Bambi: The Reckoning
– (2025) – A mutated deer seeks revenge against the humans who killed his mother. A noisy undertaking that promotes volume over plot while never focusing on any character worthy enough to string any of the lame CGI mayhem together. Monster activity does occur, but concerns for the targets don’t exist. Short, but this bust, as well as the slew of other “twisted childhood” trainwrecks, can’t disappear soon enough.
The Other (2025)
– (2025) – A couple that adopts a mute girl with a troubled past experience the dark chaos she brings with her. Takes a while to figure out what’s going on, but patience is ultimately rewarded while the story takes us through some truly bonkers phases. The characters aren’t the most well-drawn, but they’re realistic enough to keep the horror aspects somewhat believable. Few will find this suspenseful, but it sure is intriguing.
Weapons
– (2025) – After seventeen students go missing from one classroom, individual members of their community are explored to sort out the mystery. Works best in the early stages when elaborate characters take the spotlight over the intriguing plot. Once the story hits its stride, however, the weight of humanity is cast aside for fun, batshit crazy progressions. Always absorbing and unpredictable, but emotional investments are ultimately lost when asking: what exactly is the point?
28 Years Later
– (2025) – Survivors of a zombie outbreak travel from an island to the mainland to hunt mutants. There’s barely enough of a plot to consider this a narrative film, as the only conflict is self-inflicted. The basic gist is this: characters become the prey of monsters by unwisely tormenting them. Eventually, the erratic action all comes down to philosophical ramblings. An unabsorbing dud.
Killing Ground
– (2016) – A couple goes camping in terrain where another couple was killed but their toddler was left alive. Goes back and forth between what happened and what’s happening, but irritates in either timeline. A dull, joyless, and nihilistic experience that reiterates depressing themes without a single mark if ingenuity. Tries so hard to disturb that it forgets that every moment has been done before.
Mutilator 2
– (2023) – Cast and crew members are picked off by an unknown aggressor while filming a remake of The Mutilator. Matches the dramatic campiness of the first film, but doesn’t hold a candle to the former’s relentless gore. There’s certainly violence, especially toward the end, but nothing as excruciatingly vicious as what’s come before. When all is said and done, there’s really no need for this film’s existence, but there are worse ways to rehash old memories.
– (1984) – A nerd is tricked into a vat of toxic waste and mutates into a monster superhero. Will never win awards for production or acting, but has more shock value than movies that run twice its length. A utopia of violent, low budget cheese.
– (1985) – Shipwreck survivors happen upon an island where they’re attacked by doll-like creatures. Follows a droll pattern of watching characters wander before they’re assaulted, but a few dumb events and dumber lines of dialog help maintain attention. Repetitive, to say the least, but does amuse in spots of foolishness.
– (2011) – A vigilante who once killed the wrong person hunts for the culprit who’s murdering fathers. Tries hard to offend through religion, rape, and self-mutilation, but is too dull to warrant any concern. The gimmick of having been shot in the ’80s simply doesn’t work, as this is clearly drivel of the ’10s.
Wrong Turn 2: Dead End
– (2007) – A survival reality show turns grisly when contestants are attacked by mutant hillbillies. A vast improvement over the stale original that packs in plenty of gore, surprises, and likable characters. Imperfect, but gets the gory job done.
Crocodile (1979)
– (1979) – Ensuing a massive hurricane, a giant crocodile attacks a small river community. The moments of ridiculousness and bloody mayhem are okay, but the bulk is insatiably dull. Borrows heavily from Jaws, but can’t mimic an ounce of suspense.
Day of the Dead: Bloodline
– (2018) – Soldiers and scientists contend with the undead above and below ground. Just another zombie movie, only with a ridiculous subplot of jealousy over a foul mouthed girl and a wide mouthed corpse. Pretty unnecessary on all counts, but does help one realize how much better the original is.
Black Demons
– (1991) – Some guy records a voodoo ritual that awakens six zombie slaves. The horror can’t compensate for the rotten dialog and acting, since there are only two decent kills throughout. A boring failure that ruins what could have been an intriguing venture.
Reunion Massacre
– (2014) – A young woman is invited to a high school reunion in an abandoned building where a masked killer lurks. It’s hard to classify this as an actual movie since nothing really happens throughout the incredibly long hour. Phones calls are made, decorations and put up, a sandwich is fixed, etc. There is a guy killing a couple of people, but his motive is as thin as one can get.
Psycho a Go-Go
– (1965) – Robbers who dump their stash in a random vehicle track down the family of said vehicle. An abominable waste of time with a sad story, pathetic characters, and a nauseously repetitive score. Perhaps intelligent for twenty seconds.