One Night of Fear (2016) Reviews

• Fun little slasher movie

  roadrunner5702016-12-03

  I give this a good rating because I take it for what it is. Its a small, indie film in the horror/slasher genre. For what it was, I really enjoyed it. Jessica Sonneborn is one of Hollywood's best kept secrets. She is so beautiful and talented, I'm not sure why we haven't seen her on the big screen yet. The story moved along well, the gore and effects were well done and the photography was also well done for being low budget. The acting over all was decent and no horror actress can be tortured or killed any better than Mel Heflin. I've never seen an actress put her heart and soul into death scenes the way she does and it shows each time. So if you're expecting a new Halloween or Texas Chainsaw sized film, you probably won't care for this. If you enjoy indie horror and like seeing a group of actors having fun while making something really gory and crazy, then this is up your alley.

• Not the greatest, but I've definitely seen a lot worse

  rontbaker2016-12-02

  I am a huge fan of slasher flicks, so I liked some aspects of this movie. The story was a simple, 80's style throwback slasher with the things that 80's horror fans crave, boobs and blood. There was some cool flashback scenes scattered throughout, which established enough backstory for the killer without overdoing it. The acting was pretty good for the most part. Jimmy Dempster and Jessica Sonneborn both had some good chemistry with one another playing boyfriend and girlfriend, Rob and Katie. To be honest, I couldn't stand Suzi Lorraine's character Jaclyn until the second half when her chemistry with Sonneborn started to click. Russ Forga's park ranger Elmer wasn't terrible and gave some comic relief. Jason Sutton was somewhat convincing as the Killer, but in spots he seemed to lack intensity. If he had some more, it could have made him a more menacing tormentor to his potential victims. The use of practical makeup effects was pretty good for the most part. One piece of makeup was lackluster and I giggled to myself whenever I saw it. A lot of the film was shot using the floating camera gag, following the characters around their environment. This helped to tell the story, but I think they may have overused it. The pacing had a good speed to it, but in some instances, the edit seemed choppy. There were some technical issues periodically, but not enough to hurt the entertainment value. In the end, I would say it was a fun, bloody movie. The filmmakers did a good job with their limited production budget and I would like to see what they could do with a bigger budget next time out. I would recommend this one to any horror fan, especially if you are into slasher flicks.

• This house looks odd

  nogodnomasters2017-08-30

  People go missing in Ocala National Forest, most likely eaten by gators, so they create a tale to account for the missing people. This is a slasher film with many of features of a successful film, but low on the finishing touches. Elmer (Russ Forga) is a park ranger who never goes anywhere without his shoulder radio, except for maybe that one time. He goes to a vacant hose being used by people to avoid the killer (Jason Sutton) who naturally shows up. The killer's background is seen in a subplot of over-the-top flashbacks. I wanted to see everyone die, especially the guy who came up with the drone soundtrack. The killer lacked personality or imagination. Low budget. Bad acting and dialogue. Fighting looked fake. Guide: F-word, nudity

• How bad was this movie? Let me count the ways.

  ezra-521722017-01-25

  I'm a big fan of 80s slasher flicks. People being chased, killed, and cut up by a pathological, sociopathic killer is not a new theme. That basic story line can make for an interesting movie if it's well done. However, this movie misses on all four cylinders and then some. First, the acting is so horrible it's extremely hard to overlook. Jimmy Dempster as Rob, along with his sensitive ponytail, and Yasser Arifat beard are very unconvincing. He couldn't act his way out of wet paper bag. Jessica Sonneborn as Katie was descent, but I don't see her getting an Oscor nod anytime soon. Susie Lorraine as Jacklyn doesn't work in this world or the next. There's a reason why grade B & C actors remain in their second and third class acting roles. The only glimpse into why the killer kills mindlessly is childhood memories featuring some nut cup playing with tools. The movie seriously lacks cohesion, a purpose, and some sort of direction. I don't recommend this one as it was painful to watch. I'd rather watch paint dry than be subjected to this movie again!