Camp Dread (2014)

   

Produced, Written & Directed by:  Harrison Smith

Starring:

Eric Roberts .... Julian Barrett
Felissa Rose .... Rachel Steele
.... Adrienne
Alexander Mandell .... Matty
Kyle Patrick Brennan .... Jerry
.... Vinny
Gnomi Gre .... Missy
Ashley Summer .... Sarah
Montana Marks .... Katie
Joe Raffa .... Novak
Angel Sanchez .... Ming
Angel Valerio .... Calvin

Special Appearance:

Danielle Harris .... Sheriff Donlyn

Release Date: Direct-to-DVD: April 15, 2014

 

Rating:

 

The "Summer Camp" horror trilogy was one of the most popular franchises of the 1980s. However, the decade ended and so did director/writer Julian Barrett's (Eric Roberts) career. Now Barrett has a plan to resurrect "Summer Camp" in a modern reboot that entails using a reality show as its template and source of fundraising.
Should it succeed Barrett would once again be at the helm. Bringing together an eclectic group of young "contestants" as well as his former stars Rachel Steele (Felissa Rose) and John Hill (Brian Gallagher), Barrett seems to have put together a sure fire recipe for success.
Then people start dying. For real. And "elimination" takes on a whole new meaning as "Dead.tv" clearly shows the slasher film has grown up.

 

We have some interesting screen tests on contestants as to why they want to participate in the project as there's lots of cheesy responses to why they're doing this as well as a real attention grabber on one of them named Adrienne getting bitter about it all and really acting harsh which for sure looks cringing as someone you wouldn't care to know at all.
Plus there's many good camera takes on the summer camp which looked very similar to the set of Return to Sleepaway Camp as well as an incident with someone in the woods and then a sudden jumping moment on this person being attacked and killed. This looked well done and quite graphic too.

A good solid discussion between Julian Barrett and Sheriff Donlyn on his task at the summer camp as this draws in your attention pretty good on what they're talking about which adds a mysterious flavor to the story.
There's also a well focused discussion on Julian as well as a supporting character John Hill of the going ons plus their argumentive moments on stuff that they don't agree on which looked totally energised as well as John leaving and Rachel Steele getting offended by what he said. Plus some good cheesy one liners discussing their career's in the industry of the 80's since that was a nice touch since this film was a tribute to 80's horror.
we have a shot on John driving in his vehicle and eating something as well as him stopping his vehicle and crawling out dying of food poisoning which looked way too phony and set out. Seemed to almost pay a similar tribute to Sleepaway Camp 3: Teenage Wasteland.
Many cheesy discussions on Julian leading the contestant campers to their areas and what to do on their tasks which seemed a bit too obivous on their reactions to the things that they are talking about.
A nicely focused discussion with Rachel discussing in a canteen room as to what will be done in which there's good loud and sarcasitch reactions to some of the contestants which made the situations become truly annoying as to what they think of everything and not taking much of the stuff seriously too. Showed nice timing within what we spot here.
A perfect moment with one of the contestants jogging and then a perfect jumping shot on the mysterious killer ready to do him in which looked truly painful on what happens. Although there's close up camera shots it's hard to tell on what this killer is doing to this victim.
Nice effective moments on everyone by a campfire having sarcastic discussions as well as some of them mocking one another which looked incredibly effective to watch. Plus a good intimidating moment by one of them named Jerry getting obnoxious as you wonder if he'll get into a fight with one of them. Alot of the moments here looked truly energised and can be fairly memorable to watch.
A nice and powerful moment with a game both Jerry and Sarah play on a dock which is a battling game as this looked strong to watch as well as a near fight breaking out when one of them falls into the water and lunges out. This was a nice clue to wonder if one of these two are a suspect to the killings that are going on at the camp.
Perfect scene with Rachel discovering a corpse in a cabin as well as the mysterious killer pinning her down and spoilling some sort of toxic liquid on her as this looked brutally intense to watch all of this and nice close up shots on this. But yet later on the camera shots were a bit off later on when we discover the results towards all of this.
Perfect shot on one of the killers revealed looking up when he is slamming down a machette towards one of the contestants which looked good and brutal but once again when the graphic slayings on this victim is being revealed the camera is very much off on all of this.
Perfect serious discussions between both Matty and Adrienne on what is happening and what to do in order to survive as the scene's with them looked great to watch and their plans of action looking like the heroic type to try and survive.
Perfect slaughtering battles between Adrienne and Jerry by all that's happening like it's a true horror war game and their cheerings when they try to strugggle against one another with their deadly weapons in which this should please slasher fans a great deal.
Perfect final moments that involves Julian which looked deadly by what he does as this was cleverly put in to the surviving contestant as well as a bizarre situation in the final ending with Sheriff Donlyn as this was solidly put together.
Bottom line is that the film was on a decent budget for an indie flick but the story is a bit complicated to follow yet a tribute to the old school slashers which was fun to watch. At times it looked fairly clever and pretty screwed up with what we see here but alot of leaky holes too. Almost earned 3 bats but didn't quite make it however.

The acting is in fair taste for the most part as lead actor Eric Roberts (Julian Barrett) seemed to do his part in a fair fashion as he was good by acting business like with everyone which he stood out nicely within this. Also shows off a good cocky and arrogant attitude too in which he certainly came across as someone whom is convincingly greedy with his own business for sure. Also showed off a good deadly attitude near the end of his performance as this shined off perfectly well into the story.
Felissa Rose (Rachel Steele) was of course off in her performance as usual as she's trying too hard and of course is too over the top. She does however show a good bluntness by cussing at someone adding a different type of personality into all of that. Also tried to focus on talking to the contestants in which she came across okay as a camp counsellor but yet that was nothing to brag about either. Was intense with her screaming and upsetting emotions as well as doing okay by acting anxious when she is attacked which is about the only thing good in her performance.
(Adrienne) really stood out a great deal with her disturbed and tense type of attitude as she comes across believeably as someone whom is bitter and not to piss off just bring this to a great pace. Also showed good stern expressions and had a great sulky type of attitude too. Plus shows off a great energised behavior while telling someone off. Also shows a nice versatality when she is trying to struggle from the madness. Plus does great by acting insane with her battling and acting perfectly crazy with her laughter acting terrifically energetic.
Alexander Mandell (Matty) came across perfectly as a nerdy plump kid and seemed to study this part well to come across this way. Also does a good job in a nice serious fashion when the terrors start to happen and acting perfectly heroic as one of the people trying to solve the killings. Plus does a great job shouting out when he's being attacked.
Kyle Patrick Brennan (Jerry) was one of the best in the cast as he for sure drew himself incredibly well as someone whom is obnoxious as well as violent within whatever he did. Certain came across as someone that you wouldn't want to mess with whether you were a guy or a gal. Did a good fast action performance with his battling and was right on the ball. Plus had the perfect mean guy type of looks too. I enjoyed everything that he did.
Gnomi Gre (Missy) had alot of spunk into her role in which she does a good job acting witty and sarcastic as well as having a good voice for acting like she's all of that. Got into the scene's incredibly well and was a true sport by what she did in the film. Had the right party girl type of appeal too.
Danielle Harris
(Sheriff Donlyn) was pretty sharp in her cameo role even if she was only in the beginning and in the end of the story. Was well alert with her actions and draws in a good seriousness when she's having a discussion and worked very hard within all of this making her part very clear and notcieable. Probably the best actress in the film.

Person's eye is stabbed out in the head with a shapr object
A leg is chopped off
Body is being devoured by some sort of toxic fuel
Many people are being butchered by a machette
Head is chopped off
Bloody stabbings
Hand is chopped off
Lots of violent bloodsheds

Alot of banging sounds and thumps too for alot of the jumping moments which is dead on. Also we hear the odd breathing and hissing noises too which is pretty good. Some screeching here and there. Also alot of good stomping too as well as good strong adventureous music sounding good and strong. There's the odd light mellow piano playing but this sounds too common in today's movies. Some good dark music in other spots though which works in well for a horror film. All of this was put together by John Avarese