Hallows End (2003)

   
Directed by: John Keeyes

Written by: Chris Burdick

Starring:

Stephen Cloud .... Tom Sharp
Brandy Little .... Jill Tremaine
Amy Jo Hearron .... Kira Clemens
Amy Morris .... Heidi Campbell
Matt Moore .... Dan Miller
Scott Barrett .... Steve Johnston
Camille Chen .... Lily Moore
John F. Beach .... Gary Yeats

Release Date: Direct-to-Video: October 21, 2003

 

 
Rating:

 

A bunch of college students celebrate Hallows Eve at a nightclub and then eight of them decide to put up a funhouse to raise some money.
Then an ancient spell breaks loose when a book is placed in a box of props for the funhouse and hell breaks loose there as a bunch of vampires, witches and zombies break loose, turning eight of the students into similar creatures and they all try to escape this haunted house
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We spot a very rough beginning with hooded warlocks doing a cult ceremony and sacrifices as things seemed a little too dark to spot everything but there's some interesting horror violence that we see here but yet I've seen alot better and it's supposed to entertain you on what took place in the very beginning whuile we watch later on for what's happening in the story.
Then we have the college students getting ready to decorate the party out in the parking lot with their discussions as it looked slightly rough to watch them and what they are saying but it isn't extremely terrible just fairly bland.
Nice camera shots even if the scene looked dark on the head person Dan Miller being aggressive while instructing people on the whereablout of the funhouse and what to do which for sure doesn't make the students welcoming by how he deals with stuff as it grabs your attention for a little bit.
Yet a nice add into the story with Jill Tremane talking to Tom Sharp about not letting Dan push him around as all of this looked good and natural as well as him being in denial about what he's doing as this was well written in on a jerk belittling someone else.
Nice effective moment with Tom accidentally spilling a keg of been on Dan and he gets into a violent mood and acting obnoxious in which things looked intense the situations were a little rough and sloppy but it does remind you of bullies who go to the extreme within this making it look pretty intimidating.
A good moment on Dan driving with the other people and the woman next to him told him off and he demands an apology as this was a good psychological moment of peer pressure knowing this bully was in the wrong and doing a power trip on someone else as you keep watching and wondering if she will give in or not. This was another good add on compared to the bad storyline in itself.
Then a horrific moment begins when someone is near his vehicle as we see a hook rising up in the air and plunging down which looked cheesy but not as trashy as we see in films as badly budgeted as this one.
There's too much of a focus on a lesbian love scene which takes up some time while we watch this and I'm thinking to myself to get on with it!!!!!
There's more situations that involves Dan getting obnoxious as well as Jill telling him off as well as Tom almost defending himself in which this was strongly put into the story and watchable comapred to the other dull moments into the story that we've so far seen already.
Things seem fun when Tom is putting on an act to introduce the customers going through the funhouse with mist and people in ghoulish costumes as it gives you the felling that you're in it yourself.
A good strong moment with the two lesbians Kira and Heidi having a deep discussion and one of them gets emotional and the other gets ticked at her in which this was an effective scene as well as Dan striking one of them in which you think to yourself while spotting this that he's gone too far.
While we carry on watching we wonder when the total horror starts and it does stir up as we spot a nice close up shot on a misty jack o lantern and someone in a pirate suit about to put out this object on Halloween almost being over and something deadly happens as well as the undead rising but when they rise from the ground it looks phony however things seem suspenseful enough when they attack as well as a good moment on someone coming back to make out with his girlfriend Lily Moore in a coffin which things are still and is supposed to keep you in suspense on what happens when he opens it and it does look impressive when she's a creature of the night trying to attack.
Nice struggling moments with Tom and his surviving friends between the ghouls and other freaks which there's some nice close up shots on them as alot of this had nice costumes for a no brainer budgeter such as this one. Plus there's situations on them figuring out on what to do which is on a half cooked effort and could've not lagged so much.
Then we have the confrontation by Jill with Tom which seemed cheesily done but worked in a fun type of fashion as well as peer pressure on him killing his boss Dan for doing the wicked deeds towards him and others as this was supposed to be a peer pressuing moment wondering if he will do so but it wasn't convincing enough.
Bottom line is that the film was close to being plotless mainly just about college kids hanging out at a funhouse and being terrorised by vampires. It is extremely slow and you wonder when it's going to pick up as it barely does focusing mainly on boring dialogues but saves from bombing when the cheesy terror starts to happen. This was probably the most difficult film to review as I never fully got it and a forgettable one too. If you see this you'll get what I mean. Chris Burdick was terribly lazy while writing this piece as it seemed that he had nothing better to do but try to write something and seemed terribly inexperienced with it all. This is very sad folks plus the lighting in it is terrible too.

The acting is quite bad but there's a few acceptances he such as Stephen Cloud (Tom Sharp) shows off his softy boy next door attitude and seemed to come across passively as he was supposed to have been. Was decent within his speaking as well he did well using his character voice while entertaining people in a funhouse as this offers a good charm. He was a bit stiff in some parts like when he gets fed up of being pushed around and tells his onscreen girlfriend on what he's going to do. Yet shows off some okay energy when the terror strikes.
Brandy Little (Jill Tremaine) was fairly sharp in her role as a brave one who speaks her mind and acts tough whenver she needed to behave like that showing a no bullshit attitude. Also shows a nice caring attitude and does well talking to others in which she almost comes off naturally while doing all of this. Seemed to almost show a good versatality when she gets wicked revealing her true idtentity cackling or speaking wickedly and powerful but she gets a little carried away while doing so.
Amy Jo Hearron (Kira Clemens) seemed to do fair with her assertive behavior as a lesbian by acting short as well as strong with her personality. Plus does well getting blunt and aggressive which seemed to be dead on. However when she turns into a zombie she's a bit amateurish attacking other and didn't seem to always get into the mode. At times it shows she has turned but barely enough to be a convincing one in general.
Amy Morris (Heidi Campbell) seemed to be the best out of the whole cast playing the emotional and timid lesbian lover in which she offers a good sobbing attitude being confused about stuff as well as doing well by being freaked out about the terrors that happen and showing off some good energy within all of this. She was a worthy character actress.
Matt Moore (Dan Miller) tried to stand out playing a bad ass drunk but is a little off and over the top with his obnoxious behavior and getting in your face but he does proive worthy as a total all round asshole. He does well with his pushing around and so fourth as well as his nasty expressions too. Yet when he takes a swing at someone it looked rather sloppy and needed alot more energy to make this moment convincing.
Camille Chen
(Lily Moore) seemed a little witty as a horny student in the film so I will remember her a bit as she shows off a good bubbly and smooth talking attitude. Also does well acting flirtatious and adding some spunk and charisma into whateve she did in the film. Plus showed great energy while trying to attack someone when she becomes a creature of the night.
John F. Beach (Gary Yeats) draws into the story in an average fashion as someone who likes to have fun and getting the party going. Shows off an okay freaked out attitude when the terror strikes him but seems to lose his touch a bit when yelling or trying to get away from the madness.

Some tit shots here and there mainly performed by Camille Chen with a wide shot on her lying naked in a coffin.

Legs are chopped off as well as other bloodied body parts in the prologue.
Hand is chomped off by a jack o lantern.
We have some biting and blood too.

David Rosenblad has such dull synthesizer playing trying to make it sound good for the creepy moments but really doesn't try hard enough especially for the beginning with the heavy drumbeats and clashing as it sounds like a big wracket. There's some groovy sounds mixed with techno playing for when everyone prepares for the Halloween party but yet it doesn't do well for my tastes but maybe for others in the younger generation. Yet things are a bit better when we hear heartbeats and scratchier sounds when the terror is about to happen with someone hiding and ready to attack as well as some effective breathing and hissing sounds but at times it sounds a bit rough at the same time. There's low synthesizer sounds too which seemed just mediocre as well as mild chanting which is bearable to hear.