Ever been bullied? Relentlessly picked on? The brunt of every joke? Enter Sam Wallace, a meek little boy who we meet in the opening scenes starkly filmed in black and white –Yelling, screaming and brutality seem to be his lot in life, and all he can do is cry. Cut to later years where we find Sam on the playground, bullied and ruthlessly picked on by the other kids.
Right off the bat this movie is filled with tension and you just know things are not going to end well. The music has wonderful ominous tones adding fuel to the anxiety. Fast forward to present day; Sam (Chuck Smith) is married, but far from happy. He fails as a husband and has trouble holding down a job. You got it kiddies, marital frustration at its best (or worst); Tessa (Ellie Church), his wife is in the bathroom getting ready for
someone? But not Sam; because he's late for work (again), and as luck would have it, half-way there, his car runs out of gas. He calls his job to let them know and gets
fired; over the phone. Yes, Sam is having a really, really bad day.
While this film has the typical kids in the pickup truck on their way to go camping; it's not just another slasher flick. Of course we know something real bad is going to happen to them, because they too play a role in making Sam's life miserable. This cool off-beat, gritty movie is a gruesomely fun romp with some very original ways to kill
After attempting to call Tessa, Sam walks home to find her in bed with his best friend, Brad (Christopher Hunt). No match for Brad, Sam ends up beaten, presumed dead and has his body dumped in the woods, where, you guessed it, our fun-loving kids just happen to be camping. And this is where the fun really begins. You see, up until today, no one has ever taken him seriously.
Revenge is a dish best served cold and with a lovely variety of tools Sam picks up along the way, each "dish" gets delightfully more pleasing; with my favorite, the ole "Whisper Chipper". Oh, and with something very special for Tessa
the old life's a bitch and then
well, you get the picture.
The work of Brian Gaillard and Daniel Murphy is outstanding, and along with superb acting by Chuck Smith, Ellie Church and Christopher Hunt; this is a wonderful film filled with the right ingredients of bloody good dark humor and just enough gore to please slasher aficionados.
Love it; I think you will too.
