Slasher films are no longer in and that usually signifies a drop in quality, but this film is a bright spot in the genre. Most people think of modern slashers as a step below the original peak through the 80s. However, this film has nearly every aspect that qualifies as a decent one. While the film breaks no new ground and (like many) is not the least bit scary, it delivers everything you could expect:
While some of it doesn't work and the first hour of "mounting tension" isn't all that tense, the character "development" wasn't completely boring and it was nice to see some focus on suspense rather than gore. That's something most modern slashers have mistakenly tried to up the stakes with. The common misconception was the 80s slashers were heavy on gore, but in all reality, the budgets were not extravagant. Tension was key to those films and is key to enjoying this one as well.
Overall: I'm going to keep the copy of this film I have and recommend it to genre-enthusiasts. It's slightly camp, a good bit suspenseful, and much more fun than many recent slasher entries. Also: bonus points for casting Nicole Fox, who won Cycle 13 of America's Next Top Model. While slashers often cast unknowns, I find it nice when there's always that one actor or actress you've known about prior to the film.
- The killer is a sadistic psycho, pushed over the edge, and hellbent on having his revenge. The mask was a little Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but after so many of these films, they're bound to run out of masks that look threatening. He did remain a near-invincible threat until the end of the film. And while the opening may have generated some understanding into his tendencies as a murderer, it doesn't make him sympathetic and thus the anti-hero title that falls on some slashers.
- The heroine is the "wholesome and virginal" girl who outsmarts the killer. Though the film's subject matter keeps her from being the typical final girl in it's exact definition, she's like-able and enjoyable to watch.
- The rest of the cast are the typical, expendable stock characters that you expect to die but with a few new traits(as this film is 2014, not 1984): the lesbians, the main drug addict being a female(and heroin instead of pot), the additional characters witnessing the massacre take place via the internet. Some of the reactions were genuinely funny.
While some of it doesn't work and the first hour of "mounting tension" isn't all that tense, the character "development" wasn't completely boring and it was nice to see some focus on suspense rather than gore. That's something most modern slashers have mistakenly tried to up the stakes with. The common misconception was the 80s slashers were heavy on gore, but in all reality, the budgets were not extravagant. Tension was key to those films and is key to enjoying this one as well.
Overall: I'm going to keep the copy of this film I have and recommend it to genre-enthusiasts. It's slightly camp, a good bit suspenseful, and much more fun than many recent slasher entries. Also: bonus points for casting Nicole Fox, who won Cycle 13 of America's Next Top Model. While slashers often cast unknowns, I find it nice when there's always that one actor or actress you've known about prior to the film.