Butchers Bluff

I had been waiting for this movie for a couple of years. I was excited to buy the DVD from Amazon and I'm pleased that it has hit several streaming platforms. I have watched the movie once so far and will revisit again, as I usually get a more in depth experience the second viewing.

My first impressions are good. I loved the way this was shot. It had several interesting camera shots. Scenes were setup well and the lighting was good. Good audio capture occurred (that is a mark of competence that not all low budget movies can claim). I liked the story of local folklore that turned to almost legend status and the slow reveal of the truth. The main characters were interesting enough to keep my interest, the locations were fun to look at, the effects were well done, and the acting was good. I really enjoyed the look of the killer. Bill Oberst Jr. Stole the movie for me. He brought the right amount of creepiness and foreboding energy this type of story needs. This has a very classic slasher feel and quality. I thoroughly enjoyed this and I hope to see more of William Instone's work in the future.

In the moonlit thickets of Texas, where shadows whisper of forgotten sins, Butcher's Bluff (2023), directed by William Instone and Matt Rifley, unleashes a blood-soaked love letter to the slasher golden age. This indie horror gem follows a group of Austin film students-led by Michael Fischer's earnest Roger, Paige Steakley's haunted Nicole, and Johnny Huang's brash Derick-who venture into the eerie hamlet of Emerald Falls to document the legend of the Hogman, a pig-masked killer tied to 28 vanishings over two decades. Written by Instone and Renfield Rasputin, produced by Instone, Rifley, and a dedicated micro-budget crew, and backed by Breaking Glass Pictures, this film revels in its 1980s-inspired carnage while carving out a distinct, if uneven, place in the modern horror canon.

From the opening frame-a lurid, breast-baring pickup truck tryst that ends in a brutal Hogman ambush-Butcher's Bluff grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go. Instone and Rifley's direction channels the raw, unpolished energy of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), with Joe Castro's practical gore effects delivering jaw-dropping kills: think heads cleaved in half and bodies skewered with grotesque ingenuity. The Hogman (played with hulking menace by Instone himself) is a standout, his hand-stitched pig mask looming like a nightmare stitched from Leatherface and Jason Voorhees' DNA. The cinematography, led by Robert T. McDorman and Ronald Mercado, paints Emerald Falls with a gritty, sepia-toned dread, while the soundscape is a visceral triumph. Mikael Johnston of Mephisto Odyssey, wielding his re-recording mixing and sound editing prowess, crafts an auditory slaughterhouse-every squelch of blood, snap of bone, and rustle of leaves pulses with primal terror, amplifying the Hogman's presence into a sonic specter that haunts long after the credits roll. Johnston's work, like a butcher's cleaver, cuts through the film's low-budget constraints, making each kill resonate with bone-chilling clarity.

The cast, peppered with horror veterans like Bill Oberst Jr., Brinke Stevens, and Paul T. Taylor's grizzled Sheriff Joe, brings surprising depth to a familiar setup. Fischer's Roger is a relatable everyman, while Steakley's Nicole offers a compelling emotional tether to the killer's lore, hinting at deeper traumas. The film's themes-bullying's lasting scars, the voyeuristic thrill of urban legends-add a layer of psychological heft, though it never strays far from its gleeful body count. Cameos from Felissa Rose and Tuesday Knight are delicious nods to slasher fandom, ensuring a wink to those in the know.

Yet, Butcher's Bluff isn't without its missteps. Clocking in at a bloated two hours, the pacing sags in the middle, with some scenes lingering like a guest who overstays their welcome at a bloodbath. The script, while earnest, occasionally leans on tired tropes-stoner sidekicks and disposable locals-that feel more derivative than homage. Characters like Samantha (Samantha Holland) and Bobby (Dakota Millett) could use more fleshing out to earn their gruesome fates. These flaws, though, are forgivable in a film that swings so boldly for the fences on a shoestring budget.

Butcher's Bluff earns a robust 8/10-a must-watch for slasher purists craving a nostalgic gut-punch. It stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Hatchet (2006) for its unapologetic gore and The Burning (1981) for its campfire-legend vibe, cementing Instone as a director to watch. Johnston's sound work, in particular, deserves a standing ovation, turning every scream into a symphony of dread.

In the end, Butcher's Bluff reminds us that fear lurks not just in the woods, but in the echoes of our own cruelty, amplified by a soundscape that cuts as deep as the Hogman's blade.

Dr. Elias Dread.

While I had indeed never heard about this 2023 horror movie titled "Butchers Bluff" prior to sitting down to watch it here in 2025, I needed no persuasion to do so. Why? Well, it was a movie that I hadn't already seen. And it was also a horror movie, and I am a big fan of all things horror.

The movie's cover was actually the reason why I stopped and took notice of the movie. It was interesting, but at the same time just oozed with a particular low budget, cheesy slasher feel.

The narrative in the movie is pretty slow paced. Sure, the movie starts out nicely enough, but then falls into a sluggish slump and just slowly waddles onwards. So writers William Instone and Renfield Rasputin didn't exactly put together a particularly exciting or entertaining script and storyline. In fact, it was a bit of a struggle to sit through the movie. After what felt like an hour of nothing much happening, I checked the timer on the movie, and only 32 minutes had passed.

Sure, I harbored zero expectations to directors William Instone and Matt Rifley's movie, as it just had a particular low budget feel to it, and the familiar names on the cast list aren't exactly known for their blockbuster movies. But I still opted to watch it and give it the benefit of the doubt.

The movie does have some familiar talents on the cast list, such as Jeremy London, Bill Oberst Jr. And Brinke Stevens. The acting in "Butchers Bluff" were fair, despite the fact that the actors and actresses didn't really have much to work with in terms of script.

My rating of directors William Instone and Matt Rifley's 2023 horror movie "Butchers Bluff" lands on a generous three out of ten stars.

This movie is a great inspiration and tribute to slashers movies. The acting and effects are great for an independent film. The story is interesting with some surprising dark secrets. The few horror veteran cameos is a plus with some good screen time. This movie will show you to not bully others or else you get what's coming to you, so hold on to your popcorn and buts. Get ready for a bloody good time. Director William Instone is this generations next Eli Roth and Adam Green. He isn't afraid to go all in heavy and gory. I'm so anxious to see more of his gruesome creative mind. I'm so ready........

Curious about a local legend, a group of students decides to investigate a famed serial killer said to live in the local woods and begin shooting their documentary about him, only to realize there's a real killer in the woods far more dangerous than they expected and must get out alive.

This was a fairly intriguing if somewhat flawed indie slasher. Among the bright spots here is a rather solid and engaging throwback-style setup that provides this one with the proper tone and feel for this kind of film. The perfect small-town type of story here focusing on the backstory of the kid who went crazy on the kids who bullied him, forcing him into the sanitarium to pay for his crimes, and then escaping to go on a rampage against the citizens makes this appropriately old-school as a nice bit of information on the killer. The idea of tying this into the series of disappearances and missing persons' cases over the years involving the people that are known to be attacked and missing through family reports and missing persons' cases as well as the series of random passersby that get knocked off make everything here settle into a solid enough story to get the filmmakers' attention to do a story on. This gets them into the woods to investigate everything while also making the locals noteworthy for their reluctance and warnings to keep away. That provides a solid setup so that the series of stalking and encounters that take place with the killer loose in the area. The initial series of indie stalking and quick-shot ambushes come into play here with the series of random figures brought into the film to serve as a quick death including the couple who get struck with car trouble on the side of the road, a resident who they try to interview, or the hikers out in the woods looking for a secret stash they believe is in the woods. These set the stage for more involved and engrossing setpieces including the series of attacks in the woods chasing around the group who go out wandering around looking for pieces to their project. Featuring some effective practical effects and creative setups to handle the carnage on display with the hulking killer chasing and slaughtering them through the woods, giving it some likable enough features. There are some issues here holding this one back. The main overriding drawback is the obviously apparent and egregious length here as there's no earthly reason an indie film of this caliber should run over two hours. There's a lot of extra padding here, either letting scenes run on way too long, have no purpose for being there other than to provide a cameo for someone of supposed importance to sell the film on or letting multiple scenes play out that could've been combined into one without letting excessive moments play out. It feels its length quite easily with these unnecessary features and desperately needs a trim to get to a more reasonable and appropriate old-school setup that's being attempted here. That would also be fine in eliminating some of the cliches present here, which tends to become quite apparent early on, making for a not-as-shocking finale as it thinks it is when it drops a revelation coming from a mile away that's supposed to be clever. Overall, these are what manage to hold this one back.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language, Nudity, a sex scene, and drug use.