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 caught this one at SXSW 2005 - and was ready to hate it, mainly b/c of the ridiculous fanboy hype outside the theatre.

Yes, it's possible for a movie that nobody's heard of to have too much hype - it seems almost every low-budget horror movie these days has so much rabid fanaticism from the aintitcoolnews crowd, that all these movies tend to be decent but over-hyped (see Ginger Snaps, SAW), or just plain awful (see Jeepers Creepers, Dog Soldiers, Cabin Fever, or better yet, don't). The only one of these movies that lives up to the hype is the still-under-seen classic May.

While Reeker doesn't come close to the emotional punch of May, it's an entirely adequate schlock-horror movie that doesn't take itself too seriously, yet doesn't wink-and-nudge enough to ruin the material.

The less said about the plot, the better - it's essentially the same "college kids vs. monster" movie we've been seeing since Friday the 13th, but with the gimmick that the killer lets off a noxious odor before it strikes. (hence the somewhat juvenile title) And one of the kids is blind, so he can smell the killer better than the other kids. I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried. Don't worry, though - there's a twist in the end that makes it all come together, believe it or not - try to stay away from spoilers if you can.

Probably doesn't sound too great so far, but there's some big, big laughs, a few decent scares, a cameo by Michael Ironside, and quite possibly the first and last use of Cutting Crew's 80s hit "I just died in your arms tonight" in a film. All in all, it's a fun movie to catch on cable or as a cheap rental.

Oh, the end credits contain a pre-emptive rant against critics who will title their reviews of this film "It Reeks/stinks!", and the scratch and sniff promo cards say on the back "If you're a p***y - stay at home". It's that type of movie.

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 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...