenes are thankfully varied and avoids too much repetition (Kaylani with Barrett Blade; Miss Lei solo; Brooke Banner and Derrick Pierce; Eva Angelina, Ryder Skye and Barrett; Brooke Haven, Roxy DeVille and Randy Spears; and finally Kaylani Lei, India Summer, Chris Cannon and Marcus London) are worth watching. The cum-swapping between Miss Lei and Miss Summer following an impressive foursome is a definite highlight, and seeing Miss Angelina perform with both men and women is always a must. I have no real complaints about the hardcore (other than the insistent use of condoms) nor do I have any issue with the budget-minded production values(Randy Spears old-man makeup work is quite convincing). I just wish that Wicked would deliver a dramatic feature which relies less on genre conventions, and more on the true-to-life human experiences.
By:
Diesel
4.25
out of 5.00 -
Film:
4
Extras:
4
Video:
4
Audio:
5
-
5/20/2008
This isn't traditionally the time of year for big releases from adult studios, and Wicked's
The Oracle is far from a big-budgeted epic. But it is the best Kaylani Lei movie we've seen since her appearance in
Curse Eternal and one of her best acting performances as well. Add that to some nice direction by Francois Clousot and a nifty story by former pornstar Melissa Monet, and you get one of the better couples-themed DVDs we've seen so far in 2008.
Kaylani stars as Cassie, a young woman who has teamed up with her boyfriend (Barrett Blade) to con people out of money by pretending to be a psychic. At the opening of the movie, she's visited by Brooke Banner, who is desperately trying to make contact with her now-dead lover. Kaylani pretends to make contact with him, only to break off the contact, insisting that Brooke return later...with more cash in hand, of course!
To celebrate their latest con, Kaylani and Barrett have sex together in a session that ends with him popping on her ass. But Kaylani is starting to have mysterious flashes...both of an old man and of her in an orgy. Is it possible she is having real psychic visions? Read on, porn fans....
Out and about, Kaylani notices an elderly man following her (Randy Spears in some nifty age makeup). She finally corners him at a local café, and Randy turns over to her "The Oracle," a medallion which Kaylani is about to discover has very unique powers. On her way home, Kaylani starts receiving more flashes about the orgy - so powerful that she has to stop and feel herself up because she is so overcome with passion (and horniness!)
The next day, Brooke returns to see if Kaylani can contact her husband. But this time, Kaylani is under the influence of The Oracle and her body actually is taken over by Brooke's dead husband. Kaylani morphs into the form of Derrick Lee and has sex with Brooke - which, like the first scene, ends with a pop-shot onto the ass. This was one of the parts of
The Oracle in which I think Director Francois Clousot missed a golden opportunity. It would have been cool to see the scene flash back and forth between Derrick having sex with Brooke and Kaylani doing the same, but alas, we don't get to see any lesbian action between the girls in this scene, although technically they're the ones actually getting it one with each other.
Kaylani tries to explain the powers of The Oracle to Barrett, and he winds up taking the medallion back to bed with him, where it transports him into a sexual threesome with Eva Angelina and Ryder Skye. After getting blowjob action from both of them, Barrett spoons Ryder, then gives missionary to Eva while Ryder is sitting on her face. Barrett also pounds Ryder in the missionary position, and the climax has Barrett attempting to shoot his wad on both girls' faces, although it's Eva who gets almost all of the goo. Sadly, the sexual romp that The Oracle provides comes with a price - as Barrett is struck dead shortly after he cums.
After discovering Barrett's lifeless body, Kaylani tracks the old man down once again, telling her that she doesn't want The Oracle. But as the old man points out to her, it's The Oracle that has chosen her, not her that has chosen it. The two argue for a bit, and then the power of the medallion sweeps them both away into a scene where Randy has a threesome with Roxy Deville and Brooke Haven, while Kaylani watches. Randy's threesome ends with the best cumshot of the movie, as he dumps a healthy load down into both girls' mouths and faces. As with Barrett's scene, the sex has a price, as The Oracle's powers end the life of Randy's character.
Kaylani's sex session is next, and it's a foursome with India Summer, Chris Cannon and Marcus London, although there's not really any contact between the two ladies until the very end of the scene. As with most foursomes of this nature, the guys basically take turns with each of the women in various positions, ending with Marcus jerking into India's mouth, and Chris unloading into Kaylani's mouth. The girls kiss and cum swap at the end of the scene. However, unlike the previous scenes where the men were killed after their sexual sessions, Kaylani doesn't die, but instead finds out that she is now "The Oracle".
As is the case with all their feature releases these days, Wicked presents
The Oracle in 16x9 anamorphic with 5.1 Dolby Digital sound. However, I did note some compression and artifact issues with the video that prevent me from giving it a perfect rating.
Extras on the DVD consist of a 24-minute behind the scenes featurette (in the full-frame format); an anamorphic 3-mintue bonus scene between Kaylani and Chris Cannon taken from the release of
Rise; slide shows, promo materials, and a handful of trailers for other Wicked titles, including front-loaded trailers for
Once Upon A Crime and
The Artist.
Because this isn't one of those big budgeted, highly promoted releases, it's doubtful Kaylani's performance here is going to be remembered come awards time at the end of the year, but I'll throw the idea out there anyway. She does a fine job in this movie, and couples looking for something with a paranormal edge to it should certainly enjoy their visit with
The Oracle.
By:
Spooky