User reviews

Definitely not the typical slasher fare you might expect from the 1980s, April Fool's Day takes the ordinary slasher formula and spices it up - and in the process makes a much more palatable film than most of the films it initially imitates. A group of nubile teens(OK, not so different to begin with)go to their friend's remote island home somewhere in the Northwest. Here, they laugh, have sex, joke around because it is April Fool's Day, and, oh by the way did I mention, have sex. Although this part of the movie is pretty typical, it is well-shot compared to other films of its ilk and we do get some character development(not a lot) but some. Soon, people begin to die and things get serious. For a slasher film, this movie is very well-paced and, more importantly, is not over-the-top in blood and guts. The acting is uniformly average(something a Friday the 13th films craves!). What really takes this film beyond the mundane; however, is the stylish twist at the film's end. This, almost all by itself, allows this film to rise in the ranks. The ending is deftly done and does not look foolish or silly or forced; all of these things could have easily happened. So if you are up for some slasher fun, want to see some nice looking girls(Deborah Foreman and Deborah Goodrich), and are intrigued by a creative ending - April Fool's Day is for you!

I first saw this in the early 90s on a vhs n was totally surprised. This movie came during the era of slashers but the kills were offscreen n the nudity nada. Revisited it recently n liked it very much. A group of friends take a trip on an island estate, on their way due to a prank gone wrong, a deckhand gets seriously injured. Later on the estate, one by one starts disappearing. The film has lots of twists n turns n a solid ending which was very surprising for those days. The location of the island estate is done well n the mansion really beautiful. It is a very different take on the slasher genre n a very clever one.



I think Michael Douglas' The Game is inspired by this movie.

Here we have your usual assembly of would be slasher victims along with the spooky old house near the shore bit. But the noticable difference here is the amount of laughs injected into this that you dont see in 80s horror. And an ending never seen in any other typical slasher film. The cast is perfect; a wise cracking bunch constantly pulling gags on each other. Wilson (far from his "Biff" character he played in Back to the Future) is great, Foreman is spooky as the weirdo hostess, Baker as the stuck on himself southern guy, and Goodrich as the outspoken cutie, to name a few. Most have wavered about the ending; some say good, some say stupid, so just be prepared for something different.

This is one of those "almost" movies. April Fool's Day has a very likable cast, a good plot and wonderful setting what is doesn't have is a lot of suspense and scares.

It looks like a lot of time was put into this film to make it a classy horror picture. Perhaps that's the reason that none of the kills are very interesting, while there is some gore the death scenes themselves seem to have been edited out. Perhaps this was due to the print used on the DVD, maybe there's a better version...I don't know.

The ending itself may put off hardcore horror fans but I found it quite amusing and it helped to make the rest of the movie gel together and answers some questions/concerns I had about about the movies story.

Overall April Fool's Day is quite enjoyable. The young cast is a lot of fun to watch and a few notches above other 80's horror fare, the story is original and the local, a secluded beach house is quite nice. However, it could have been much, much creepier! With more suspense and good scares April Fool's Day could have rated higher. April Fool's Day rates a 6 out of 10.

It's 1986 and the slasher, horror genre is all the rave. So how do you stand out? You make April Fools Day.

I would recommend anyone going into this to understand that it is an 80s slasher flick so just enjoy it for what it is.

Fred Walton's "April Fool's Day" is a bit of an anomaly in the slasher genre: there's very little violence. But even so, it's pretty fun, as a bunch of friends gather at an old house for April Fool's weekend...and they start getting picked off. Who's the culprit? The movie does have a few of the things that we expect in a slasher flick (namely a sex scene), but I literally did not see the ending coming. I'd say that the best thing about the movie is the scenery: it's filmed off the coast of British Columbia, one of the most beautiful places on earth. The whole thing is worth seeing if you're into the genre, and maybe even if you aren't. Watch for Thomas F. Wilson (Biff in the "Back to the Future" franchise) in a supporting role.

Released during a period where slashers were peaking, April Fool's Day attempts at being different but fails impressively.

It tells the generic story of a group of friends who go somewhere secluded to party and get picked off one by one by an unseen foe.

Starring Thomas "Biff Tannen" Wilson and Amy "Friday 13th Part 2" Steel it's a really quite lifeless affair where very little really happens, the kills are pretty much non-existent and the finale is certainly an anti-climax.

The cast are decent enough in fact it was great seeing a young Clayton Rohner who certainly stole every scene he was in.

I'd heard this was a bit of a classic, if that's the case then it saddens me to report that I think this was a mindless movie rushed out to cash in on the popularity of the genre at a time such movies saturated the market.

Not dreadful, just benign.

The Good:

Decent cast

The Bad:

Underwhelming throughout

One of the more fondly remembered horror entries of the '80's is this unique gem that's much more clever and amusing than the average slasher film.

Young woman invites her beloved college friends to her island home for a weekend of fun, but everything goes wrong. A freak accident occurs, mysterious things appear in the guests rooms, our hostess starts acting strangely, and bodies are starting to pile up!

With its clever combination of Agatha Christie-type mystery, teen horror film conventions, and quirky humor - it's not hard to understand why this film has developed a bit of a fan base. Even viewers who don't like horror films may find themselves enjoying this witty and twisted little venture. Director Walton does well in giving the film an air of mystery and spookiness. All the more adding to the atmosphere is the lovely music score of Charles Bernstein. The film is nicely shot in beautiful British Columbia.

The true highlight of this film though is its above-average cast. While there are really no known actors in the cast, they all deliver great performances and bring their characters to a wonderfully likable light! Deborah Foreman, in probably her best performance, is great as hostess Muffy. Ken Olandt and Amy Steel are great as a couple trying to solve the mystery of it all. Clayton Rohner and Thomas F. Wilson are a joy as two joke-happy friends. Jay Baker, Leah Pinsent, and Deborah Goodrich are equally good in their supporting roles.

As the tagliner says, April Fool's Day is certainly a 'cut' above the rest of its kind. It's a fun watch whether you enjoy the horror genre or not.

*** 1/2 out of ****

If you're looking for a fun film with a lot of twists and turns, then give April Fool's Day a watch. A group of friends go to spend spring break at a friend's house on an island her family owns. Of course this vacation happens to fall on April 1st. There's definitely going to be pranks, but as someone starts picking off the friends, it's quickly becomes a nightmare.

The whole movie keeps you guessing. It's a fun slasher, but with so many surprises. It's hard to say much about this movie without spoiling it, so just take my word for it and give it a chance. There's a couple plot flaws, but it does not take away from the enjoyment of the film.

I think this is a fairly good movie. It's a pretty solid slasher movie. Unfortunately, it all falls apart in a "surprise twist" ending that has more holes in it than a piece of swiss cheese. A little suspension of disbelief goes a long way in this movie.

I love horror movies - in particular slashers - that are holiday or calender related, so April the 1st is the perfect day/evening for sitting down and enjoying this one. Agatha Christie's Ten Little Indians is very much evident regarding the plot here, which is no bad thing. In fact you could call her story the template for what was to become the slasher/body count movie. Those wanting a gory & nasty affair will be disappointed, this is very much a fun movie (though I would stop short of calling it a comedy) where most of the kills appear off screen, though there are plenty of mutilated corpses so it's certainly not gore-less. Filmed in Canada but with a mainly American cast it has some good characters and is well acted. Plus it has that wonderful and nostalgic 80's slashers look/feel about it, my favourite decade for the sub-genre. No spoiler here but it is called April Fools Day for good reason - watch it and enjoy.

As the title of the movie suggests, when Muffy St. John brings her friends over to stay at her island home, some pranks get played. Some of them are harmless, but others hit a bit too hard emotionally. But there's a killer on the loose who is killing them one-by-one, ending the fun and games.

It is at this point where it seems to veer into a typical slasher movie, but it's not exactly that. For one, the acting is much better than usually seen. Deborah Foreman in particular steals the show as Muffy. It's rare in these movies that the characters are actually likable, but they are for the most part here. And some of the comedy here is actually funny, another thing that makes it better than the normal slasher fare. The mystery of just who is knocking off the friends is a solid part of the story as well.

From other reviews, it seems that some didn't like the ending, but I really don't see why. It's very different than anything really seen in a horror movie, which is what I think makes it so great. I guess that's not what some people wanted, but if it had a typical slasher ending it wouldn't have been all that memorable.

I saw APRIL FOOL'S DAY when it was released during the slasher craze of the 1980s and I was disappointed by this almost pointless cinematic experience. It's not funny enough to be considered a comedy. It's not gory or horrifying enough to be considered a horror movie (those who saw the movie know what I mean). The characters are flat and boring and a film like this needed fun, real characters in order for the whole surprise ending thingy to have been perceived as being worthwhile. Instead, the characters are just stock characters seen in every whodunit or slasher flick. Only Amy Steel, from FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2, is worth mentioning.

When the surprise ending happens (being familiar with horror films and I can figure out what will happen according to what they show and don't show, the surprise ending wasn't really surprising to me), I felt like I wasted my time on this gimmicky flick.

A letdown. APRIL FOOL'S DAY indeed.

April Fool's Day has just the right smarts about it that it holds up extremely well, even all these years later. While the cast may be youthful, the characters and story set this film way above "teen" slasher or horror flicks. Mainly, because this is really a mystery in the vein of Ten Little Indians.

It's a good thing I saw this film in a theatre when it was first released in 1986 -- because the VHS cover has something on it that would have kept me AWAY if I had not seen the film already: "It's just what you'd expect from the producer who brought you Friday the 13th -- Parts Two, Three, Four, and Five." You just can't put April Fool's Day in the same category as those films! This is far superior in story and intelligence. It's clever, well-written, and has great characters that you like even if they are not so nice! These days it seems it's more important to find the most popular actors, and that is usually distracting and doesn't guarantee a good film. April Fool's Day had lesser known stars for that time (Deborah Foreman, Amy Steel, Clayton Rohner, Griffin O'Neal) and that worked as an advantage.

The basic premise of a group of college students stuck on an island in a big house and one by one they disappear, yes, it's been done in many variations before. But the clever execution of the story, red herrings, and the underrated Deborah Foreman's delightful portrayal of Muffy/Buffy all make for a really fun viewing experience. Foreman has just the right amount of sweetness and can go right into being just plain quirky with such ease. The touch of having dolls on the dinner table, sort of like name tags, will bring a giggle and a smile for sure!

One plus for this film is the fact that it didn't sink into the tiring T & A route. Sure, a few of the characters have sex on the brain but their actions and dialogue never really wander off into the gratuitous area. Guys, if you really want lots of breasts than just go ahead and get some porn or a Playboy video, okay? Let the rest of us enjoy a good story once in a while!

After the body count rises and things escalate into a tense and frenzied chase through the house, you'll be surprised at what happens next. April Fool's Day is one of the few films of this kind that actually had a very surprising reveal and I was even caught off guard, left with my jaw agape at what the whole deal was about. The BIG surprise just happens so...abruptly, that you feel just like the character that runs into the room -- just stuck for a second! After about 90 minutes of mystery, the payoff BETTER be good, and sure enough, this one doesn't disappoint! I'm especially thrilled to have picked up the eerie soundtrack by Charles Bernstein on vinyl when it first came out, and to this day love to give it a spin on the turntable.

Paramount has a vast library of films that just NEED to be given great treatment on DVD, and I'm crossing my fingers that films like April Fool's Day, Let's Scare Jessica To Death, and Polanski's film The Tenant will be given their glory. >

Ten youths about to graduate college celebrate at a remote island mansion in the Great Northwest, soon to be inherited by one them (Deborah Foreman). Unfortunately, they start getting hacked one-by-one. Who's the killer?

"April Fool's Day" (1986) is a slasher/horror in the cabin-in-the-woods mold; it's just that the 'cabin' in this case is a magnificent mansion. The presence of Amy Steel, who played Ginny in "Friday the 13th Part II" (1981), brings to mind that series but, besides Amy, the female cast isn't as notable, although it's okay. You might remember Deborah Foreman from "Valley Girl" (1983) and "Real Genius" (1985).

On the other side of the gender spectrum, Ken Olandt is a Kevin Bacon lookalike while Clayton Rohner is reminiscent of Val Kilmer.

Regrettably, the pacing is off and so not enough suspense is worked up. Any "Friday the 13th" flick is all-around more entertaining, not to mention "Slumber Party Massacre II" (1987), which has similarities. But "April Fool's Day" gets points for the outstanding location and something revolutionary that happens, which I can't give away.

The film runs 1 hour, 29 minutes, and was shot at St John estate, Victoria, British Columbia, with additional studio stuff done in Los Angeles. It was rebooted or reimagined (not remade) in 2008.

GRADE: B-

Give me a break! this movie had more twists turns and better acting then scream, The dreadful last summers, and all the other teenybopper horror films they are churning out. The horror movies of the 70's and 80's were the best. And this which has one of those double twist endings is great. Deborah Foreman invites some rich friends to spend the weekend with her. One by one they begin dying. Or do they? Good acting by all. Recommended. The horror teeny bopper films should look at the 70's and 80's horror movies and take a few notes and quit churning out tiresome stupid crap like urban legend and the faculty etc etc. Rent April Fool's Day! You'll be guessing the whole way. But you'll never guess the double ending!

Muffy St. John (Deborah Forman) invites a group of college friends to her mansion on the island for the weekend. The ferry won't be returning until after the weekend. People are playing April Fool gags. However an accident with one of the Ferry's crew sets a bad tone. And then old stories haunt the guest as they get picked off one by one.

It's a slasher movie on an island without a way to escape with a bunch of young people. It's also trying to copy the scary-date slasher movie concept like Halloween and Friday the 13th. They even got Amy Steel who survived Friday the 13th Part 2. The use of April Fool's as a jumping off point allows for that everything-is-a-joke idea. However it quickly becomes lame joke-arama. The violence is tame by comparison to others of its era, and is mostly restricted by the story's gimmick. In the end, the movie could never be truly violent or scary because of the gimmick.

It has the feel of 'The Big Chill' but the writing isn't good enough. There are a couple of recognizable faces in the group. However none of them are outstanding in this slow moving story. This just doesn't have enough scary moments. It's a barely functional 80s horror. The ending provides the only interesting aspect to this movie.