Movies
F
“It’s not perfect, but it’s a solid, well shot slasher/thriller hybrid that fans of Ils (Them) or Eden Lake should probably appreciate.”
In addition to boasting the most torrent-unfriendly title since P, F can also boast being one of the all time best high school set slasher films. Granted that’s not exactly the highest praise (Yay, you’re better than Slaughter High and Cutting Class! So are most infomercials.), but the bar for such things is set so low that I wasn’t expecting much out of the film anyway. It’s not perfect, but it’s a solid, well shot slasher/thriller hybrid that fans of Ils (Them) or Eden Lake should probably appreciate.
It’s also a really ballsy film to make, and I’m curious how well it will be received in the states, if its released there at all. We’re not too big on anything involving students killing people at their high schools thanks to Columbine and the like, and the fact that it has a rather ambiguous, non-“triumph” ending will make it an even harder sell.
On the other hand, the killers are apparently all Parkour experts, and anything Parkour-related is welcomed with open arms here, even if it means ruining one of our most American-y franchises (Die Hard). At first it’s pretty creepy to see the hooded, faceless killers silently bounding about on top of bookcases and such, but it gets a bit silly at times, as it seems they are incapable of just running on the ground. At one point they have a victim plain in their sights, and he’s seen them as well, yet they jump up onto a shelf to continue the chase. And the kill scenes are all kind of the same, with one killer being seen and scaring the victim into the arms of the other killer (I believe there are only two).
However, they mostly all work, due to a good use of the school’s environment. The wood shop, the gym, an office, a science lab… the backdrop never gets boring, so even with the slightly repetitive execution of the kills, its never monotonous. I do wish they had allowed for a few kill scenes with just one killer, as it seems our hapless faculty (and a few students) are always hopelessly outnumbered, which reduces the tension somewhat.
I also liked how it was pretty much in real time, a rarity for any film but especially for a slasher. Since they are not trapped inside, the obvious audience questions – “Why not just leave?” and “Why doesn’t so and so notice that whatshisname is missing?” – are answered simply due to the fact that it’s only been a few minutes since someone disappeared anyway. And as for why they don’t just leave, with the exception of the main character played (terrifically) by David Schofield, no one knows anything is up, and when he tries to warn them, he is dismissed due to the fact that he lives in fear of the students anyway (at the top of the film we see a student attack him after he gives him a “F”ailing grade), and is also a drunk. And if you keep the realtime aspect in mind, you can assume that no one had the time to consider he might be right, since they end up dead not too long after that anyway.
Speaking of the deaths, godDAMN are they gory. The prosthetic work is terrific, and certainly unexpected. Some of them are off-screen, but they make up for it with a Fangoria-cover ready corpse when discovered later. And the kids are nasty – immolation, head smashing, electrocution… few get off easy. In fact, the “lightest” death in the film might actually be the one killer who gets offed, just a few stabbings. It’s sort of refreshing to see the killer get a rather simple death, as it seems many modern slashers (such as Hatchet 2, which had played just the night before) want their killer’s “death” at the end of the film to be the most ridiculous and over the top.
Speaking of the ending, some hated it, but I liked the ambiguity. I won’t spoil it (not really possible to spoil an ambiguous ending other than to say its ambiguous though, right?), but it’s rare to see this type of a movie have an ending that people can discuss afterward, which makes it a perfect film festival option, because there are plenty of folks around who want to offer their theory on what might happen next or who the killers were. Thus, if you have seen the film (and I’m guessing many readers have – it seems my entire readership is there at Frightfest with me!), I encourage you to offer your thoughts below!
In my notes I wrote down “music” but I honestly can’t remember what specifically I liked about it (definite drawback of seeing a bunch of movies back to back). I can tell you it was composed by a guy called Neil Stemp though, and that he worked on the execrable LXG, aka the film that killed Sean Connery’s desire to work. Hurrah for the IMDB! I can cover my sloppy note-taking and even sloppier memory with random factoids.
Check out BC’s Horror Movie a Day.
A very hungry hippopotamus leads the charge for this week’s brand new horror releases, with Hungry now available at home along with four other new genre movies on Digital outlets.
Here’s all the new horror that released on Tuesday, June 23, 2026!
After a limited theatrical run, hippo horror movie Hungry is now available at home.
From writer and director James Nunn (Shark Bait, One Shot), Hungry follows thrill-seeking tourists on a riverboat tour through the treacherous Louisiana swamplands. Lured off the beaten path by the promise of an exclusive adventure, they soon find themselves fighting for survival against a ravenous hippopotamus lurking beneath the bayou’s murky waters.
Madison Davenport (It’s What’s Inside), Tracey Bonner (Greenland), Michel Curiel (“She-Hulk: Attorney at Law”), Jim Meskimen (“Parks and Recreation”), Samantha Coughlan (Arcadian), Olivia Bernstone (Fighting with My Family), River Codack (“Happy Face”), and Joaquim de Almeida (Desperado) star.
Rob Hunter wrote in his review for Bloody Disgusting, “When all is said and done, Hungry is a genuinely solid animal attack film that succeeds in making its creature threat thrilling, entertaining, and, dare I say, educational?” Rob’s review continues, “Characters are grounded and engaging, the film moves well between suspense, character beats, and action, and the effects used to bring the hippo to life are highly effective and never feel like distractions.”
William Bagley‘s horror comedy Hold the Fort is now available on Digital.
In the film, “Lucas and Jenny think their life is finally coming together when the couple become homeowners. Little do they know that their new house comes with a big catch.
“Lucas and Jenny soon find themselves in a fight for their lives when they become trapped in a battle between their Homeowners Association and an onslaught of monsters from hell.”
Vertigo Releasing promises, “The horror-comedy takes the timely concern of home-ownership and wraps this up in an entertaining action-packed thrill ride.“
Chris Mayers (Adult Swim Yule Log), Haley Leary (“The Walking Dead”), Levi Burdick, and Julian Smith star in Hold the Fort, written and directed by William Bagley.
The latest from filmmaker Alex Noyer, Love Is the Monster is now available on Digital.
Madeline Zima (“Doom Patrol,” “Twin Peaks”) and Leonardo Nam (Werewolf by Night, “Westworld”) star as the unlucky couple discovering romance’s malevolent side.
“Following their marriage being rocked by infidelity, Ana and Justin attend an exclusive couples retreat in Finland, under the golden rays of the summer’s midnight sun. They join other international couples to experience the transformative teachings of the shaman and healer, Tiina, inspired by the ancient Finnish goddess of love and fertility, Lempo.
“Despite her doubts and some ominous first experiences, Ana gives the retreat a chance, but the thrill is quickly replaced by a battle for survival, as the influence of the divinity and the pagan rituals turn deadly. Couples’ problems lead to calamity, while Ana learns about the peculiar role she unwittingly plays in Tiina’s plans.”
Kimberly Sue-Murray (“The Boys”), Moe Jeudy-Lamour (“Ted Lasso”), Kristina Tonteri-Young (“Warrior Nun“), Milla Puolakanaho (Attack on Helsinki), and Sheila McCarthy (Women Talking) also star in Love Is the Monster.
Alex Noyer co-wrote the script with his Sound of Violence collaborator Hannu Aukia and Blair Bathory. Laurence Gendron joins Noyer and Aukia as a producer.
Samara Weaving (Ready or Not 2: Here I Come) and Kyle Gallner (Strange Darling) come together in Carolina Caroline, a sexy crime thriller now available at home.
It’s not a horror movie, mind you, but it’s worth a mention here all the same.
Kyra Sedgwick (Family Movie) and Jon Gries also star in the romantic crime thriller.
Director Adam Carter Rehmeier’s film stars Samara Weaving as Caroline Daniels, whose desire to leave her small Texas town brings her into the orbit of a charismatic con man (Kyle Gallner), and together they weave a path of crime and passion across the American Southeast.
Adam Rehmeier previously directed the films Dinner in America and Snack Shack.
Tom Dean wrote the screenplay for Carolina Caroline.
Described as a mash-up between Pumpkinhead and Cube, Round the Decay offers a fresh take on the monster movie formula with roots extending into psychological and folk horror.
The film is now available on VOD outlets at home.
Written and directed by Adam Newman (Everwinter Night), indie monster movie Round the Decay follows a young woman as she returns to the sleepy town of Newport’s Valley two years after a devastating tragedy and uncovers an all-consuming secret.
Victoria Mirrer leads a cast that includes Damian Maffei (The Strangers: Prey At Night), Sienna Hubert-Ross (Terrifier 3), Melody Kay (The NeverEnding Story III), Phil Duran (Breaking Bad), Sarah Nicklin (The Black Mass), Rachel Pizzolato (Mythbusters Jr.), and Roger Clark (Red Dead Redemption II).
Round the Decay boasts a practical creature designed by veteran special effects artist Greg McDougall (The Haunting of Hill House, Stranger Things, War of the Worlds).
This week’s new release roundups are presented by HUNGRY.
All aboard the swamp tour from hell – this hippo isn’t playing games…
HUNGRY is now available on Digital. Watch it now!
You must be logged in to post a comment.