Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Slumber Party Massacre Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 17, 2022

1982’s “The Slumber Party Massacre” has a cult following, but it’s never been celebrated as a shining example of the slasher subgenre. It enjoyed popularity on home video (can’t beat that title) and spawned a few sequels, but it failed to become an iconic offering of horror, mostly due to the limited artistic reach of the original movie. And now there’s a remake, or a reimagining, with writer Suzanne Keilly (“Leprechaun Returns”) working to bring fresh perspective to an old premise, turning the tables on the male gaze with “Slumber Party Massacre,” which tries to provide a more female- centric take on the first film, which was already celebrated for delivering a smattering of feminist ideas. Unfortunately, the SyFy Original do-over is also decidedly comedic, with director Danishka Esterhazy (“The Banana Splits Movie”) turning a horror concept into high camp, playing most of the picture as silliness, which instantly eliminates any potential fear factor.

Dana (Hannah Gonera) has a protective mother in Trish (Schelaine Bennett), but she’s off on an adventure with her friends for the weekend, ready to have fun with Maeve (Frances Sholto-Douglas), Breanie (Alex McGregor), Ashley (Reze-Tiana Wessels), and Alix (Mila Rayne). The gang is making their way to a party destination, but car troubles sideline them in Holly Springs, forced to spend the night in a local cabin. Also joining the young women for the evening is Russ Thorn (Rob Van Vuuren), a madman who’s been stalking the area for decades, enjoying the process of taking innocent lives with his enormous power drill.

There’s a lot more to the “Slumber Party Massacre” story, but I’m not exactly sure what’s a spoiler with this material, which offers three distinct acts of violent encounters involving a small community of characters. There’s a traditional sense of stalk-and-slaughter involving a Holly Springs cabin gathering in 1983, and then the rest of the film works to disrupt expectations, offering Dana and her gang as 2021 superhero types, fueled by crime podcasts, ready to do something about the “Driller Killer” and his longstanding menace. There’s a supporting team of young men in a nearby cabin as well, and Keilly uses the guys to flip the script on slasher formula, making them the weak prey while the helmer studies their naked bodies intently.

Such a twist on genre expectations is fine, but “Slumber Party Massacre” enjoys pointing out its subversions, filling the dialogue with buzzwords, also underlining the phallic addition of the power drill on multiple occasions, doing away with subtext. What’s very unfortunate about the reheat is how goofy it chooses to be, working with silly characterizations and cartoonish performances, while Thorn’s rampage is mostly played for laughs (the screenplay for the 1982 picture was originally conceived as a parody of slasher cinema, which appears to be the ambition of the remake). The original certainly isn’t Shakespeare, but it tried to remain as suspenseful as possible. “Slumber Party Massacre” borders on obnoxiousness one too many times, with scariness missing from the endeavor.

Slumber Party Massacre Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation handles the moody cinematography of "The Slumber Party Massacre" satisfactorily, though artifacting is present at times. Detail is acceptable, offering textured looks at cabin exteriors and interiors, and skin specifics are defined, joined by occasional gore zone visits. Exteriors retain depth. Colors are compelling, boosted by primaries on costuming and greenery. Cooler tones are found during overnight chases and exploration. Skintones are natural. Delineation is adequate.

Slumber Party Massacre Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix delivers a forceful listening experience, with sharp dialogue exchanges throughout. Emotional activity is comfortably balanced, and panic never slips into distortion. Scoring cues are clear, including crisp, deep electropop cuts. Atmospherics are appreciable, and occasional panning effects liven up the listening event.

Slumber Party Massacre Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features director Danishka Esterhazy.

• Alternate Ending (1:36, HD) is more of an extended ending, making a subtle promise for a sequel.

• And a Trailer (1:31, HD) is included.

Slumber Party Massacre Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Slumber Party Massacre" isn't exactly ambitious, doing what many other self-referential horror movies have done. It points out sexist formula and tries to rework it for a Gen Z audience. There's enormous potential in such critical thinking when it comes to genre evolution, but to play it all as one big joke feels like the wrong choice, weakening the impact of the gender inequity it wants viewers to reconsider.