Killer Reality

Slasher Trash with Panache?

Review: JA Kerswell

An in-name-only sequel to Jeff Fisher’s own slasher comedy KILLER MOVIE (2008), this makes more of the fakeness surrounding reality TV and shares its predecessors' whodunnit approach—but is largely a case of diminishing returns. Someone is bumping off the crew and contestants at a BACHELOR-style show shooting in Mexico. The violence is largely blunted by its Lifetime TV movie origins, but there is some fun to be had with its campy approach and occasionally sparkingly bitchy dialogue.
 
Hayley (Annie Ilonzeh) is hired as a last-minute replacement for a producer who has seemingly quit a reality TV show without notice (although we see her being attacked by a red hoodie-wearing assailant soon after the opening credits). On arrival at the location in Mexico, she meets a handsome man Ross (Parker Young) at the hotel bar. However, the next day she realises that he is the male contestant on a dating show where a group of women vie to become his girlfriend - which she is due to produce. She is also warned not to piss off the head producer Barbara (Lola Glaudini)​—who one of the crew describes as “the antichrist”. 
 
Hayley brushes off receiving flowers and a mixed message that says: “Let’s kill them on set!”. She is too preoccupied with Barbara’s rantings; who demands that the show is spiced up as ratings are plummeting. Despite being mutually attracted to Ross, Hayley agrees with him they have to keep their affair a secret until after filming has finished. However, when one of the contestants suddenly vanishes, she begins to suspect there is foul play afoot on set … 

In some kind of meta way, KILLER REALITY stays true to its small-screen reality roots. Whilst KILLER MOVIE was clearly shot with a theatrical release in mind, this follow-up is smaller in almost every way. The slasher angle largely takes a back seat until the last third of the movie. The violence is so mild that it could very possibly be played on small screen in the afternoon. But it is kind of fitting, given that the film is spoofing the bland quasi-reality of reality TV. Although the director is very well versed in that world, having worked in it for many years, this isn’t a full-on deconstruction in the way SCREAM (1996) was. This is far less ambitious; it is happy to settle for a mild ribbing of the inherent fakery of the medium. Similar to the very thing it is mildly spoofing, KILLER REALITY provides empty-calorie entertainment that will keep you amused for its duration but perhaps hungry for something a bit more substantial by the time the credits roll.

Where the film has the most fun is the bitchy interactions between the contestants fighting over the affections of Ross​—most of which are said to camera in true reality TV confessional style. One quips: “Does Tina have a drinking problem? Does a fat kid like cake?” Another, talking about a fellow contestant: “Underdog or just dog?” Again, whilst gently amusing, this​—like all elements of the movie​—could have been taken further. The killer’s motive is largely fitting, but I picked their identity the minute I saw them (and I’m not usually too good with that!). However, even the killer’s unmasking and climactic scenes feel unable to escape the limitations of the movie’s TV origins​—a format where, at least in modern times, quirkiness and originality is largely shunned and uniformity is everything. That’s a shame because TV movies in the 1970s and 1980s weren’t always so homogenised and the material here had the potential for some biting black comedy. Despite some fun performances​—especially by Glaudini​—the film never really lifts itself out of the mundane. It even​—outside of the climax​—fails to even replicate the fun chase sequences of the first film.
 
KILLER REALITY isn’t a true sequel, as such​—although a direct sequel was announced in 2010. No reference is made to the events in the previous movie. The one connection​—outside of the same director​—is the brief appearances of Cyia Batten and Maitland McConnell​—who appear as entirely different characters in each film. 
 
Like a diet soda version of KILLER MOVIE, KILLER REALITY is a perfectly entertaining 90 minutes but, unfortunately, lacks the sugar kick of a good popcorn slasher. 

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