April Fool's Day

Plot synopsis:
On the weekend leading up to April Fools' Day, a group of college friends, consisting of Harvey, Nikki, Rob, Skip, Nan, Chaz, Kit and Arch, gather to celebrate spring break by spending the weekend at the island mansion of Skip's sister, Muffy St. John. The tone is set almost immediately, with Muffy preparing details around the house when she finds an old jack-in-the-box she remembers in a flashback sequence. Her friends, meanwhile, joke around on the pier while awaiting the ferry. En route to the island, as their antics become more boisterous, local deckhand Buck is seriously injured in a gruesome accident.
Once on the island, it turns out that Muffy has set up a variety of pranks throughout the mansion, ranging from simple gags such as a whoopee cushion and dribble glasses, to more complex and disturbing pranks, such as an audiotape of a baby crying in someone's room and heroin paraphernalia in a guest's wardrobe. In spite of this, the group try to relax, until Skip goes missing, and Kit catches a glimpse of what looks like his dead body. Soon, Arch and Nan also go missing. During a search for the pair, Nikki falls into the island's well, where she finds the severed heads of Skip and Arch, along with the dead body of Nan. The remaining group members then discover that the phone lines are dead and there is no way to get off the island until Monday.
One after another, members of the group either vanish or get killed before their bodies are found. After putting some clues together, Kit and Rob realize that everyone's earlier assumption is wrong; the kinsman of the deckhand injured when they arrived is a red herring. It also turns out that Muffy has a violently insane twin sister named Buffy, who has escaped. In fact, the "Muffy" they have been around since the first night was Buffy, pretending to be Muffy. They discover Muffy's severed head in the basement.
Buffy chases them with a curved butcher's knife, and the couple gets separated. Kit flees from Buffy by escaping into the living room where she finds everyone else there, alive and calmly waiting for her. It was all a joke, or more accurately, a dress rehearsal. It is revealed to the audience that the whole film was never a slasher film from the start, but rather pretending to be one. Muffy hopes to turn the mansion into a resort offering a weekend of staged horror. She even had a friend who does special effects and make-up in Hollywood help. Each "victim" agreed to take part as things were explained to them.
Everyone has a huge laugh and they break out lots of bottles of champagne. Later that night, a half-drunk Muffy goes to her room and finds a wrapped present on her bed. She unwraps it, and the present is the jack-in-the-box. Savoring the surprise, she turns the handle slowly and when "Jack" finally pops out, Nan, who knew Muffy from acting class, emerges from behind her and slits her throat with a razor. Muffy screams, but then realizes she is not really bleeding and that Nan used a trick razor and stage blood. The film ends with the jack-in-the-box winking at the audience.

Tags: revenge, murder, prank

Review:
I Know What You Did Last April's Fool Day. In the débutant ball of the socialite Torrance Caldwell (Scout Taylor-Compton) on April, 1st 2007, the jealous and futile millionaire Desiree Cartier (Taylor Cole) dilutes a powerful drug in the champagne of her dislikable acquaintance Milan Hastings (Sabrina Ann Aldridge) and her reckless brother Blaine Cartier (Josh Henderson) takes sexual advantage of Milan.
While gathered in the cemetery, they receive a package telling that each one of them would die until the end of the day if the responsible for the death of Milan does not assume the guilty.The association of "April's Fool Day" with the franchises "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and "Cruel Intentions" is immediate.
The acting was pretty bad for most of the supporting characters but I still am having a hard time figuring out if it's the actors fault or the directors.
I don't know where they got the idea to use some of the music but it ruined any little bit of suspense that they managed to build.This was one of the worse movies I have seen in a long time.
But because the ending was decent and the movie was somewhat entertaining, I give it 5/10.Ps. I love pretty much all slasher films that I've seen..
I got over my disgust that they were remaking one of my all-time favorite films and went into this one with a completely open mind -- I saw the trailer but I purposely didn't read a single thing about it.
I didn't think any film could be this bad.Strangely, there's a beautiful production design, and most of the actors are good (though the fact that everyone in the cast is model-pretty is a bit disconcerting).
After 20 minutes of getting to know the characters -- all of whom are wholly unlikable -- the story actually begins, and from that point on it becomes a routine I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER rip-off, sans the suspense, gore and intentional humor of that film.
The only thing lifted from the 1986 film is the title, a character with a videocamera (which had nothing to do with the plot itself in the original) and the theatrical twist ending -- though they tried to trump the twist here, which resulted in one of the most predictable and unintentionally hilarious moments in the history of film.This film feels like one of the clones that followed in the wake of SCREAM.
I don't know who the Butcher Brothers are but I suggest they quit making films and go back to making hamburger in the back room at Kroger!I mean this movie was bad!
I think I sprained my eyes from rolling them so much.All the stars of this junk looked like they were cast using rejected audition tapes stolen from the dumpster outside of the MTV studios.This movie is about as suspenseful as an episode of Mr. Rodger's Neighborhood and only about half as entertaining.I make a lot of fun of horror movies being made nowadays to satisfy fourteen year old girls.
This movie is a horrible waste of time.It's slow as molasses.It's directed like a soft core porn film you'd see after hours on Cinemax.
The characters are thinly drawn.You get very bored very early on.Not worth it.The plot:The new "April Fool's" revolves around a party given by two rich siblings for their friend.
I'm not exactly sure if I like this movie because I somewhat feel disappointed but at the same time satisfied at what I just watched.
The acting came off as "camp" but it was appropriate for the look, feel, and style of this movie.....camp is always fun to watch!
sure it's a bit corny at times, but there are some great scares and if you just want to have fun, this is a good movie to watch!
There was potential for it to be a lot better than it was but ultimately it is a movie that is probably only worth watching the once.The acting was generally fine, the budget was good and the premise was very good - naturally, since it was a remake (although I've not seen the original).
The script was pretty simple and easy to follow, perhaps overly so.The big issue with the movie is that none of the characters were particularly likable and because of that it was quite hard to become invested in caring about who lived and who died, which for a horror film is generally the most important thing.
It was 25 minutes into the film before we see the prank that resulted in Milan's (Sabrina Aldridge) tragic death.Now, it is a year later, and the fun begins.It was the dog Elsie that dies first.
If that doesn't say it all then I don't know what does.APRIL FOOL'S DAY is an appalling film, so cringeworthy, so awful that I can barely believe it exists.
The various kill scenes are silly indeed and the movie reaches a real nadir when it comes to the big twist at the climax, which is the most ridiculous, SCOOBY DOO-type thing I've ever seen.
I guess, if you start watching this movie and then think it a silly and tasteless slasher and turn it off before it ends you can get a completely wrong impression.
The end is twisted (2 times) and it is only then that we realize that the movie is not a slasher at all and why actually they used (and intentionally overused) that 'rich and beautiful' even trashy deco all the time.
The script was terrible.Not to mention this was the exact plot as I Know What You Did Last Summer, except it takes place on April's Fools Day rather than the Fourth of July.As I was watching it, I thought the film was decent, but then the ending came, and it was the most predictable ending ever.
April Fool's Day is one of the better remakes that I've seen in the past year.
One year later on their friend's anniversary, those Taylor Cole(WWE's upcoming 12 Rounds and Summerland), Josh Henderson(90210 and Step Up) and Scout Taylor Compton(Rob Zombie's Halloween and Wicked Little Things) and four of their friends who were involved with the accident, begin to die one by one at the hands of a mysterious killer.
When you are watching this movie, you get to see the characters wonder if it is really happening, or just a cruel April Fool's Day joke.
One year after the accidental death of pretty goody-two-shoes Milan, a group of friends find themselves targeted by a mysterious killer.You would think that, no matter how bad the film might be overall, there would be a certain level of satisfaction to be had from watching a bunch of spoilt, over-privileged, and thoroughly obnoxious, good-looking socialites being murdered; April Fool's Day '08 goes to prove otherwise.The latest dud to join a long list of recent awful horror remakes, this joyless and pointless effort from directors The Butcher Brothers (Mitchell Altieri and Phil Flores) keeps the whole 'it was all an elaborate hoax' element from the original, but ditches practically everything else.
I was actually one of the very few who thought that a remake to the classic 1986 version of this movie would be quite an interesting concept, and I thought that it would be interesting to see what an updated version would bring more ideas and a fresh outtake, but when I finally got round to viewing this I was sadly mistaken and wrong, and it's just as botched up as all the other bad remakes of 80's classic slashers that came about these last few years.Although the general idea remained the same, the storyline is completely different instead of an interesting group of teens gathering round a secluded beach house, we get a bunch of vapid and boring rich teens gather round for a party at a mansion for a birthday party on April 1st, where the characters constantly play pranks on each other until the prank goes tragically wrong and results in a death and the others gets away with it despite media coverage and a year passes and someone hasn't forgotten and is intent on revenge on the group.Right firstly I just didn't like the style of this movie, it has more of a teenage soap drama vibe to it and none of the characters are worth caring about or likable, and I was instantly bored even when the murders happen, well there was no tension at all, and the scene where the guy was getting chased by a car was just downright hilarious, I just couldn't stop laughing and plus the mystery was way too easily figured out and despite the killer's methods being fresh, it was just plain dull.
The only thing I found semi interesting was the ending, the twist upon twist was done quite okay, and it was just a shame that the rest of the movie was just rubbish.All in all "April Fool's Day '08" is just another terrible remake and better sticking with the original, even though that wasn't perfect, it was still better than this tripe..
, Lets talks about the original movie first as the plots are different.In the Original movie the film begins as a group of college friends gather to celebrate spring break spending the weekend at the island mansion of their friend, Muffy St. John (Foreman), on the weekend leading up to Aprill fools day The tone is set almost immediately with Muffy preparing details around the house, Her friends, meanwhile, are joking around on the pier, then on the ferry to the island.
I didn't care about this movie as I hated it, boring and waste of time, I would have gave it 3/10 now after seeing this remake I going to give it 6/10Now let talk about remake, This movie was more like I know what did last April fools day (is that great title or what ) anyway this plot is some-what different as Each April fool's Day, fabulously wealthy young Desiree Cartier hosts the most killer coming-out parties at her to-die-for southern mansion.
(One death scene is on Screen) but then friends are no longer friends only for to find out Desiree was the one that spiked the girl drink that they killed year ago only then to find out that whole thing is one big prank.
The acting is really bad (Everyone in this movie good looking but still no nudity I would have rated little higher) I am going to give this movie a 4/10.
The group leader, Desiree, who used the incident to wrest control of the family trust from her brother, rushes from murder scene to murder scene, only to find the killer picks off one of her friends at a time.Except, of course, it's all an April Fool's Prank to get her to confess.The twist ending is that in demonstrating the "blanks" in the gun, a real bullet is inserted and kills Desiree.
If April Fool's Day 1986 were fed through a garbage disposable...the end result would be this movie.
This movie has nothing in common with the original "April Fool's Day" from 1986.
Although the acting isn't bad, the worst thing has yet to come: the so called "surprising ending" with a twist you did not see coming !!
"April Fool's Day" is an utterly terrible and nearly pointless slasher entry.**SPOILERS**At a special party, Torrence Caldwell, (Scout-Taylor Compton) finds that Desiree Cartier, (Taylor Cole) welcomes her into the society that friends Blaine Cartier, (Josh Henderson) Barbie, (Jennifer Siebel Newsom), Peter Welling, (Samuel Child) Milan Hastings, (Sabrina Aldride) Charles Lansford, (Joseph McKelheer) and Ryan, (Joe Egender) aren't that happy with, figuring it's merely a set-up for a cruel prank.
As it's filmed through the killer's viewpoint, it has a real hint of suspense to it as they wind their way through the surroundings up to the unsuspecting victim, the interactions set-up our feelings toward it quite easily as it's a proved suspense tactic, and then finally the way they're dispatched is quite shocking and ends the scene nicely.
Loose remake of the 1986 film starts at an April fool's day party where wealthy spoiled Desiree Cartier (Cole) has a prank backfire resulting in someone's death.
A year later the people responsible for the death are being hunted on April fool's day and meet ghastly ends.
Even with all the twists at the end, this movie fails to entertain or scare and the twists can be guessed pretty easily.
Not to be confused with the classic horror-comedy April Fool's Day from 1986, this turd takes the same name but does little similar except attempt to play increasingly unlikely and tasteless stunts in the name of April Fool's Day...which was a forced coincidence in this film and completely ridiculous.The movie's story revolves around a throng of extremely unlikable people.
Not only are they lacking in charisma, but they are lacking each in completely stereotypical ways; coupled with their clearly fake accents and embarrassingly overacted flimsy characterisations, it's a total joke from the beginning.The least likable one of all dies first, so at least you don't have to endure her terrible acting and embarrassingly stupid character pastiche for long, but the rest of the film is spent watching the obnoxious remainder of the cast not quite get killed off.
This film's flimsy script defies any real reason, as well as openly flaunts its first draft status.If you want to see an actual good film, watch the 1986 original April Fool's Day. It's a bittersweet film about life, humour, friends, and the end of one era and the beginning of another.
This new version of APRIL FOOL'S DAY is not really a remake of the 1986 original movie.
In common they just have the final twist and some other little details.I think this movie was more suspenseful than the original but it's even more clichéd!
Aside from the final twist, which was pretty original and unexpected (at least for me!), the first APRIL FOOL'S DAY was very clichéd about the way characters died and about other details of the plot, presenting us some typical clichés of the 80's Horror movies.
Yes, it seems to have the plot of "Last Summer" with the "Cruel Intentions" characters and message!So, originality, this film have none!
One minute and that's all it took to make of "April Fool's Day" one of the worst films I ever seen.A bunch of pretty and rich teenagers in a débutant party made by two brothers Blaine and Desiree (Josh Henderson and Taylor Cole) who wants to make a prank on Milan (Sabrina Aldridge) a girl hated by Desiree for reasons unknown.
But it turns out that the April Fool's prank resulted in the accidental death of Milan and one year later of that event all the group involved with it starts to receive threats of someone who wants them to confess Milan's murder.
And just like many other movies of the genre these teens are getting killed in awful ways (nothing is showed actually so a kid can watch this movie with no problem).I watched this movie as result of a simple mistake where I was switching TV channels and saw this movie description and I saw the name of Josh Henderson (which I didn't know who was) but in my mind I've read Josh Hutcherson (the boy from "Bridge to Terabithia") thinking "Oh if he's in the movie that might be a good movie to watch.
Well he wasn't in it (Lucky!) and it turned out to be a great disaster.The plot is obvious, the plot twist it's quite funny (Blaine's expression while getting shot was completely ridiculous and everybody knows that he was going play a prank on his sister) and the acting?
The beauty looks on everybody's face here was just a distractive thing, now if you wanna see acting in real horror movies go watch "The Exorcist" or "Saw" with the incredible Tobin Bell.
Death scenes are poorly portrayed, the acting is stinted to the point of most being mannequin-like (except perhaps Cole, who seems to give an OK performance), and I am not sure if there was any direction given more then "look here" and "say this line".The writing was pathetic, with badly worded phrases and cheesy lines.The girls are definitely cute, but it's not enough to make up for the rest of the movie.If you like "C" class horror movies that are more funny and ridiculous then scary, then try this one out for size..
The problem is you can't just focus on the twist at the end to make your movie work.
The rest of the movie was dull...They present it on the cover as a slasher, yet the fake kills are terribly bads and the "fake killer" is almost never seen and i dunno...
you just have the impression it drag and drag...Yes Taylor is acting good, and at the end somewhat you feel more sorry for her than the rest even tough she was the bad girls who made the prank which lead to her friends death at the beginning.
Should I feel cheated with a plot that steals the "best" from "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and "Cruel Intentions"?.Was this in the first place a Horror movie?
Expect a plot filled with teenager oriented situations, stupid decisions, dialogs, weak direction, lame acting, terrible motives for suspense, and worst of all, the fake gore.To be honest, I just kept watching because of Taylor Cole and Scout Taylor-Compton.
I watched this movie last night and I found it to be actually pretty good.I never saw the original movie back from like 1987.The movie is about a group of people who have a party celebrating someone coming into their rich circle of friends.
That's when hell ensues and people start dying...I thought it was a really good plot and I'll watch this movie again :).