Hayride to Hell

Trying to run a successful farm, a series of indiscretions made by the locals force a farmer and his friends into a make-or-break case to keep the farm out of their hands, and when he decides to show them what the farm means with a hayride tour decides to enact a vicious plan for revenge.

This was a really fun genre effort with a lot to like about it. Among its better qualities here is the strong opening setup that provides this with a fantastic launching point for the festivities to come about. As we get a big introduction sequence here getting an idea of the hayride with the celebrations he sets up for everyone, the treatment by the locals who want to see it shut down, and the resentment by the authorities who want to take it away from him, it sets up a rather fun dynamic to get everything going on a strong start. Since everyone in the group has decided on how to treat the property and what they want to do with it, his desire to keep it running with the help of his friends and other family members comes together for a great time here. The plan to keep this farm together, ensuring the locals see the festivities of their central plan which is immensely fun. Taking the time-honored role of preparing a bunch of gags and displays that are supposed to be fake but are patently the group genuinely taking out the local hoodlums who have been tormenting them by disguising everything in the form of gruesome-looking effects, this is quite fun and engaging. The idea of the performance pieces here taking the shape they do with the various setpieces and interactions that the group are done one by one which is handled with the kind of zany energy and outlandish glee at what's going on that helps to sell what the group is doing. As everything here has a nice bit of gore and creative kills due to the setup, there's a lot to like about this one. There are a few issues to hold this one down. One of its few issues is the main concept at play here where the plan to pull everything off doesn't come off all that logically or realistically. The plan to go through with the genuine torture and fright that plays out here is immensely complicated and takes a lot to go through and not get caught which is far removed from the sake of consistency it makes for a tough time believing the plan. That becomes especially true when there's nothing here about what drove the plan together as everything here just tends to come off with the kind of explanation for it to make sense or why the group would go through with it. On top of also taking on so many cliches and overly familiar character tropes to try to make this one work, it's the few issues that bring it down.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence and Graphic Language.

Saw this movie at the premier at the Colonia Theater in Phoenixville, PA. This was a fun movie. Lots of over the top gore and unnecessary violence but that's what I expected going into it. I hope this gets picked up by a big company and gets distributed everywhere. Kane Hodder and Bill Mosely were amazing as usual. However; I feel the supporting cast is what made this movie great. You fell in love with the good guy supporting characters and cheered when the bad guy supporting characters met their demise.

I kind of hope they somehow make a sequel. Both the writers and the director are really talented and I'm now a huge fan. I'll be following them going forward and I hope they continue to put out great content like this movie.

This is a film that I learned about thanks to Susan from Breaking Glass Pictures who sent over the screener. The title caught my attention first. Then seeing that this featured Bill Moseley and Kane Hodder, who are two actors that I'm a fan of, piqued my interest even more. Other than that, I did come into this one blind after confirming that it was in genre and technically a wide release for 2024.

Synopsis: a small-town farmer exacts his bloody revenge on unscrupulous town folk who try to steal his land.

We start this by getting a lay of the land. Farmer Sam (Moseley) runs a local farm where during the Halloween season, they have a haunted hayride and other fall activities available. They sell pies, pumpkins and cider, all the things you'd think of. The problem though is that this city wants to progress forward, not wanting to cling to places and businesses like this. Sam butts heads with a trio on the city council, Betsy Butte (Allyson Malandra), Gina (Brooke Stacy Mills) and Missy (Melanie Martyn). There is also a couple that is prominent in the community. Dick Singleton (Jared Michael Delaney) is an ambulance chaser. His wife has a fitting name of Karen (Denise Parella). Then there is the local sheriff who hates Sam, Jubel (Hodder). All these people want the farm shut down for different reasons.

What doesn't help is that Sam is behind on his loan from the bank. This gives the counsel what they need to take the farm. They offer to take only a part of it which would clear his debt. He refuses. His family has been here since the town started and he won't give up any part of his land. Things aren't going well though. His employee, Hazel (Marion Moseley), is stealing from him. It is just a matter of time.

Things take a turn when a group of guys are messing around in an old nearby cemetery. Sam goes out there to scare them off with his shotgun. He ends up shooting one. This draws Sheriff Jubel and Deputy Dermot Nixler (Graham Wolfe). Sam gets hit with a taser to stop him and he goes into a seizure. This lands him in the hospital for the night. Once he gets out, he decides and gives the counsel an offer. He can produce one last haunted hayride that scares them, they have to agree to back off taking his farm. We see that the counsel has no plans of honoring this deal and with the help of Sheriff Jubel, they'll take it. Farmer Sam has tricks up his sleeves and it involves using those that are loyal to him and this farm. It will be a night none of them ever forget.

That is where I'll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I want to start is that this doesn't have the deepest story. It also doesn't need it. We know that we have this farm that is struggling. It is probably outdated in what it is doing. What we see through people though is that it is an institution. People don't seem to leave this area. They grew up coming here and there is enough of a group to help fight for it. I do feel for Sam. There was an orchid near me growing up that had great apples. Nothing happened to that farm, to my knowledge, but I can still connect.

Now at the heart of this movie, it is a slasher film. It is not traditional and I won't spoil why. What I will say is that I love the setting. This isolated farm being far enough outside of town would make it hard to flee. Then using the setting of a haunted hayride where you could hide murders or dead bodies is a good touch. Leans into that Halloween vibe. I'll credit here for using this concept.

Then going along with this, let me get into what I judge when it comes to slasher films. You need to either have good characters or kills. I'll start with the former. Moseley does an excellent job at taking on this character. It feels to me like a toned down version of Otis from House of 1000 Corpses or The Devil's Rejects. You get the vibe that at any moment he could lose it, but he still has moments of sanity. He's been messed with for so long that he is at the end of his rope. Hodder is great as the counterpart to him. They've hated each other since high school and now that Jubel is sheriff, he can mess with him. What is interesting here is that you're pulling for the killer, which doesn't always happen. I did want to credit the movie for going that route.

I'll then finish discussing the acting. Wolfe is fun as this dimwitted deputy. He doesn't realize that they're here to shut down the farm. He even goes as far to say how much he loved coming here as a child. That was funny with how mean the sheriff is to him. Shelby Hightower is Patty who is a local paramedic. She sides with Sam along with her partner. What they ended up doing was interesting. Malandra, Mills and Martyn are good as this trio of women on the council. I despise all of them to different degrees. Parella, Delany and the group of jerks who mess with the cemetery are good as well. What I'll say is that no one stands out, but it fits what a movie like this needs.

Let me then shift back to what I also look for in a slasher, which are kills. This falls into filmmaking. I thought the effects we got there were good. Like I said, I like using the haunted hayride as a backdrop. They're able to prolong the story by hiding what they're doing, which is good. We then get to a climax where things go off the rails. I'm glad that they went practical with what they could. That is helped by cinematography and framing to hide the seams. My only issues here come from CGI. We don't get much, but there is definitely a green screen used that took me out. This doesn't have a large budget so they're doing what they can. I'll still credit them for that.

There isn't much more to go into so in conclusion, this is fine for a low budget slasher film. We have a good setting and backdrop with this haunted hayride. The acting is fine for a movie like this. Moseley and Hodder look like they're having fun which is all I can ask for there. This is made well enough with the practical effects, the kills that were used and how this was shot. The only issues came from the CGI which is more of a budgetary issue. It is just used in interesting places. Being that this is a slasher, it is a slow burn and takes a bit to get to the kills. Once it did, I was there for the ride.

My Rating: 6 out of 10.