After winning yet another war-game over their rivals, The Zero Boys and their girls decide to head out to the wilderness for a new adventure and celebrate their recent achievement. But they didn't plan on actually trying to survive the night from a couple of mountain man who have their sights set on them for a deadly game of cat-and-mouse. After what they discover about a deserted cabin and its surroundings, they realise that they aren't in a game no more.
I never had heard of this film before, but this B-grade, light-weight oddity is a cheap 'n' tasty horror-action hybrid, where "Deliverance" meets "Southern Comfort" and adds a whole lot of slasher elements to the meat of the plot. Simply it's a fun (well, in parts), small-scale cheese fest of the 80's gruel. I was expecting it to follow a comic book style of trend, but that facet doesn't last too long, as the blaze of glory comes down to earth when the torturous chaos occurs. What was going against it was that it decided that it would pose more often then actually deliver. "He said to tell you that we'd all die slowly". This sums up beautifully the stodgy pacing with a somewhat of a slow opening, where too little happens. There could've been a bit more senseless action. It begins with some exciting gung-ho antics, which breaks away from those roots for a slow burn pace when it hit's the woodlands and into horror territory with minor pockets of suspense and a survival mode. Don't be expecting gory deaths here, as it's pretty weak in that department. While, the tension was sorely lacking in large doses, at least it's quite an atmospheric and fearful piece because of the broodingly isolated woodlands and swampy terrain.
Direction by Nico Mastorakis is nicely handled and there's a certain self-control to the film's own limits. This doesn't disrupt the film's agility and unique spin though. He manages to incorporate some striking images because of the moody lighting, free flowing camera work and a score that has a gloriously kicking vibe. Technically the production was more than capable and just thinking, "what if they had a little more doe" could have gone a long way. The tight story is definitely offbeat and provides some unpredictable patterns amongst the many practical clichés. Too bad there are excessive acts that are never truly expended on (like the snuff element) and really they could have given the story more kick. Strangely enough, the killers here are quite average looking (look at the fashion sense!) when we finally see them after spending most of the time in the shadows. They just lack any sort of development, after touching on some interesting aspects in the way they torment their victims. You can't help but want to know more about what goes on. Anyhow what's the deal with the ending or should I say lack of one. Covering the bases is also a very cheesy and wisecracking script that's imbued with witty one-liners on other horror film references. Performances by the young group are not bad, but it's a vibrant Kelli Maroney (Night of the Comet & Chopping Mall) who's the pick of bunch. Look out for Joe Estevez, who plays one of the mysteriously wacko villains.
It can get rather plain and uneventful, but overall it can be a deadly, tight and quite simple offering that 80's B-grade enthusiasts would probably enjoy.
I never had heard of this film before, but this B-grade, light-weight oddity is a cheap 'n' tasty horror-action hybrid, where "Deliverance" meets "Southern Comfort" and adds a whole lot of slasher elements to the meat of the plot. Simply it's a fun (well, in parts), small-scale cheese fest of the 80's gruel. I was expecting it to follow a comic book style of trend, but that facet doesn't last too long, as the blaze of glory comes down to earth when the torturous chaos occurs. What was going against it was that it decided that it would pose more often then actually deliver. "He said to tell you that we'd all die slowly". This sums up beautifully the stodgy pacing with a somewhat of a slow opening, where too little happens. There could've been a bit more senseless action. It begins with some exciting gung-ho antics, which breaks away from those roots for a slow burn pace when it hit's the woodlands and into horror territory with minor pockets of suspense and a survival mode. Don't be expecting gory deaths here, as it's pretty weak in that department. While, the tension was sorely lacking in large doses, at least it's quite an atmospheric and fearful piece because of the broodingly isolated woodlands and swampy terrain.
Direction by Nico Mastorakis is nicely handled and there's a certain self-control to the film's own limits. This doesn't disrupt the film's agility and unique spin though. He manages to incorporate some striking images because of the moody lighting, free flowing camera work and a score that has a gloriously kicking vibe. Technically the production was more than capable and just thinking, "what if they had a little more doe" could have gone a long way. The tight story is definitely offbeat and provides some unpredictable patterns amongst the many practical clichés. Too bad there are excessive acts that are never truly expended on (like the snuff element) and really they could have given the story more kick. Strangely enough, the killers here are quite average looking (look at the fashion sense!) when we finally see them after spending most of the time in the shadows. They just lack any sort of development, after touching on some interesting aspects in the way they torment their victims. You can't help but want to know more about what goes on. Anyhow what's the deal with the ending or should I say lack of one. Covering the bases is also a very cheesy and wisecracking script that's imbued with witty one-liners on other horror film references. Performances by the young group are not bad, but it's a vibrant Kelli Maroney (Night of the Comet & Chopping Mall) who's the pick of bunch. Look out for Joe Estevez, who plays one of the mysteriously wacko villains.
It can get rather plain and uneventful, but overall it can be a deadly, tight and quite simple offering that 80's B-grade enthusiasts would probably enjoy.