b_buddy1 A Midsummer Night's Rave is, at least in theory, based on the classic play A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare. It doesn't bear much resemblance to it's namesake but that's entirely besides the point. The plot, you ask? Effectively non-existent. A group of attractive young people get together to take lots of drugs and fall in and out of love with one another. It's not a story so much as a situation. And don't get me started on the idiotic subplot about the drug dealer chasing down the missing jacket. It was so unnecessary.Andrew Keegan plays our leading man, Xander. It's odd but we actually don't get to know Xander very well despite him being in nearly every scene. All we ever learn about him is that he likes taking drugs and has a thing for a blonde girl named Mia. Keegan is not the best actor but he did what he could with what was obviously a skeleton of a script and his effort is to be applauded. Lauren German did a great job with what she was giving, breathing life into an otherwise inanimate character as Elena, the friend who secretly pines for Xander. I greatly enjoyed the drugged out soliloquy in which she appears to submit a video application to a dating network. Sunny Mabrey is attractive but unremarkable as Mia, the object of Xander's desire. Her character is as two dimensional as Xander's, which is really a shame.Glen Badyna was fantastic as Puck, the fairy drug dealer who drifts in and out of the story, stealing scene after scene. I had never seen this actor before but man is he funny. It's really a shame he didn't get more screen time as he was easily the most entertaining character in the movie other than Elena. He almost makes the movie worth watching single handedly.I've never been to a rave and have never taken drugs and this movie didn't exactly make me want to start. Still, I imagine that those who have spent some time in the rave scene might be able to relate to these characters a bit better than I. I'm probably being generous in rating this movie 5 stars but there were things about I quite liked. The soundtrack is somewhat enjoyable if you like techno music. The cinematography is also mesmerizing at times, in particular the scenes of drugged out dancing to house music.

provocateurmisses . Two Strobe Lights Up!The mischievous and dark classic tale by William Shakespeare is re-imagined in filmmaker Gil Cates Jr.'s adaptation. Music, drugs and romance are the forces behind A Midsummer Night's Rave, a high-energy film about the complicated "love square" between four adolescents and fueled by a teaspoon of teenage angst, a cup of lack of communication, a few tablespoons of lust, and a pinch of ecstasy. Without a doubt, this is the most provocative modern-day retelling of A Midsummer Night's Dream, the popular play written by Shakespeare. Cates Jr. has been the only one to hit the nail right on the head with this adaptation. The film retains the barest skeleton of the original plot while directly straying from its dark aspects in favor of a more charming and daring approach.Thanks to compelling performances led by Chad Lindberg and Glen Badyna in flawless character execution, the Cates Jr. release proves highly entertaining despite the heaviness surrounding the story that inspires it. Chad Lindberg portrays the infamous Nick Bottom who delivers nothing less than the comedic relief expected from his character and Glen Badyna plays Puck, the one responsible for the trouble that ensues. It all begins with Mia, the girl next door dating a rich socialite playboy that her mother wants her to settle down with and eventually marry—Damon. Enter Xander, Damon's counterpart, your typical shaggy-haired teenager without a penny to his name and the owner of Mia's heart, but not to his knowledge. Similarly, Xander secretly yearns for Mia but withholds this information from everyone except his best friend, Helena, who just so happens to be Damon's ex-girlfriend— feelings included. Mix all of these ingredients together at a forest-themed rave complete with seductive beats, a rave master, and his drug dealer's latest "love potion" and you have a recipe for excess. By switching the setting from a forest to a forest-themed rave in the city for A Midsummer Night's Rave, but leaving the characters and main plot intact, Cates Jr. caters a message to younger audiences and offers an alternative solution to dealing with problems faced by the youth: a solution that surprisingly does not involve drugs. Although this may seem out of place for a plot taking place mostly at a rave, it breaks down stereotypes and allows for a new generation to build interest in an author most often thought to be archaic and boring.You don't have to be familiar with Shakespeare's play in order to enjoy this film—although it allows for the understanding of some subtle jokes—but it goes without saying that Cates Jr.'s film will take you on an enchanted ride that leaves you with a sudden urge to dance the night away. Oh what a tangled web we weave! A Midsummer Night's Rave should prove to be a box-office hit with anyone who has a sense of rhythm and humor. But if you're easily offended by casual drug use, then you might want to think twice about catching this tempting flick!

BadMovieNutt This movie was an all right attempt for a first try out of the gate cast and crew. I understand budget constraints, but some of the members of this cast seem to be there for the sake of saving money. It just seemed a little thrown together at different parts. Most of the cast holds their own with their respective parts, but there is on glaring part that left me scratching my head. Terry Scannell, who played Doc, was just way out of his league. That's not saying a whole lot because there are no De Niro's or Nicholson's in this movie, but his haphazard approach to acting makes me believe he would be out of his element if he was on the big screen with Andrew Dice Clay and Carrot Top. I just don't see what the producers saw when they hired him. Maybe I'm being a little too harsh. Or maybe they couldn't get Pauly Shore to do the film. Yeah, Pauly Shore would've been a huge improvement now that I think of it.

pinche101 I just finished watching this movie at SXSW. I believe this was a final cut. The movie is very loosely based on the book. This is a movie in which you should read the book (A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM) in order to get the subtle jokes. However, as it's own entity, the movie does stand on it's own. The movie has good Rave shots which won't require stoping and rewinding. There are some very good moments especially Puck and Devon. This was a good film with a killer sound track. I would recommend watching this movie with a very light heart.