Haunt Season

I genuinely wanted to enjoy Haunted Season. The trailer promised a solid horror experience within its subgenre-perhaps not groundbreaking, but at least something entertaining. Sadly, the film itself turned out to be a letdown. Poor directing, cringeworthy dialogue, and acting straight out of a high school drama class completely sank any hopes I had.

Admittedly, the cinematography was decent-at least someone on set seemed to know which direction to point the camera. Initially, I suspected this was an earnest attempt by recent film grads, so I was prepared to overlook some rookie mistakes. Imagine my surprise when I discovered the director is in his 40s with twenty years of filmmaking experience behind him. If this is his best after two decades, perhaps a career change should be considered.

Ultimately, Haunted Season isn't frightening or engaging-it's just disappointing. Save yourself the trouble and find a film made by someone who still enjoys making movies.

Watched this because I knew the director from their PoPs series, which was great. Several of the actors from that also showed up here, unsurprisingly, and I liked to see them again.

This was a fun halloween film! I did not realize it was going to be literally haunted house carnival-based, which is a great setting for a movie about people getting killed, without it being really eerie or horrific. And it allows for a lot of kitchy props, which makes it budgetfriendly to make I imagine.

I felt the music and sound effects could have used more love, but I liked the actors' performances! Especially the killer was great, I felt like I knew them from something else, some bigger production.

I'll be showing this to my fiancee, who isn't into horror but I think she could appreciate a halloweeny slasher :)

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.

All of these positive reviews were probably written by cast members or their friends and family because it's just ridiculous. I'm severely mad that I had to pay 8 bucks to see this. It's definitely giving off school project vibes.

The acting isn't absolutely terrible, but it's not all that great either. There's too much talking and hanging out and not enough of anything scary whatsoever. The main thing that made me write this review is the obvious lies that the positive reviews gush. I hate when people involved with the movie take it upon themselves to comment. They bump this movie up to a 5.9 rating when it should be nowhere near it.

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.