What?! Yet another neo-slasher that claims to be the real deal, a throwback to the 80's with the right amount of grittiness. I've seen that before, many many times. The biggest mistake filmmakers do when they want to do a retro-slasher (or retro-horror, whatever that will be....) is to put so much gore and splatter in that it's just looks like another modern horror film. Look at Hatchet 1 and 2 for example, how they bragged it would be like the old days - and still, they use graphic violence and special effects that NEVER would have showed up in a production from 1982. It's that dirty, sinful nostalgia in the works, fucked-up wannabe-nostalgia.
Not that I mind strong graphic violence. I love it. But if they're gonna go retro they need to to it the correct way. I'm a bit conservative when it comes to slashers. One of the few new slashers that actually managed to do this in quite a good way is Griff Furst's stylish Mask Maker. It delivers good entertainment and keeps the graphic stuff on the same level as the good old days. So what's up with Nobody Gets Out Alive then? Why this rant? Did it also manage to do it good? Yeah, I would say so. It's far from a perfect movie, and it once again made the biggest mistake only slasher films seems to do: make every character obnoxious assholes, so we don't give a shit when they die.
What's the deal with that? Doesn't director/screenwriter Jason Christopher want us to care about his victims? After some thinking (yeah, true story) this might be the meaning. Because the only one with some depth, some intelligence and reason for what he's doing is the killer himself, the madman with a sledgehammer! This time he's the father of a girl that gets killed in an accident involving drunk teenagers and years and years after he's still lurking in the woods, murdering morons coming there to camp, fuck and smoke weed. The first part, mostly involving the life and drama of the morons going to get killed feels less inspired and has a cheaper look, but when they finally get in the car and drives to the forest it gets better and suddenly we're treated to some good old-fashioned kills, mostly stabbings, a throat slit etc. It's gory and violent - especially towards the end - but still not spoofy like Hatchet.
Filmmaker Jason Christopher does a good work with the atmosphere and he's clearly a talented director working with a script that he could have worked on a little bit more. The main problem is the "kids" (who looks quite old) and how their characters are written. The acting is OK and even the "Stoned Robert Downey Jr"-wannabe Chris Ready comes out fine, even if I would have prefered a different take, further from Downey Jr, on his performance. Clint Howard makes a small cameo and he's good, but the best one is Brian Gallagher as Hunter Isth, the killer, where he goes from a mindless Jason-esque character to something a lot more human.
Nobody Gets Out Alive is also released under the titles Down The Road and Punishment, here in Sweden it's out on a very nice blu-ray. Shot on RED, it looks crispy and good - but it's first when it's getting darker and more moody the cinematography works excellent. Before that it's a bit too cheap-looking, to the degree it's a bit annoying.
I'm fond of this kind of generic slashers, especially if they dare to make a few changes in the usually so worn-out slasher dramaturgy. The director is talented and he's a guy I'm gonna follow and see what he's up to next.
Oh, I really need to be honest here... I didn't fully get the twist at the end. What's up with that? Tell me!
"But if they're gonna go retro they need to to it the correct way. I'm a bit conservative when it comes to slashers."
I´m going to trust your judgment here....I´m not too familiar with the slasher genre.
"What's the deal with that? Doesn't director/screenwriter Jason Christopher want us to care about his victims? After some thinking (yeah, true story) this might be the meaning. Because the only one with some depth, some intelligence and reason for what he's doing is the killer himself, the madman with a sledgehammer!"
Myabe that´s how he pitched it.....you know....."it´s like I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) but from the killers point of view....."
Movieboss: "Go on....I´m listening...."
"Shot on RED, it looks crispy and good - but it's first when it's getting darker and more moody the cinematography works excellent. Before that it's a bit too cheap-looking, to the degree it's a bit annoying."
When it comes digital filmmaking....you need a good DP and probably a good post production facility, I guess....have you seen Side by Side(2012) yet?
"Oh, I really need to be honest here... I didn't fully get the twist at the end. What's up with that? Tell me!"
Don´t know....haven´t seen it yet.....good review and thanks ninja.
Posted by: Megatron | February 24, 2013 at 17:08
thank you so much for reviewing the flick! I need to get a copy of this blu ray! We didn't get blu ray in the states! Thanks again mate!
Posted by: Jason Christopher | March 06, 2013 at 08:12
Jason, thanks for commenting! It's always nervous when the filmmaker finds the review you've written :) I was a bit skeptical in the beginning, but it grew a lot!
I might be able to get you a blu-ray. Should I?
Posted by: Fred Anderson | March 06, 2013 at 08:38