Hell Fest

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A group of twenty-somethings go to a horror-themed traveling amusement park called Hell Fest. There, they are stalked by a masked killer wearing a mask that several employees in the park use. This feels like a movie that was tailor-made for me to enjoy. As most people who know me already know, I love slasher movies. The park itself looks awesome, like something I would legitimately love to go to. The acting is solid, which is admittedly pretty rare when it comes to slasher movies. Bex Taylor-Klaus and Tony Todd (both of whom are genre veterans at this point) serve as the clear standouts in the cast. The movie's kills are deliciously gory and will absolutely please gore hounds. The killer, called the Other, has a look that could have come as goofy in the wrong hands. Director Gregory Plotkin and the actor (Stephen Conroy) actually make it so that the Other truly does work. Without giving anything away, I legitimately loved this movie's ending, and find to be the creepiest and most effective part of the movie. Plotkin also really shows a solid understanding of tension. Without giving too much away, I think the best example is a scene involving a guillotine. I'll admit I was a little bit worried when I found out he's the same guy who directed Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension. Thankfully, this movie is leaps and bounds better. However, there are flaws, and they are noticeable, First, the character development is thin, at best. Any problems the characters are going through are honestly pretty vague, and they never feel like they're fully defined. The characters are likable mostly due to the actors playing them. The story itself isn't particularly original either. This doesn't bother me because I don't watch slasher movies for their stories. Even if it doesn't bother me, I do feel it needs to be brought up. But, I don't need this movie to be groundbreaking. It's just good enough, and that's all I really needed. 

7 / 10