A slasher film that's a cut above the rest

Rating: 8/10 (11 July 2005)

Horror is not my preferred theme in cinema so it's no surprise that ten years have passed before I decided to have a look at this blood-bath of a film.
It's about a masked serial killer who decimates a group of high school students knocking them off one at at a time while they party around a television set watching horror films. There's a lot of running and chasing and locking of doors and threatening with up-raised daggers. All this action is scary at first but eventually you get used to it and take it in your stride.
The opening scene in which Drew Barrymore alone in her home at night answers the phone to an unknown caller is quite frightening as he whispers instructions in a threatening tone. This sets the mood of the terror that is to follow. We learn that it is inadvisable to venture outside on a dark night or neighbours could find your gutted body strung up in the nearest tree next morning! There is another scene which I found very scary. One of the girls finds herself locked in a garage with the masked killer and there appears to be no means of escape. Suddenly she sees the doggy door at the bottom of the roller door and she attempts to squeeze her slim body through the opening. When her hips gets stuck, the killer activates the roller door and her dangling body is drawn up with the door. Horrible to behold! There is a lot of realistic blood-letting in this movie and characters are drenched in gore. This is as it should be. Not like most movies where a thrust of a dagger leaves not much more than a relatively tiny stain on the clothing.
I'm surprised that reviewers have not paid more attention to the character of Billy Looms. Admittedly Skeet Ulrich does little more than stare unrelentlessly into Sidney's face at very close quarters, but just watch his eyes and ask yourself could you trust this character. He convinced me that it is not necessary to shout and scream and threaten with a knife to create a tense scene. Just a smouldering eye contact well-done can send shivers down your spine. And Skeet is a master of this technique.
As I said, horror films are not for me. They are usually laughable. I have to admit though that this is one of the best.