Tuno negro (2001) User Reviews

The dark assassin

[jotix100 · 5/10 · 28 May 2006]

Anyone that has visited Spain, especially in the large cities, and university towns, has had the opportunity to encounter the famous minstrels that go to touristy places to sing and entertain in exchange for a few coins they will probably use for a meal, or a drink. These young men are a lot of fun to watch interpreting those old songs that have been passed from generation to generation.

As the film opens, we meet Arantxa, a student, who is about to start a chat session in her computer. The person on the other side proceeds to show her a video about the dorm where she lives, and the surrounding area. Before we realize, Arantxa is running for her life as she tries to escape the masked Black Minstrel who wants to kill her.

The scene changes to Salamanca, a university town where Alex Alonso, a female student has arrived and finds no accommodations. The dorm is co-ed, but the sexes are segregated. Edu, a young student is kind enough to let her stay until everything is straighten out. The next thing we see is Alex chatting on an internet bar, and guess who the other person is? Well, you guessed, the Black Minstrel.

The film, directed by Pedro Barbero and Vicente Martin could have used a good writer to bring this horror story some sense. Spaniards and Europeans of a certain status, abhor anything Hollywood. Yet, this film will make an American made film a masterpiece in comparison. Nothing makes much sense and the fact a serial killer will kill the way the Black Minstrel does, is not dealing with a full deck.

Silke, a beautiful actress makes the best she can with her Alex. Maribel Verdu is only seen briefly as the movie starts. Fele Martinez does what he can. Eusebio Poncela, a good actor is seen as Don Justo, the man who might hold the key to the secret around the Black Minstrel. Jorge Sanz is totally wrong as Edu.

For fans of horror films, this picture will not show anything they haven't seen better done already.

An F equals death!

[lost-in-limbo · 5/10 · 3 May 2006]

Alex is a new student to the University of Salamanca, but upon her arrival she and her friends get caught up in a web of mystery surrounding some deaths on campus and that of the legend of the Black Minstrel. They learn that the Black Minstrel is knocking off slack students who aren't taking their learning very seriously. When the Black Minstrel contacts Alex through an internet chat site, she and her friends realise that it's up to them to figure out who's behind the costume and discover the secret of the Black Minstrel.

Again another carbon copy of a teen slasher film that was started by the craze they call "Scream". "Black Serenade" is a Spanish slasher going for that winning mainstream formula of American slashers and you can easily see the influences. The opening death scene has some very recognizable touches of "Scream" about it and the story is similar to "Urban Legend". The killer and their motive might be different, but simply we've been down this path oh so many times before. Hold on, you might think from what I've mentioned so far that I'm going to tear it apart, well actually that's not the case. I thought it was average. Not below. Not above. Just average. I don't know why, but I was slightly amused by it. Maybe it caught me in the right frame of mind. It has its bad moments, but occasionally it offers a surprise or two and the odd inventive kill. The production was more than decent, but sadly it's predictable story telling. The urban legend of the Black Minstrel going around universities and knocking off the bad seeds isn't a bad device. There's even a nice edge of black humour about it. The back-story in the plot is far more engrossing than that of the horny and drug addicted guys and gals dialogues and sleazy interplay. Well, it did deliver on some tawdry action and there's some decent blood letting. One death scene is an almighty mind trip.

The paper thin characters are rather lacklustre ( I thought bad students would be at least interesting) and some look way too old for their parts, but since the material was rather underdeveloped. The performances from the cast were satisfactory I guess. While, the ignorant students are the usual stereotypes, you also got thrown into the mix a pair of hard boiled cops and a priest with a secret. The red herrings amongst these characters are lousily staged, because it's not hard to pick up on who's behind the mask and when it's revealed it's just too contrived. Now the killer's costume looked decent enough and their choose of weapon was one fancy looking knife, in which they loved to film their killings. The director at times slackens off with the pacing and gives us cheap false scares and bluffs, but within these moments he also manages to orchestrate some genuinely, tense set pieces. Such as the chase scene in the town square and the thrilling climax (before that trite ending), but I didn't get the point of the montage, accompanied by a rock song in the mid section. Huh??? It was just laughable!

What else was funny, was the very mediocre computer effects (that goes for the flames and explosions!). The superbly, laced Gothic cathedral and campus setting was well used and the cinematography did a swift enough job. Soundtrack goes for an fair rock/metal approach and the robust score drums in the usual chants to fit into the mood and surroundings. It might be far from inspiring for its field, but we learn that being a bad student doesn't pay off in the long run. But I don't think this (if you can call it a) social commentary and moral will hit it off and change someone's perception on the privilege of education and knowledge.

It might blatantly rip-off other slashers and have many implausible scenarios, but I still found it mildly diverting.

What a Bad film!!!!

[Lenny Bitterman · 3/10 · 9 August 2001]

I´m been living in Spain about 6 month´s and I was trying to whatch some new spanish films to catch the ways of this industries. I watched ¨Tuno Negro¨ last friday and I was disapointed. It was really awful, totally dumb script and the acting was hard as a rock. This film is trying to be like all the american Teen slasher films but just can´t get it. Is not like those films are great, most of the are really bad (only ¨Scream¨ is a good movie in that bunch) but this one is even worst. Worst than ¨Cherry Falls¨ and ¨I still know what you did last summer¨. They are a lot of plot holes and thing that you wont understand and the ending is so stupid that you will think that is a final joke. They are only 2 thing that I have pitty of this movie. One of those thing is Fele Martinez, one of Amenabar´s favorite actor´s who is really good in movies like ¨Tesis¨ and ¨Abre los ojos¨ but here is the carachter is so underwrited that he can only soy the lines in a dumb way. The other thing that could be good but it is not it was Eusebio Poncela, another great actor who was espectacular in ¨Martin (hache)¨ but here it have the same problems of Martinez. Really a pitty

Bad story, bad acting, nice scenery

[robinvangessel · 21 June 2002]

This movie was recommended to me by the owner of a videorent-shop in Córdoba, Spain, saying it was a good thiller. Unfortunately, there was no real suspense here, I could only laugh about the "horrifying" scenes. Killing scenes for example were very implausible, exaggerated and absurd, it spoilt the whole movie for me. Though the scenery was very beautiful (University of Salamanca for example), I was very disappointed by this Scream/I Know What You Did Last Summer clone... My advise: watch on TV is you´re really bored.

We should renew some lists

[Arthur_Desmond · 1/10 · 30 September 2006]

Whenever we speak about the "Worst movies ever made", we must include this gem; preposterous situations, laughable dialog, imbecile characters, a simply puerile conclusion and some of the worst acting I've seen; we're speaking of BAD acting, even for a Spanish movie. And when the only character you enjoy is a strabic psychopathic cop who shoots everything he sees, you know the filmmakers are in DEEP trouble. Jorge Sanz keeps mumbling as he has always been doing, Silke holds to her incompetence disguised as intended "feline" stoicism and Eusebio Poncela doesn't know what he's doing in each scene and in the movie altogether, and every female character, save for one, serves no other purpose than ending up as good-old sex & violence fodder. Most of this seems filmed and written by a teenager consumed with acne and strict dependence on cheap pornography: sexist, childish, and ultimately comical, especially when it pretends to be taken seriously. If they pretended the audience to burst with laughter, they achieved their goal; I'm just not sure that was their aim. And even if it were, the Art of film-making has somehow been outrageously offended all through the process.

That's the kind of trash this movie is.

Boring, clichéd and Hollywood wannabe

[mario_c · 2/10 · 6 March 2008]

What a disappointing film! What called my attention to this movie was its plot's main idea (a killer inside a University campus covered by the background context of "Tunas" – an academic celebration which exist in some Latin countries like Spain, Portugal and others from South America). It made me remind a Portuguese film I had watch some years ago called RASGANÇO which had the same plot topic (curiously both movies were produced in 2001!...). As I did like that film and I usually appreciate Spanish cinema too, I decided to give TUNO NEGRO a chance! I regret now! It has nothing to do with what I expected or even to the Portuguese movie I had watch before (except the plot main topic which is the same). While RASGANÇO is quite realistic, having a very "possible to happen" plot and demonstrating how really works the "Praxe" and the "Tunas" concept here in Portugal; TUNO NEGRO is a thriller around the "Tuno Negro" tale, made up with clear Hollywood standards (it follows the typical Hollywood teen slasher, like SCREAM or I KNOW WHAT YOU LAST SUMMER), but ends being just an Hollywood wannabe Spanish little film… It uses the same kind of suspense, chilling, characters, twists, plot's construction, etc; but all in a ripen-off style…quite pathetic isn't it?

I wouldn't even need to mention that comparing both movies I would definitely choose RASGANÇO because it's much more interesting, realistic and doesn't need any rip-off to produce a plot about a serial-killer that commits his crimes covered by the academic context…

TUNO NEGRO was really a disappointment, especially because of the Hollywood wannabe feature! I score it 2/10!

The worst horror movie you can see

[BITELCHUS · 1/10 · 20 August 2001]

When you take seat, at the cinema... you expect to spent a well time. But when the movie in is "Tuno Negro", you are going to see an "Scream"-bad-copy that will make you remove in that seat I said. All the movie is an Scream new version. But with terrible spanish actors (Maribel Verdú is risible, and Jorge Sanz is too old for the role, and university student... the worst are Fele Martinez... too serious for not a serious movie, and Silke: too bad in general, like if she couldn´t speak naturally). Oh! The Soundtrack, if you like the bad heavy metal, well that´s your music. A terrible movie for a terrible summer in cinemas. That´s a 1. That´s completely awful.

Attractive scenarios and slick utilization of shock images make this one, a passable thriller plenty of killings

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 27 October 2014]

Entertaining but middling ¨Spanish Slasher¨ in which a series killer executes a crime spree at Salamanca University . Students of the university of Salamanca are brutally murdered by a black masked minstrel nicknamed ¨Tuno Negro¨ . As a psychopathic killer infiltrates in the "University Tuna" of Salamanca and chooses his victims via the internet . Alex (Silke) , an architecture student who has recently moved to Salamanca discovers a pattern behind the killings ; it seems as if the murderer strikes regularly after the exams to free the campus from worse students . Relying on the night and the students spree (Jorge Sanz , Patxi Freytez , Sergio Pazos , Javier Veiga) , the "Tuno Negro" commits murders with a simple pattern , as he kills the worst students in each class . The lousy student does not end the course , nor will have the option to repeat it . As murderous tells the following : Nescientia Necat (it is Latin and means "Ignorance kills") . Meanwhile , two police inspectors (Fele Martínez , Enrique Villen) are investigating the weird killings and a strange professor (Eusebio Poncela) discovers an ancient legend from XVI Century dealing with the ¨Tunos Negros¨ who were executed by burning pole .

This exciting , bizarre film contains tension , thriller, drama , mystery , plot twists and shocks , including decent scares with tense terror sequences especially in its final part , in a creepy outcome and including strong sexual scenes between Silke and Fele Martínez . The picture is thrilling and some moment brilliant, but the players are quite mediocre , being plagued by average acting . In addition, the star players at 30 years old , impersonating university students , something that is not believable . The script could have been written a little more credible , especially in the final , in which the disproportion of the situations cause hilarity and little surprise at the ability to overcome the ultimate denouement . Known main actors formed by a Spanish-all-star-cast such as Jorge Sanz , Silke and Fele Martínez give regular performances . Being supported by fine secondary actors such as Enrique Villen as a hardened detective who takes on the case , Eusebio Poncela , Francisco Maestre , Aitor Mazo and Paca Gabaldon , among others . Maribel Verdú only appears in the opening scene, and then the murderer kills her in the first minute of reel . It is almost a fraud , as it would probably has served to include her in the advertisement of the movie . Creepy movie builds taut by showing virtually well staged killings , adequate settings , unsettling score and evocative cinematography . Although is sometimes slow moving , overlong and stagy , however is entertaining for continuous suspense . As trivia I add the followings : when they attempt to save an Universitary girl, Silke passes in front of a cinema which is showing ¨La Niña de Tus Ojos¨ or ¨The girl of your dreams¨(1998), a film starring 'Jorge Sanz , being also produced by Andres Vicente Gomez , and the film is watching Sergio Pazos when is attacked by the killer results to be "Killer Tongue" or ¨Lengua Asesina¨ by Albert Sciamma . Sinister , mysterious atmosphere is nicely photographed by magnificent cameraman Carlos Suarez , and standing out colors with luxurious images . As he photographs splendidly , being highlighting the beauty of Alcala Henares and Salamanca especially, and its marvelous university and cathedral . Suspenseful and frightening soundtrack by Roque Baños heightens the suspense .

This motion picture displaying genuine chills , suspense, dark atmosphere and a twisted finale , being middlingly proceeded by Pedro Barbero and Vicente Martin and turned out to one of the most popular Spanish thrilling movies of the 2.000s and certainly one of the most amusing . By that time , there have been realized several Spanish ¨Slashers¨ imitating to ¨Scream¨ saga , including a lot of young people being murdered , such as : ¨School killer¨ by Carlos Gil with Jacinto Molina , Carlos Fuentes , Zoe Berriatúa , Olivia Molina , ¨El Arte de Morir¨ by Alvaro Fernández Armero with Gustavo Salmeron , Lucia Jimenez and Fele Martínez , ¨Mas De 100 Camaras Velan Por Seguridad¨ by David Alonso with Antonio Hortelano , Laura Manzanedo , Monica Starreado , and ¨No Debes Estar Aquí¨ by Jacobo Rispa with Tristan Ulloa and Pablo Echarri .

Atmospheric but not good enough.

[insomniac_rod · 5/10 · 23 April 2010]

I love Spanish Horror. I watched "Tuno Negro" for the first time in 2002 and I remembered it (as of 2010) as a mediocre slasher that has only a few good things.

For instance, the atmosphere is solid. The settings are great. Salamanca never felt that threatening and dark. The cinematography and art direction deserve kudos.

The problem is the lousy plot that deals with a Spanish tradition that goes wrong on a specific day because a killer on the loose decides to well, kill young people.

The acting is mediocre and so does the pace. The gore is only decent but not enough to keep you interested on it.

I'd only recommend it for those who can take anything from the slasher sub-genre. Otherwise, skip it.

Just slightly above average, but worth a look for the horror fan

[Alex Klotz · 7/10 · 19 March 2003]

Like `El arte de Morir', this is a Spanish example of the teen slasher pic, that has some original ideas, but isn't as good as the efforts of other Spanish directors in horror film making, like Amenabar's `Tesis', de la Iglesia's `Dia de la bestia' or del Toro's marvelous `Devil's Backbone'. Still it is a lot better than the boring and predictable `I know what you did last summer', which had nothing, absolutely nothing new or inventive to it. The story tells of a secret society of serenade singers, and, guess what, lots of students are being killed. One of the highlights of `Tuno Negro' is the impressive setting at the university of Salamanca, a location that gives the film a slightly Gothic touch. Then there's the female lead: an interesting divergence from the usually dull well-behaved heroines in Slasher flicks; I liked Silke's acting a lot, although the version I've seen has been dubbed into German; can't say nothing about her original way of speaking that got criticized below. This is certainly not a masterpiece, but it's quite entertaining; I've seen much worse than that.

Scarching my head

[francoca · 3/10 · 29 July 2007]

I watch the movie, because I just had to see where it was going. Lucky me I saw it in Spanish, so I did not loose any translation. I have seen each and every one of those actors in some other movie, but can remember where.

About half way though the movie, Alexis Valdez comes out from under the bed of Alex and try to assault her................. I am 7/8 thru the movie,and I can not figure out what was that all about. I keep thinking is Alexis Valdez el Tuno Negro and he will be discover at the end? I do not see the connection of this 5 minute seen. I can only think it is a cheap filler, they need kill some time as well as kill students.

Nescientia necat

[pumaye · 8/10 · 3 July 2004]

Very good Spanish slasher movie, with an interesting and darkly humorous idea (a slashing minstrel going from one university to another each year, killing the worst students, cutting the bad seeds of society).

Only slightly different from his american models (the plethora of college slashing films), Tuno negro is a very good addiction to the genre, with several good death scenes, many talented actors and actresses (the lead cutie is a sort of Spanish clone of Katie Beckinsale), good musical score. All in all, a good way to spend 100 minutes, far better than many of his similar from the States.

A decent campus thriller.

[tenten76 · 7/10 · 26 August 2002]

This film is much more mainstream (and less 'Spanish') than anything by Almodovar, or Guillermo del Toro, but there are a few latin moments which shine through.

The acting is fine.. the dialogue is occasionally very, very funny.. a few scenes are hilarious (and I mean that in a good way). The baddie looks cool, the women are gorgeous, and the men are all great characters.

I got a bit confused at the explanation towards the end (it didn't seem to be relevant?), but that may just be because I was desperate for the bathroom and couldn't concentrate. As mentioned by someone else, the soundtrack is pretty good - and overall, I think this film deserves a higher mark than it's getting. It's easily as good as "I Know What You Did.." or "Urban Legend".

Very decent Spanish slasher movie/giallo

[lazarillo · 23 March 2008]

This is an interesting movie. On one hand it is kind of slick Hollywood-style slasher movie involving an ultra-modern killer who stalks his prey in internet chat rooms and posts his murders on the internet. On the other hand it is enjoyably atmospheric and highly stylized, resembling the much more interesting (to my mind) early 80's slasher movies or the Italian gialli(many of which, people tend to forget, were Spanish co-productions). It has a great setting--the University of Salamanca, one of the oldest and most storied universities in the world. The high-tech slasher operates against this almost medieval background. He calls himself the "Dark Minstrel", connecting himself to a legendary (albeit fictional) group of poor student minstrels who took it upon themselves in earlier times to weed out the most undeserving upper-class underachievers. Like his brethren, the dark minstrel targets students who cheat or have bad grades--his motto: "la ignorancia mata" (ignorance kills).

The plot of this movie is actually pretty good, and those who claim it doesn't hold together really need to watch it again. The revelation of the killer is pretty surprising and is NOT a cheat if you are paying close attention. It's definitely as violent as your average giallo or slasher movie. The victims look pretty long-in-the-tooth to be college students, especially the most recognizable actress, Maribel Verdu (of "Y tu Mama Tambien" fame), but they are no less likable or any more stereotypical than your average slasher movie cast. The lead is a smoking hot German actress, who goes only by the name of "Silke". She's pretty decent and has a nice nude scene, something that is usually missing in most modern-day Hollywood movies (that may sound like a sexist thing for me to say, but the day they start casting remotely average-looking women in these things, based on their acting talent rather than their physical attributes, I'll stop complaining when they don't take their clothes off).

This is pretty decent movie overall, and I'd recommend it to anybody, but especially giallo and slasher movie fans.

as average as can be

[diztorted · 6/10 · 8 August 2001]

Well, supposedly spanish filmmakers are trying to avoid the "american" way of making films, well I guess they missed the point here. Because this film follows exactly all the elements that make american horror films what they are, one minute thrills with some exceptions. The film is rather predictable, the dialogue is awfully ridiculous,but the sex scene was somewhat interesting. The acting on the other hand was not that bad, Fele Martinez once again shows that he is one of the best young actors working in Spain these days, and even though he looks too old for being in college Jorge Sanz does a good job also. The soundtrack of the film is one of the few good elements the film has, and well...the last 15 minutes of the film are flooded by certain touch of dark humor that brings up all that was lost by the first one hour and a half. At the end, what I have to say about Tuno Negro is that, is totally forgettable, but you might as well have a not so bad time if you go see it. It´s up to you.

Urban Legend en espanol

[BandSAboutMovies · 6/10 · 28 January 2024]

Black Serenade sits at the center of what is a slasher and what is giallo. It's also the name of the masked killer in this film, who has embraced the legend of the Black Tuno, a monstrous being that punishes the stupid. Whoever they are, they have taken that even further and are killing students that cheat or don't belong in some of Spain's most well-known colleges.

Thanks to the Villains wiki, I learned that the Tuna is a Spanish fraternity that started when poor students couldn't afford an education. To get in, they sang and played songs, which made them famous. Soon, rich students who could afford to get in were joining just to be popular and were taking money from people who really deserved it. The Black Tunos killed every one of these false Tunos and as a result were hunted by the Spanish Inquisition. They escaped by creating a secret passageway at the University of Salamanca's Chapel of Students.

Whoever this killer is, they look incredible, like a giallo villain designed by a Japanese manga artist. They also have a strict code of honor, respecting those they believe are as intelligent as they are, but being brutal to anyone they feel are mentally inferior.

Directed and written by Pedro L. Barbero and Vicente J. Martín, this feels like a Spanish cover of Urban Legend but I didn't see that as a bad thing. Álex (Silke Hornillos), Trucha (Patxi Freytez), Edu (Jorge Sanz) and Michelle (Rebeca Cobos) are four students who are trying to learn who the killer - also known as the Dark Minstrel - could be and eventually getting threatening text messages from them. Meanwhile, as new murders happen one year after another series of killings, Detective Victor (Fele Martínez) takes on the case.

There are some wild scenes in here, like a drug dealing thinking his blood has become animated as the drugs kick in and he bleeds to death and a series of carvings that point to how the original Black Tuna escaped, symbols that start showing up everywhere the killer appears. There's also a scene where a cop kills a whole bunch of people in similar costumes to the killer, proving that the giallo police in every country should be defunded and the way that Dr. Loomis wildly shot up Haddonfield have been studied by slasher police departments all over the world.

Lightweight slasher flick fun

[David_Niemann · 8/10 · 27 August 2003]

Alex has just arrived at university and before you can say ‘slacking off on studies' someone is hacking up students. But who would ever want to harm a university student? Well it seems as if someone in a Black Minstrel costume has a serious problem with the students, as who ever is underneath that costume is killing students at the university. Alex starts to think she might be on to the killer, but could her detective work make her the next victim?

I found myself really enjoying this slasher flick. I never found myself terribly scared but I was entertained nevertheless. If taken seriously, this film will disappoint. But if taken as the lightweight entertainment that it is, you'll probably have a good night in. This is one of those horror movies that fairs better when watched with a group of friends. You can all try to predict who the killer is; it's great fun! There are a few frights here and there but nothing to really scare you.

Technically the film is kind of average to good. The soundtrack is efficient but hardly noteworthy. The cinematography does what it has to. The horror effects are good, but the computer graphics look cheap and nasty. At least the setting of the university is beautiful.

The acting is competent from the main characters. The lead character of Alejandra (Alex), played by Silke Klein, does a good job but is sometimes lacking in emotion that some scenes require.

Recommended to horror fans looking to see a Spanish version of the teen hack ‘em up, or people who want to enjoy a good party movie.

8/10

Good, but tooooo predictable!

[GZahn · 7/10 · 9 June 2003]

Well... this movie is quite entertaining, a lot better than the usual "kill'em all and don't die" regular horror movie, but the problem (as with most movies alike) is that the end is soooo obvious... Also, the plot could be more consistent from the middle on... All in all, can be worth a look if it comes on TV...

User Rating Is WRONG,Excellent Film!!

[dscheers · 8/10 · 23 March 2002]

I saw this movie before "Avalon" at the Brussels Int.Festival of Fantasy,Thriller & SF-Film and liked it very much as the rest of the audience did! This is a fun movie with some serious undertones in it. Visually attractive,good plot,good looking young actors and some well-executed death-scenes(+ girls with beautiful breasts!!) Very entertaining,a must see for all horrorfans out there!

Surprisingly good slasher

[slayrrr666 · 9/10 · 1 January 2008]

"Black Serenade" is one of the best slashers in the genre.

**SPOILERS**

Arriving at a new school, Alejandra Alonso, (Silke) quickly meets up with college locals Eduardo, (Jorge Sanz) Trucha, (Paxti Frevtez) Alacrán, (Sergio Pazos) Marcial, (Javier Veiga) and Insulino, (Benjamin Seva) who all belong to a special group called the Dark Minstrels. As her roommate Michelle, (Rebecca Cobos) helps her to get along with them, and they are told about the groups past origins. When the local police suddenly become aware of a group of slayings on the campus, several members of the friends are found to be involved in the proceedings, and are being targeted by a killer impersonating a member of the group's past that had committed a series of evil deeds. When the killer targets them to prove his wares, they try to put a stop to the reign of terror inflicted upon the school.

The Good News: This one was an incredible surprise, with a lot to like about it. The first one is the rather nice additions made to this one to give it a different feel. The chat-room connection is pretty nice, as well as the habit of broadcasting kills over the internet. Though it's become cliché, the later revelation of the incidents being done after the fact and played up as though live is a perfect gag, making them have a great feel and really comes off as a clever plot from an intimidating force. The back-story with the group is interesting and original, with a feeling that it's something that could hide a secret the way it does while also being something of a fun inclusion that isn't seen everywhere else. The film also has one of the greatest settings for a modern-feeling slasher, as the school-setting is spectacular. There's plenty of old columnar arches, stadiums and wide-open quads for this to have a Gothic style atmosphere. The big set-piece in the quad is the best example, although the spectacular church scenes also look marvelous. Even the shot of it on fire in the end is really great and gets an impressive visual out of it. The buildings are even better, with the stone surfaces and really great detailing in the sculptures really stands out and gives it a better look. When it becomes a slasher film, it's really at it's top points. The stalking scenes are done with the highest amount of class, and the one through the crowded city streets guided by a video broadcast is incredibly thrilling, the opening dorm stalking is really great and the autopsy sequence has plenty of chills in a creepy location. The ending, where well over a dozen get knocked off within a few minutes inside a single sequence that gets plenty of entertainment in. The other ones are good, but the ending is the real good part, containing plenty of action, a surprise revelation that comes as a complete surprise, lots of gore and some fantastic scenes. The deaths in here do get pretty graphic, with a nice amount of blood on the victim and splatter on the walls, giving off a brutal air that is quite nicely appreciated. The other thing that works in here is that there's a large amount of fun scenes in here than would normally occur in these kinds of films. The bathroom murder, which is actually taped, is one of the best ones due to what it's mistaken for, the background information sequences are rather great and the film actually gets watchable during the slow periods in the middle, as the different methods of trying to uncover the killer are interspersed with the normal school activities. The killer itself has plenty to like about it, as it's creepy, imposing and rather memorable, and coupled with the rather long, erotic sex scene, make this one watchable.

The Bad News: There isn't a whole lot wrong with this one at all. The fact that there's a large portion of the film that concentrates on setting up the mystery of the rationale for the killer, which leaves a lot of time where nothing much happens. Granted, they're fun and actually worthwhile viewing, but to some the complete focus on non-slashing is a little problem. Though the body count is pretty big, there's a period where it gets really light on that style and never really allows the film a lot of chances to do that. There's also the fact that the killer isn't that creative with the deaths, only really using a serrated knife to do the cutting. This is a little disappointing considering the amount that actually get killed in this one. Had it had a few more different varieties, this one could've had a little more appeal to it, but as it stands, this one is still really good.

The Final Verdict: This one here is a rather pleasant surprise for a slasher, being everything that the genre requires in spades and much more. It's highly recommended for those who enjoy a rather pleasant surprise with their slashers or for those who are hardcore fans to begin with, while not many would find this one fun at worst.

Rated R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language, Nudity and an extended sex scene