Chemical Peel

This could have been good if they put intelligent characters in the movie. Had my doubts when I saw the main cast was millennial coeds, but the reviews made me curious. Nope. Its exactly what I figured it would be. Bunch of half wits and a super mean and evil girl that makes you want to put her head through the cabin window and watch her skin boil. Give it a shot if you want, but you were warned.

"Chemical Peel" (2014) only cost $20,000, but it's so proficiently made it doesn't feel like a micro-budget Indie. It comes in the tradition of "Carriers" from five years earlier with the main difference being that this is a 'confined location' flick. In other words, the bulk of the runtime involves the house-in-the-sticks and the dramatics of the females.

Speaking of which, blonde Natalie Victoria stands out on the beauty front as protagonist Rae. Meanwhile statuesque redhead Arielle Brachfeld is a real biyatch as Angela, but it happens. Leigh Davis is also worth a mention as Kimberly. Too bad the director didn't know how to shoot women.

At about the 18-minute mark the situation takes a life-or-death turn and the story becomes very compelling. It morphs into a body horror flick and is hampered by the one-dimensional location, but it's worth checking out for those interested.

It runs about 1 hour, 35 minutes, and was shot in the Greater Los Angeles area at Glendale, Ojai, Semi Valley and Hollywood.

GRADE: B-

So many "OOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! That was so gross!!!!" moments! I really loved how this horror film attempts to explain the 'monster' instead of leaving you asking so many questions.The character development is not lacking as we quickly love our leading lady and loathe the agitator. Lots of solid revenge moments and one epic shower scene (don't worry, its all bloody gore)! I hate when horror films have blood that is fake but it LOOKS FAKE! This looks like the real deal, especially when its all over the floors and our heroes. After seeing this film at the premier, I can't wait to get my copy and watch it this season. I am pretty sure my face will peel off with all the extras on the DVD and I can have a digital copy to take with me where ever. Yay!

I'll be honest, I thought it started a bit slow, but once the chemicals hit the fan, it gets sorta...hypnotic. The setup puts these girls in an isolated spot (no cell phone service, so you know it's trouble), and then traps them there with a deadly poison outside the ranch. Things slowly start to fall apart (literally and figuratively), but enough happened that it remained interesting.

I thought it was a pretty effective thriller, and when I say horrible in a good way, I mean precisely that. What transpires in this film is quite horrible, though I can promise there's at least one character who kind of deserves it.

No there's no ghosts, zombies, or insane serial killers, but something worse than all of that combined; a chemical spill going airborne! Burning your skin, making you gasp for air, driving you mad and insane with panic, fear, terror.

Through the whole movie I wondered: why I am torturing myself, but I couldn't walk away, now I am seriously considering a gas mask and protective gear! The acting is not the best, but who cares, the story and unfolding drama is so compelling, that it makes this movie more than a horror film, a fair warning for all.

As a young man, not far from where I used to live, a terrible explosion burned people, houses, cars,and no movie before made me feel back to that horrible event. and I shiver thinking what if instead of gas, it had been a mix of lethal chemicals traveling fast for miles and miles?

And that is the reason "Chemical Peel" is a movie to watch if you want to scare yourself, this upcoming Halloween,after that you won't need a ghost story!