Reeker

I took a wild guess on this film to be honest.... front cover looked good, the synopsis on the back made the film sound good, but when push came to shove, it was just "alright". The characters were drab and boring and very cliché "horror teen victims", the script was quite funny with a few comedy moments and one-liners and on first impressions the storyline seemed very much "done before a million and one times". Reeker has its fair share of slight frights (if you're a girl), funny moments and half-decent gore special fx, but the twist at the end? What the hell? As much as it sort of tied the story together, it also left me thinking "OK, but.... why?" I think it tries to be too clever and whacky, and fails! An OK "no-brainer" to watch with a four pack and a takeaway, but please don't expect a genius horror film... you'll be disappointed!

I found this movie highly enjoyable. As long as you don't take it seriously, you'll enjoy it. The young cast, including the gorgeous Arielle Kebbel, are fantastic. Veteran actors Michael Ironside and Marcia Strassman (Welcome Black Kotter's Wife) lend some class and experience. This movie is set at night for the most part. The lighting is excellent. There is a twist to this movie that I won't reveal. It worked really well for me. I don't know why this movie only has a rating as low as 5.2.

I thought it was clever and fun. Don't take it seriously, and you and your friends will enjoy it.

REEKER starts out with a bang, only to slow to a crawl for the next hour or so. Unfortunately, the characters aren't quite interesting enough to fill the gap with their personalities alone.

Some spooky things happen, and a few people die hideously, but these moments are few and far between.

Once Michael Ironside's character enters the picture, it picks up only slightly. He's mostly wasted here.

Though the climax adds a sort of TWILIGHT ZONE twist to the proceedings, it can't salvage it from its overall doldrums...

It's not bad for a supernatural slasher movie, but I have some issues. There's really not much to the story with just the characters' standard in the desert oasis. Most of the time, it's just the characters waiting for something or looking for a way to get help or leave. It's pretty predictable throughout, and it doesn't do anything interesting until the end. The movie takes a while to get going, and the killer comes much later in the movie. Also, it uses typical cliches like cheap jump scares and characters making stupid decisions throughout. The death scenes do have decent tension to it and are built up pretty decently on how they are killed off. Also, it's interesting how after someone killed, it shows a flashback from their memory. The movie has a decent atmosphere with it taking place in an isolated environment with no service and how the place looks abandoned.

I feel a bit sorry to say that this isn't a great film and sadly suffers from a lack of originality, because I really did enjoy my viewing of "Reeker" and I certainly wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to other hardcore horror fans on the lookout for new thrills! "Reeker" is a fun film, with decent production values and lots of exhilarating gore, and it's only near the end that the script begins to show some major holes and plot twists that featured in many other movies already. Up until when the story becomes painfully predictable, Dave Payne manages to build up some genuine suspense, likable character-drawings and even some vivid black humor. Five twenty-something people who only know each other vaguely are on their way to a famous rave in the desert when their journey suddenly takes a nightmarish turn. After a truly banal drug-incident, the gang returns to the nearest motel, only to find that everyone has mysteriously vanished there. The only living soul for miles around is a middle-aged traveler who has severe problems himself, as he somehow lost his wife on the isolated desert roads. Things get really uncanny when a terrifying figure, bizarrely dressed and smelling horribly, shows up killing the cast members in – it has to be said – very imaginative ways! You certainly won't be complaining about a shortage of excitement, as the film doesn't cut back on grotesque make-up effects or over-the-top gory moments. After the first glimpse at the unusual killer and the ominous atmosphere, it becomes clear that "Reeker" is slightly more ambitious than your average high-school slasher. Such an ambition is definitely praiseworthy and promising for Payne's future career, but sadly his "idea" has been used already in many other (classic as well as more recent) movies before. Of course, I can't mention which ones because that would have the same effect as revealing the actual twist. Michael Ironside is the terrific experienced actor of the film, but he receives excellent feedback from the enthusiast young cast. Derek Richardson (who was in "Hostel") is very good and Gillmore Girl Arielle Kebbel is more than adequate as well. "Reeker" guarantees a fine watch all together, but it's a little shortcoming to end up a genre classic.