The Final

Yes, I'll go ahead and say that first and foremost, this movie is not for everyone. If you can't stand torture, you will simply not like The Final. For those who do, this movie is a rare gem that didn't rely on the gore factor, but earns its praise through terrific acting. I was really looking forward to this movie as a part of Horrorfest, but expected the acting to bring its quality down a peg. I was dead wrong, other than some stuck-up cheerleader types who were played a little over the top for my taste, the actors playing both hunter and hunted did a tremendous job. There are a few moments where you'll say "why doesn't so and so do this to escape" or "what's going on behind the scenes here". Some minor characters had flaws as well, but were given little to work with in their respective roles. I don't really believe there are more than a handful of 10/10 movies out there, and this one just doesn't make that cut. I give it a 7 because I would've liked to see more development, and there were truly things I would've changed in the script. Overall though, a great job building tension and suspense.

I was apprehensive when I approached The Final, choice cut of Afterdark Horrorfest 2010. Any movie portraying school related violence runs the risk of offending many, but The Final, crafted with this in mind, scores a home-run by walking the tightrope and putting on a class act.

The main characters were anti-heroes, to be sympathized with, but certainly not to be admired (even by the most disturbed of movie goers). I personally appreciated the well crafted chemistry among the villains. The violence was well orchestrated as well. The film relied more on suspense than gore, something to be admired in a horror film these days.

Overall, The Final proved to a highly entertaining piece, while delivering some serious catharsis when the credits rolled to those of us who feared offense. It's not perfect in all its areas, but it was the best of the Horrorfest, as far as I'm concerned.

I was told to watch this from some of my friends under the pre-tense that it was chilling. I was not disappointed. It starts of showing what most schools are like, you have the popular kids who are beautiful and basically rule the school, and then you have the kids who are the outcasts. They are bullied everyday, all day for no apparent reason. This of course causes them great distress and so they decide to band together to get revenge. There is an atmosphere of tension throughout the film, which makes it impossible to turn away. There are some truly horrid scenes which aren't very gory but will make you grit your teeth and hope it ends soon. The actors did a good job on both parts to portray normal kids who have gone a bit "mad" and of being tortured. I recommend that you watch this

This is not one of those movies that I'd refer to as,, fun. I saw it first awhile back after it came out, so this is my 2nd viewing,, and my thoughts on it have still stayed the same. This is a great suspense/thriller for the content it contains. A group of High school misfits/outcasts set up a party and invite the popular kids to come. The popular kids who've spent the last few years torturing them (emotionally/psychologically/physically) daily at school. Why would the misifts do this? Well,, they're not planning on showing the cool kids a great time,, more like a night of horrors they'll never forget.

This movie should really ring true for everyone in some way. No matter whether you were the bully or the bullied,, we all have seen bullying and it's effects on people. Growing up I was bullied plenty, and it had a profound effect on me and my sense of self-worth. While I have grown up, and have a very healthy sense of self-worth now,, it took a VERY long time to get there. As I would hope everyone does, I look at things very different now. I don't wish anything against the bullies from my past,, but the scars are always there. I went to a restaurant with my family a couple of years ago,, and one of my bullies was there. I hadn't seen or thought about this guy in more than a decade or so,, but just being in the same room made everything come back. I was on the verge of a panic attack. He didn't acknowledge me, nor I him,, but I felt like that tormented kid again.

This movie (imo) does a good job of showing what can happen if people are pushed far enough. Especially considering the Godless/nihilistic views that are so prevalent in this day and age. I see how kids treat each other now, and it makes my generation almost look saintly (well, not quite,, but much nicer). We are living in the last days, that's for certain,, and it's gonna get worse before it gets better. Anyways,, I've said enough.

I love a good revenge fantasy wherein the viewer can put themselves in the shoes of the downtrodden as they dish out justice to deserving jerks, but it's unlikely that many people will experience such satisfaction with this particular film, the high-school outcasts who plan to get even with their tormentors going way too far in their quest for retribution. Not only does the film fail as a satisfying revenge flick, but it is also barely passes as a torture-porn style horror, with not nearly enough eye-watering graphic gore to satisfy the genre's bloodthirsty fans.

Where the film works best is as a cautionary tale, showing exactly what can happen if one allows a desire for revenge to become all-consuming; the film makes it abundantly clear that such a path can only lead to suffering for ALL involved. Sadly, although the film might possibly work as a deterrent for potential vengeful nerds, I doubt that bullies will get the message that picking on the weak is wrong: most of them are far too stupid to grasp that concept.