Director: Tim Connery
Year: 2019
Country: USA
Alternate Titles: N/A
Genre: Slasher
Plot:
Following a rough day in his life, a teenaged metal fan gets a second shot at redemption when the bands’ chosen replacement gets murdered at a concert by a vicious priest deformed by toxic waste and slaughtering people at the show, forcing him to find a way to stop his misguided rampage.
Review:
There was a lot to like with this one. Among the more engaging aspects here is the central storyline involving the film being likable and relatable despite focusing on the world of religious topics and extreme music. While the common perception here about the connection between religion and extreme metal will require the film to focus on rebellious, satanic youth blaspheming anything and everything related to the church, the fact that this one goes out of the way to introduce the group as just fans of the music and present the religious priest as the insane fanatic overly devoted to his cause. That the misguided notion of perceiving everyone around him as abandoning God’s will and turning the rampage into a mission statement against the sinners and non-religious after the accident makes for a rather fun time here.
That fun also leads into the films’ nicely staged horror scenes which are rather fun in a cheesy low-budget manner. The opening rampages against the truck driver who picks him up and then going back to the friends’ house where he massacres everyone there manages to start this off on a fun note and sets the stage for the big massacre at the concert. With the area obscured enough by people uncaring about the whole affair, too stuck into the music to notice or even drugged out to the point of not bothering to notice, this section of the film is quite enjoyable with all sorts of mayhem coming together with a fantastic escape to the club out into the church which also has the fun of the killer’s appearance as well as some great gore to have a lot to like with it.
The film does have a few minor issues with it. The main factor here is that it spends so much time on the build-up involving the break-up and the gig at the festival that it barely makes time for the killer’s motivations and backstory. The whole idea of how he transforms into a murderous being just with the toxic waste warping his perspective on the religious debauchery comes off as highly underwhelming since very little time has been given to the rampage. A stock villainous attitude to the sin and debauchery in the town that is so overplayed and stock that it doesn’t register as being that original or practical anyway so the whole thing is just never developed or given any time at all. Alongside the low-budget style appearance, there are some factors here that bring this one down.
Overview: ***.5/5
With only a few minor flaws and some rather enjoyable features, this one comes off quite a bit better than expected which keeps this rather fun for what it is. those that appreciate the mixing of metal and horror or have an enjoyment from this kind of indie genre effort will have a lot to like here while those who don't like the style or approach here should heed caution.
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