Out patrolling a California highway, police officer Edward Malus stops a station wagon to return a little girl's lost doll. Moments later, a runaway truck slams into the station wagon, igniting it into a fiery wreck with the mother and child trapped inside. Edwards fails to save them before the car explodes--and then spends months of his life choking down pills to get the image of their faces out of his head.

Neil LaBute's version of "The Wicker Man" is a remake of the 1973 original which was a cult classic back in the days when flower power and hippies ruled. This means, you can't do a decent review without making comparisons.

I recall seeing the original where a young Edward Woodward (now 76) put in a fine performance as the protag - the pushy, prudish, 'more-Christian-than-thou' policeman called to investigate the case of a missing girl in a strange community. The film was unique back then as it straddled genres and featured a lissome Britt Ekland (now 64) in her bathing suit and Christopher Lee (now 84!) in a dress. Most of the fun from the original came from the fact that it was more in context with the culture of its day while introducing one of cinema's most memorable climaxes. It was also more in keeping with the original storyline about religious sexuality, virgin sacrifices and pagan murder from the novel of the same name by Robin Hardy and Anthony Shaffer. Yes, I read the book too and I was stunned by the ending.

But now, in the 21st century when "flower power" has lost its meaning to most of the audience, the impact of cult practices is somewhat blunted. Plus, LaBute has changed a few essential things.

The remake is modernised in some ways and eliminates the priggish slant of the main character, which takes away the 'edge' from the story. In fact, Nicholas Cage's version of Woodward's former role as policeman Edward Malus has him coming across as a non-religious misogynist who doesn't bat an eyelid about bashing up women. He does just that in punching up the butch Sister Breech (Diane Milano) in the face and kicking the crap out of Sister Honey (Leelee Sobieski).

Yeah, they're all referred to as 'Sisters' and named after plants or natural products in this very matriarchal society at Summerisle, the place where Malus is called to do his missing girl investigation. Summerisle is a private agricultural (but very picturesque) island that is so far-flung from civilisation that there are no phones, no electronic devices and no cellular phone coverage. (However, they have their own webpage on the Internet and that was how the island was traced. Ironic, don't you think?)

It is quite unbelievable that Malus chooses to come to the island to investigate the case as he is summoned, in the form of a letter sent without a stamp, from his ex-fiancee Willow (Kate Beehan) whom he hasn't seen for donkey's years. She claims that her daughter Rowan has mysteriously disappeared. As the police sergeant asks, in trying to talk sense into Malus, "Why is your ex-fiancee contacting you when you haven't seen her like forever? Why not ask the child's own dad?"

LaBute tries to explain this silly bit of gullibility by flashbacks of a road accident involving the burning to death of a mother and her little girl that Malus was unable to save. Guilt of his failure, which has him reduced to a nightmare-plagued wreck choking down pills everyday just to get by, is put down as the reason that compels him to the case.

So he comes to this island, bumbles around investigating and is met by smirking, cagey women in Celtic robes and grunting, emasculated men with vapid expressions. Still, he doesn't get it, no matter how many unsubtle hints about pagan rituals and ancient ways are slammed in his face.

Thankfully, an audience who is less thick, might guess well before the fiery closing minutes that a twist is about to ignite. Those who have never read the book or seen the original movie may even be horrified.

LaBute's remake is full of flaws but despite the silly script and the huge plotholes, it still makes for an entertaining and suspenseful watch, if only to see Nicholas Cage's return to the big screen. However, because it is now out of synch with time, the new movie is unlikely to spawn the same kind of cult following like its predecessor did, back in the heyday when free spirits and sun worship were hip.