Haunt Season

When i saw the poster/cover for this movie on my Xbox i was immediately drawn to it, and the trailer reminded me of one of my favorite Halloween movie, Hell Fest. I really expected this to be a slasher happening in one big Halloween attraction like it.

But that was not really it. You do get some nice scenes/set pieces in the haunted house but the atmosphere and such is not used to its full potential or set up enough of the kills.

I understand this was a low budget movie from a passionate team, and there was a few nice kills for these standards but after having seen Terrifier 3 recently, this is nowhere near it when it comes to what is shown. Could it be budget limitation or simply rated related? I can't say.

But while the kills are very acceptable, and the performances from the actors "alright" for the most part, its really when it comes to atmosphere and music i wish the movie had done better. For instance blending more actual real kills with fake attractions ones.

I know the old school synth is a throw back to horror movies of the 80s and such, and its a deliberate choice, but you can't just throw that randomly and call it a day. I felt the music didn't fit much with what was going on screen.

The movie is very crowded and lots of the actors are in costume or make-up so it took me a little while to really set everyone apart. We do spend more time with certain characters than others. These one were better fleshed out, but some others i kinda forgot at times they were even part of the attraction.

Without spoiling anything, i was underwhelmed by the killer's reveal. It happen so anti-climactic and their motivations remain pretty vague.

That said, it was not a bad time for me. Its rather short at standard 90 minutes or so and if you watch it in mind its done on a small budget for the love of the genre, its an alright movie.

In my case i am just a bit disapointed because based on the trailer i really taught it would be my coolest surprise of 2024 Halloween Season, like Hellfest was a few years back.

Haunt Season (2024) promises 80s horror nostalgia but delivers something closer to a lifeless séance. While its lighting and cinematography are undeniably stunning, evoking the colour-drenched visuals of Halloween or Suspiria, the rest of the film feels as flat as the characters it fails to bring to life.

The writer tries to add emotional depth, but the characters are stock archetypes without the spark to make you care. Despite decent acting, the lacklustre dialogue leaves even the cast struggling to inject energy into their performances.

Pacing is where Haunt Season truly stumbles. Horror relies on building tension or delivering shocks, but here, the film drags through superfluous scenes with sporadic, unimpressive gore. Even the promise of audacious, gory 80s fun is squandered in favor of playing it safe.

The final scene is a visual and emotional triumph-a reminder of what the film could have been. But one strong ending can't save a thriller that mostly leaves you waiting for it to deliver on its potential. Watch it for the visuals, but don't expect it to leave a lasting impression.

In theory a haunted attraction is the perfect place for a slasher to ply his trade because no one would notice a real masked psycho stabbing people amid the scary performers and corn-syrup gore. Although the subgenre exploring the premise is relatively recent, it seems like it's already exhausted its possibilities; this effort feels a bit stale. It's not inventive enough to offset the low budget or the predictable plot. The dialogue and characterizations seem reasonably authentic (or at least they're not distractingly inauthentic), but the characters aren't compelling enough to engender much interest. It's a forgettable one-time watch if you can stream it for free, and nothing more.

So firstly and most importantly some of the reviews for this movie are obviously fake. They have over the top praise and 8-10/10 scores which is ludicrous. Basically they are suggesting this movie is amongst the all time cinema classics ......that or they've literally just burst out of an alien egg and never seen any other movie before! The former is the most viable answer.

Fake scores actually damage the movie they try to promote and other movies. People who might actually watch but see these fake reviews are put off and people then suspect other movies with unbelievably high scores especially indie are also over rated.

As for the actual movie. It's okay. Not really scary and a bit campy. Way too much dialogue and not enough action. But the acting is okay and the cinematography and sound are good. It's more like a mild comedy drama parody of a horror show ... Which would be fine if they weren't trying to pretend it was the next Scream!

+1 For actually making a film +1 For pretty good acting from unknowns +1 For production values.

+1 For doing something a bit different

Score 4

Note to cast and crew etc

Don't overhype your movie! If you don't think you can make a good movie do something else. Don't try to push it with fake reviews.

Behind the Screams: Haunt Season Blends Drama and Gore in a Haunted House Setting

I enjoyed Haunt Season for several reasons. The characters are likable and well-developed, with realistic social issues like financial stress and job worries. Watching actors and makeup artists prep for the haunted house is intriguing. Though the film has well-crafted gore, it leans more toward drama than horror, and isn't particularly scary. For those looking for a true scare, Hell House LLC does a better job delivering thrills. Still, Haunt Season stands out with its unique approach to haunted attractions, blending character depth with a backstage look that adds authenticity.