Bad Kids of Crestview Academy

Amazon was pushing 'Totally Killer' on me, and I couldn't make it through that one either. This one also appears to be targeted towards the 14-34 female, um, let's say "Velma" demographic, so I'm probably not the audience they're going for. I guess I was expecting more of a "Disturbing Behavior" type movie, but BKoCA is more like a spoof of a horror movie than it is a horror movie.

That being said, it's a horny/gory teen comedy that leans heavily on current-day tropes which won't make sense in the future, so if you hadn't heard of this movie before, then you probably won't hear about it again. It employs levels of acting and writing that you would see on The CW. The camera work and audio is well done.

This was made for a pretty specific group of people, so if you're in that group you'll probably love it, but otherwise you deserve a medal for making it through the first hour.

PS- I saw someone else mention that it has themes of "And Then There Were None", but implying that these writers read Agatha Christie is giving them way too much credit. I could see if maybe they watched a YouTube video summarizing the film adaptation.

.... which, depending on your POV, may or may not be a compliment.

Here is the scoop -- there is a theory in the biz that if you deconstruct enough films in the same script, you may possibly trigger a paradox in the (Hollywood) time-space continuum, Star Trek style, and end up with a film which is actually a legitimate successor to the genre you were trying so hard to satirize.

Which is what I think happened here.

Ben Browder seems to have learned a LOT of valuable lessons from his first "Bad Kids" attempt -- just a rambly B movie which gained cult status because of some clever tropes -- and came back with a film which (I kid you not) has a remarkably tight script, good performances and good production values.

Which is not to say that the Coen Brothers are nervous, far from it. But the script is so interesting (with sly hints of Scream, Friday the 13th, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and even No Country For Old Men) that it actually engages and holds the attention.

And Sammi Hanratty gives what can best be called a bravura performance, biting into each line of dialogue and each piece of mayhem like she actually believes what she is saying ... like her career depends on it (which it probably DOES!) ... and essentially picks the film up and carries it to the finish line.

Gina Gershon does little more than offer a parody of herself, but her character ironically provides a "political angle" to the film which conveniently comes at a time when the world at large is starting to see politicians as potentially more dangerous than serial killers.

Recommended. And I predict there will be more in the series.

This film works pretty well as a teen comedy slasher, the kills are kind of cool if mostly unoriginal, but definitely fun for someone who is new to the horror genre.

The film never drags and the story has legs, but it does suffer from a lacking in the effects department. At least it tries to continue aspects from the original and doesn't just go somewhere completely different, so if you are a fan of the first film you will probably like this.

Overall this is definitely a horror designed for teens and never really rises above a beginners level in terms of entertainment, dialogue or gore. It's not a bad time though.

Nice film. Not gonna blow your mind but fun to watch if you wanna escape for a few hours.

I've long been of the opinion that actors take roles in horror films because they can go to town acting outrageously and never be accused of overacting. Maybe doubly so for young actors in these teen flicks.

In Bad Kids From Crestview Academy five of them get detention in the library, but as that famous Red Buttons song went, 'strange things are happening'. Someone is out to kill these kids in a most gruesome manner.

Crestview is an expensive prep school for rich juvenile delinquents and the rich and famous pay dear for little Johnny or Jane to go there and gain that all important high school diploma.

The film starts out like the Breakfast Club but it turns into a gory version of Ten Little Indians.

In fact the gambit that failed for the murderer in the Agatha Christie classic succeeds quite well here. If you care to watch, if these movies are your cup of tea, you'll see what I mean.