The Blade Cuts Deeper (2024)

   

Produced, Edited & Directed by: Gene Dolders

Written by: A.J. Ballard & Gene Dolders

Starring:


.... Abbott
Kristen Jaap .... Olivia
James Podmore ... Jackson
Lucy Renton .... Gill
Lindsay Bennett-Thompson .... Rita

Release Dates: Evansville Horror Con: March 2, 2025; B Beeside the Seeside Film Festival: May 10, 2025 (UK); Calgary Horror Con: June 15, 2025; Phantasmagoria Film Festival: August 5, 2025 (UK)

 

Rating:

 

An obnoxious filmmaker Abbott (John Tueart) isn't happy with his work on real crime films and is giving his people a hard time. Meanwhile there's a bloodthirsty killer on the loose doing away everyone one by one.

 

A rather confusing beginning to the flick as we have this person Abbott narrating a story on a fellow using a shot gun from a distance away and shooting a woman sitting on a bench which looked pointless to watch since this scene was overly long and not getting to the point so much.
However, there's a brainteaser as it was a film in a film in which Abbott discussed it to an audience so I was glad that this wasn't part of the flick as I found those moments pretty lame. The flick itself isn't so great so I will explain the situations.

After the screening he drives one of the actresses in his flick home whom is Olivia. Abbott gets very aggressive and arrogant about stuff as I had a feeling that this person is not the easiest to get along with.
Plus he doesn't fully drive her home as I thought he was such a dick especially leaving a woman in the dark where anything could happen. The camera takes on her leaves a hint that the killer is on her tail. What's suspsenseful is a car looks like it's about to charge towards her. This looked suspenseful but the scene like mentioned above seems to lag on.

When she makes it home as well as talking to her friend on the phone the killer is secretly stalking her in the home in which this looked frightening to watch and can please us horror fans. Yet her phone conversation is way too long and needed to be cut short.
What's also too long is that she faces her maker as it took too long within what to do. She looks upset for too long instead of escaping. I'm guessing that Dolders was doing time wasters as an excuse to fill in the times.

A good moment within what we see in the story is that the first slaying looks very intense and hard to watch which will please slasher fans big time.

Abbott pays a visit to the studio and being an obnoxious prick to others during their situations as you wish this person would get killed as well. The tensions looked strong.

Meanwhile in the studio building, there's a security guard not paying attention to the surveillance camera in which the killer is revealed there. She gets one of the new employees to check out on what is going on out there after what she spots later on. I was like whoooa he's probably going to be next for the killer's victims to do away.

Another employee checks up on someone only to find out that this person is dead with the killer showing her the corpse on a chair and I need to say that she doesn't scream in terror as that was what was needed. This looked lame to watch.

Eventually Abbott and the killer meet face to face as well as something happening which looked totally pointless and disappointing to the end of this story. Plus this scene drags big time like the rest of the scene's that were mentioned here.

Bottom line is that this flick seemed to be a bit unorganised and slow. Earned two bats for the dark and mysterious moments within what the killer is doing by stalking his victims. The flick can be easily forgotten nevertheless.

Some of the acting is good and some amateurish. Lead actor (Abbott) is the best out of the cast as he stole the show with his performance. Definetely lived to play an arrogant filmmaker and getting in people's faces. Certainly believeable as someone you wouldn't want to mess with and perfectly vulgar and crude too. Does a nice job with his menacing behavior along with cackling during the end of his performance too.

Kristen Jaap (Olivia) did a nice job in her role in which she seemed to have some positive energy and enthusiasm into everything that she did in her performance. Does well when having a discussion and so fourth. Plus has the nice looks which is a plus for being in a slasher flick.

James Podmore
(Jackson) was mediocre in his role as an employee at the studio. He wasn't terrible by all means but needed a little more enthusiasm into what he did here. Yet he reacts well to stuff as well as acting someone whom is laid back within whatever he did here.

Lucy Renton (Gill
) seemed to do a good job with her soft spoken attitude and seemed to really get into having a conversation in certain spots of her performance. Yet when she spots something deadly and reacting shocked it didn't come off well nor does she seem believeable while screaming in another spot.

Someone is bloodily shot.
Face is brutally stabbed.
Someone's intenstines are slashed out.
Eyes are stabbed.
Throat is bloodily slit.
Head is bloodied on the ground and then brutally slaughtered.
Some bloodsheds on other victims

AJ Ballard composed this piece and I must say he does a pretty good job during the start of the story by having a retro horror type sound. Almost having a cheesy retro feel to it. Yet it seems to overly play. However when the killer is stalking or suggested creepy moments he nails it well. Plus some wrapping sounds and heartbeats are included with what he does and is in good style too.