USA, 2011
Review:
JA Kerswell
Despite being another kids-whacked-in-a-cabin slasher, THE VICTORVILLE MASSACRE has a sense of playfulness and inventiveness missing from many similar micro-budgeted movies - let alone some larger budgeted fare. A serial killer is on the loose in Victorville, California and a group of young friends gathered at a house to celebrate Labor Day Weekend look to be destined to be the next victims of the killing spree. By no means perfect, the good outweighs the film’s shortcomings.
Matt (Kevin Brown) has invited a group of friends to join him at his new house - including his long-time crush Lisa (Jen Nikolaus). As might be expected, they have a history and it doesn’t take long for some past resentments to bubble to the surface. Whilst the group busy themselves with booze, hot tubs and banter they are initially too distracted to notice that someone in black, with a skull bandana mask, is bumping them off one-by-one.
Police officer Bailey (Chris Bailey) has been put on leave by the Chief (Frank Piciullo) after he was attacked and his partner (a cameo by writer/director Riley Wood) murdered after stumbling across the killer at a crime scene. Despite being currently off the force, Bailey continues to investigate the killings and discovers that most of the victims have been in the process of foreclosure on their homes. He tries to warn the partygoers but is rebuffed when he cannot prove his identity as a police officer.
On the discovery of the first of their friends’ bodies, the survivors begin to suspect each other and split into two groups. Meanwhile, the killer lurks outside …
As with most slashers at this budget, the acting in THE VICTORVILLE MASSACRE is variable; but it is to the cast’s credit that they genuinely do feel like a group of friends and frenemies. Purportedly a comedy, the comedic elements take a back seat to the thriller ones most of the time - although I did enjoy Sonja O’Hara as the ditzy Stephanie. The film has a unique quirk with almost every character having a flashback as they die - which helps piece the clues together to what is actually happening. The film also boasts a number of twists that caught me off guard. Again, given its budget, it is well shot. Although there is some sloppy editing that means it is not always clear if characters are dead or not. Overall, it is a fun time and doesn’t outstay its welcome at a breezy 73 minutes.
THE VICTORVILLE MASSACRE was filmed in California in 2009 and won the ‘Fan Favorite Feature’ award at 2011’s Big Bear Horror-Fi Festival before its belated 2013 release to DVD.
BODY COUNT 12:
Female 6 / Male 6
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