D. CHAD ARCHIVALD and PHILLIP CARRIER
TROMA DVD
HD
This little indie production picked up by Troma turned out to be a surprise. For the first forty or so minutes it truly sucks, then something strange happens. Against all odds it begins to actually work and is very enjoyable for the next 35 to 40 minutes. Then the ending sucks again. But with all that said it is worth a curiosity viewing. It might even work better if watched with a group of rowdy horror fans.
The story revolves around a small group of people all of whom wake up mysteriously in someone's apartment. It is supposed to be something more nefarious, but it is clearly just someone's apartment. Still a very David Lynch set up as these strangers realize they are trapped and try to figure out why. Seems all of them pulled some wrong shit in the recent past and this is some sort of punishment. The first half of the movie is taken up with the bickering and accusations among the group and not a one of them is interesting, likable or even a capable actor. Then another element is introduced to the film, the apartment/house has these demonic figures roaming around dressed in savage, Zulu-esque attire complete with huge freaky home-made masks. Suddenly and without warning the movie becomes a fairly effective stalker picture with some splashy gore. These figures are imposing and even a little frightening. I can recommend this part of the movie.
Then the ending reveals what is going on and momentarily it becomes THE TRUMAN SHOW for the indie no budget horror crowd. All I can say about that is that it beat CABIN IN THE WOODS to the punch by a couple of years (or did it considering CABIN sat on a shelf for a couple of years?).
This is the typical TROMA DVD with a useless and annoying intro by Lloyd Kaufman, who is now just poorly dubbing over old intros putting it off as a joke and not that they company has become that low rent.
It is a middling affair but worth a cursory look.
Review © Andy Copp
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