The Cheerleader Murders

This made for television movie is listed as a "Thriller" genre but in reality it should be rated as "a waste of time". There is little mystery as to the reasons why murders and missing girls seem to follow Ellie around. I guess the suspense is supposed to unfold as the cheerleader Ellie (Samantha Boscarino) decides to travel by car to remote sites all by herself as she tries to play our amateur sleuth. Such corny writing that even the dumbest movie viewer can see through the directors blatant attempt at creating suspense when what is really happening is a flagrant abuse of some cheap background music to try and keep our attention.

Nothing to see here. I rate this made for TV film a 3 out of 10, and hopefully there will not be a sequel.

Low budget horror/thriller TV movie with bad actors, unnecessary CGI effects (cause apparently makeup is too expensive), a stupid plot-twist and a dozen red herrings. The leading actress is cute and at least tries to act (which doesn't apply to the other "actors") but other than that it was just so stupid. I would rather watch paint dry than rewatch this movie.

Here's the set-up… Startlingly full-figured 13-year-old Samantha Boscarino (as Ellie Davis) thinks she is cursed. A van full of partying cheerleaders apparently crashes. Next, a young man appears to expire at a party. Finally, another young man enters Ms. Boscarino's house and shoots half her family. The last shot occurs off camera. That could be a suicide, or an unseen family cat. The important part of what you saw in the opening minutes was the murder of Boscarino's father and sister. The other stuff is part of the curse. Three years later, Boscarino is a sweet 16-year-old high school student. Her cheerleader friends mysteriously disappear and it seems like the curse has returned to frighten Boscarino and quite possibly take her life...

The words "Inspired by True Events" introduce this TV movie...

It does not seem possible that a real "curse" was at work here and the story offers no evidence. Now and then, a dead character seemingly offers support. Possibly, the curse and its connection to a ghost or imaginary character were clearer in writer Matt Young's original story. Director David Jackson, with Eric Potter's editing, moves "The Cheerleader Murders" around by artfully positioning characters into scenes with surprise and relating events with quick inter-cutting. There is very little to warrant this attention, however. Boscarino is very attractive. Her boyfriend Austin Lyon (as Nicholas "Nic" Ryder) is stable (until his final scene). Devin Crittenden (as Ben Forester) is sufficiently creepy, but you may be better off watching the eyeliner.

**** The Cheerleader Murders (4/9/16) David Jackson ~ Samantha Boscarino, Austin Lyon, Tessie Santiago, Devin Crittenden

Another of these teen age silly films. Leading lady. Samantha Boscarino, is no exception. In fact she is a real bore. Running around being Nancy Drew solving murders. The unrealistic part is that she gets in and out of forbidden places and never caught. The mother is just as worse. Being total nuisances. I keep wanting to see the little bothersome girl to get caught. Somebody needs to knock her down and out. Annoying and bothersome involving all around her in her silly nonsensical search for the killer. Her acting really was bad and the plot as bad. And that hair - ugh. Too much mop on her head. What is with these little actresses with all this hair that makes them look like they all have huge heads. Her acting ability consists of constantly playing with her too long hair. Every other movement is to push her hair back. Did you ever hear of bobby pins? You want to grab a pair of scissors and cut the damn crap off. She also has an annoying of going around with her mouth open most of the time. Hope to see less of her. As for the others in this dumb movie they are forced to play their parts, badly. I have no rating or grade for this silly film. Can you leave a minus rating?

Ellie Davis feels cursed after her sister's possessive ex breaks in and kills her sister, her dad, and then himself. It's 3 years later. She is best friends with fellow cheerleaders Morgan and Dee. Creepy Ben is obsessed with Dee. Morgan flirts with Coach Reeves. Ellie is taken with football quarterback Nicholas. Don is his father. Morgan and Dee go missing. Ellie finds the bloody crime scene. She starts getting mysterious warning messages.

Samantha Boscarino is in her early 20s playing 17. That's fairly standard for TV movies. She's perfectly fine otherwise. I can do without the dream sequence especially if they're done poorly. This is par for the course with these TV murder mysteries. The tension couldn't rise too high and the reveal is nothing special.