Maybe I should start by saying I'm not the biggest slasher fan around here. Sure I can appreciate the classics like Halloween and the original Friday the 13th but they were never top of my list. And the post-Scream era has blown it all. Since this movie, everybody thinks they can make a horror film. The only thing they need is a few good looking girls who can yell very loud and a stupid outfit to give to the killer. This is kinda also the big idea behind CHERRY FALLS but, compared to most others, there are several good aspects and twists in this one. The story for starters... The killer's targets are exclusively virgins. This of course give a lot of opportunities to insert all sorts of humor. (shy girls, computer geeks who never get laid, slutty girls) It's all pretty predictable but it works. For example, I laughed pretty loud when some character said about another : " She thinks Fellatio is a characters in a Shakespeare play" As most films in the genre, the film tries to be as violent as possible, I was one of the lucky ones who saw the uncut version. If you're planning to see it, try to get your hands on this version.
The story develops pretty well. The killer's background gets revealed bit by bit and it's scary enough to keep you interested. A few good twists too, I may say. Cherry Falls stars a few very decent actors. Michael Biehn ( always one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood, IMO ) is very convincing as the sheriff who discovers the truth behind the gore murders. His teenage ( virgin, of course ) daughter is played by Brittany Murphy. She gained fame and fortune lately by starring in that stupid Eminem film and a few others. She wasn't that famous yet when she did Cherry Falls, so I could enjoy her part. Her boyfriend ( named Kenny ) looks a lot like a young James Spader. So if they wanna do a remake of Secretary withing 15 years, they know who to cast... I also recognized a dumb looking DJ Qualls ( Road Trip, The New Guy, The Core) I think this guy is doomed to play the nerd for the rest of his life. Oh well... In general: Of the thousand stupid slashers who got released over the past 8 years, this certainly is one of the best. You'll forget about it pretty soon, but it'll sure give you 90 minutes of fun and violence.
