Rating summary

Movie		1.5
Video		3.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		2.0

Killer Movie Blu-ray Movie Review

“What greater truth is there than reality, even when it’s scripted?”

Reviewed by Dustin Somner November 5, 2009

Do you ever sit down to watch a slasher film and wonder when we’ll start witnessing new life in the stale genre? I’m not sure why, but far too many aspiring filmmakers turn to routine blood-soaked fair to make their big splash on the world. Perhaps it’s the acceptance of poor acting in low-budget horror, or the belief that ripping off pieces of every slasher film released over the past 10 years will somehow go unnoticed, but I’m continually let down by the lack of ingenuity on the part of these amateur directors. Such is the case with Killer Movie, which continues the trend of marginal storywriting, weak acting, and average production values. Released directly to the home entertainment market (a wise move on the part of the financing studio), the film was written and directed by Jeff Fisher, a long-time reality television writer/director/producer. Here’s hoping he returns to what he’s good at, and leaves filmmaking to those with a bit more creativity to offer.

She's no high schooler...

Hired as the director on a newly created reality television series about a small-town hockey team, Jake (Paul Wesley) travels to the shooting location immediately following a gruesome murder on the outskirts of town. Upon meeting with his producer (Cyia Batten), Jake discovers the show’s creators plan to take the series in a new direction, focusing on the recent murder rather than the likely success of the local hockey team. Despite his reservations, Jake goes along with the plan, beginning his own investigation into the motivations of the main suspects. Unfortunately, additional bodies begin turning up around the local high school, limiting the list of suspects he and his crew are able to interview. Before long, the mysterious killer suspects Jake and his crew are close to discovering his identity, turning his murderous eyes on anyone involved in the production of the television series.

Horror-comedy is difficult to pull off, but that doesn’t stop filmmakers from trying. If you’re reading this review, you’ve likely seen Wes Craven’s Scream trilogy and have a general idea how good the blending of genres can turn out. The scares must be effective, and the laughs should lighten the mood without destroying the tension. Killer Movie is a perfect example of how far a film can slide when the blend is not carefully balanced. From the opening scene, it’s abundantly clear there’s going to be a comical aspect to the production, but the implementation of the comedy is done in such a thrown together manner, that I quickly became confused and frustrated. The film itself plays out in a linear timeline, with events occurring in a sequential fashion. However, there are interview segments thrown in throughout the storyline, which blur the line between reality and fiction. A character will walk into a situation that leads to their demise, but before the scene plays out, the interview with that same character will speak to their intentions in the past tense. It’s no different than the typical reality television set-up where cast members step into a booth to discuss events that just took place. That’s all well and good in a reality show, but this is a film about a psychopathic murderer on the loose. When you begin to wonder if you’re watching a scripted horror television show about a crew coming together to film a horror television show, the entertaining aspects of the film are lost.

My other major complaint with the film is the lack of an interesting villain. I’d imagine most viewers will catch onto the identity of the serial killer within the first 10 minutes after he’s introduced. In fact, it’s so obvious that the tongue-in-cheek dialogue from this particular character will make you question whether writer/director Jeff Fisher intended us to know his identity far before the “big reveal”. Adding insult to injury, the killer’s motivation behind the slayings is so preposterous (when you consider the people that are dispatched throughout the film) that it will send you into subsequent fits of eye-rolling and head-shaking.

As if that’s not bad enough, get ready to witness every horror cliché from the past 20 years thrown in for good measure. Even right down to the ending (which I won’t spoil), it’s as if Fisher spent a week watching horror films, and ripped off every element he enjoyed during the writing of the screenplay. If only he’d watched some truly entertaining films to incorporate into his story from time to time.

As mentioned in the introduction to this review, the acting from the majority of the cast is pretty weak. Part of the blame should rest squarely on the shoulders of the script, which contains its fair share of forced dialogue, lame one-liners, and laughable verbal spats between actors, but at the end of the day, it’s up to the actors to elevate the film above a made-for-cable production. Unfortunately, the cast of television’s finest (in all seriousness, most of these actors are recognizable in cameo roles on television shows or bit parts in other films) turn in performances that demonstrate the cast is capable of either overacting or simply blending into the background.

I’d hate to leave you with the impression this is a complete waste of time (though it nearly is), so it’s important that I mention the one area where the film succeeds. If you’re into gore and/or brutal depictions of murder, there are a handful of clever scenes in the film that might make this worth watching. There’s nothing overly sadistic or visual, but the body count is high enough to ensure any gore-hound has their fix. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of blood and guts unless it furthers the plot in some way, so the addition of several gruesome scenes didn’t offer enough reason for me to revisit the film in the future.

Killer Movie Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in 1080p utilizing the AVC codec (at an average bitrate of 19Mbps), Killer Movie isn't one of the better Blu-rays I've encountered. Fine object detail is average at best, with a handful of scenes appearing noticeably worse than others. Facial textures blend together, fibers on clothing aren't well resolved, and character outlines are a touch on the hazy side. This is still far superior to a DVD, but the mere fact that I feel the need to include that statement should indicate the level of weakness in the clarity on the disc. Fairing slightly better, the color spectrum for the film is right in line with expectations, delivering a range of natural hues that only occasionally appear drab. Dipping back into the land of mediocrity, there are several nighttime scenes where black levels seem a bit murky, resulting in a lack of shadow detail throughout the background. Contrast is largely proficient, but I've most certainly witnessed better separation between bright and dark aspects of the dimly lit interior shots. Rounding things out on a high note, I never noticed the presence of edge enhancement, artifacts, or other digital anomalies, affording the transfer a slight uptick in the overall visual score.

Though this isn't demonstration worthy material, we still have an average presentation that should please fans of the film (if there are any).

Killer Movie Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Similar to the visual experience, the audio presentation is a mixed bag. The level of clarity in the various elements that comprise the audio mix is impressive, and the volume balance rarely had me reaching for the remote control. However, I was a bit disappointed in the front-heavy nature of the mix, which doesn't generate a high level of surround activity. This clearly isn't a budget-blowing Hollywood presentation, so we can't expect the same intense sound design that we'd find in the recent Friday the 13th remake, but slasher films need to deliver thrills with every decapitation, and that's the one area where Killer Movie doesn't entirely deliver. There's always a chance the mix lacked a high level of surround separation in the original source material, allowing at least a degree of forgiveness in the shortcomings of the lossless track, but if I'm generating a score based on the level of entertainment delivered by the disc, I'd have to summarize the experience as merely average.

Killer Movie Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Behind the Scenes of Killer Movie (480p, Dolby Digital 2.0, 13:15 min): Mostly consisting of interviews with the cast and director, this seems to be more of a marketing featurette that gives potential viewers an idea of what they can expect from the movie. If you've already wasted 90 minutes on the film, cut your losses and skip this supplement.

The only other extra included on the disc is a "restricted" trailer in standard definition.

Killer Movie Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Killer Movie is a production with little redeeming value. Whether you're a fan of the horror genre or not, the film never generates enough laughs or chills to justify multiple viewings. Considering the abundance of newly released films arriving on Blu-ray to coincide with Halloween, there are much better ways to spend your hard-earned cash. Rent this only as a last resort.