Director: Todd Sheets
Year: 2022
Country: USA
Alternate Titles: N/A
Genre: Slasher
Plot:
While dealing with his own personal problems, the host of a shock radio show becomes increasingly unnerved as a man claiming to be a savage serial killer continually calls into the show saying he’ll continue killing until he finishes a sadistic ritual and put him and his staff in danger.
Review:
There’s quite a lot to really like with this effort. Among the more impressive aspects of this one comes from the highly enjoyable setup that allows the two characters to play off each other incredibly well. The main characters that we follow throughout here, with the sleazy shock-jock host that’s going through numerous personal crises, that’s actively aggressive to callers and upsets everyone around him, and the serial killer who’s going around killing people while trying to make a call into his show in order to talk through is issues, sets the film off rather quickly. The two going back-and-forth here while trying to put their various viewpoints across as he believes the caller is just a nutjob looking for publicity. The conflicting nature of their conversations manages to bring about some fun times here and it’s all handled quite effectively.
That setup allows the film to come together quite nicely for a series of brutal and graphic kills that are rather fun. The fact that they’re being committed over the radio while he’s on the show gives this a different energy instead of the usual stalking and slashing that’s usually found here in the first half which features some wholly impressive torture setups unleashing tons of great gore. The second half here is quite fun with it turning into a more traditional slasher feature concerning the killer arriving at the studio and bringing about a series of impressive sequences involving the killer and a secondary psycho coming into play that changes things up in an unexpected manner. With some nice gore effects and some shocking elevations that come about, these aspects manage enough to hold it up over its problematic issues.
There aren’t too many flaws here but it does have some problems. The main drawback to be had here is the rather weird second half that comes off as quite unnatural and realistic with how the reactions to everything play out. The fact that a serial killer is openly butchering everyone in the studio with them in graphic and brutal means yet the reaction to everything going on doesn’t read as concerned for their lives but rather an annoyance. Everything that’s happening here is played as if there’s an inconvenience to be running through the studio trying to stay alive and it is slightly offputting that there’s not a more concerted effort here. As well, there’s some obviousness to be had in the low-budget effects work that takes place here which stands out somewhat, but overall there are not too many flaws here.
Overview: ****/5
A highly impressive slasher effort without too many issues that hold it back, this was a highly enjoyable effort that holds itself up quite nicely with a lot to like. Those who appreciate this kind of slasher effort or are fans of the creative crew while most others who don’t like this kind of approach should heed caution.
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