I stumbled across this movie not knowing what to expect, I liked the cast and it had a cool cover.
I think it's an independent movie in the truest sense of the word. What I mean is that while it touches upon some familiar territory in this particular genre, it is by no means confined to convention... it is, perhaps, more of a response to said convention.
The central character is an attractive 'good girl' in college, pursued by a virtuous dude-bro with an obnoxious buddy (the two seemingly serve as each other's alter egos)... the essence of this group harkens back to the classic set-up of Friday The 13th and other popular franchises... but we learn from the onset that there is more to this 'good girl' then what she leads on. She's both the protagonist and a deeply disturbed young lady.
The voice over provides a deeper characterization of who she is with her homicidal thoughts and we really do see the world through her eyes... the world being the veritable den of male sexual deviants... even the nice old neighbor, played brilliantly by Malcom McDowal is deviant under a thin veneer...
All of these cretens get their just deserts when she is given a rather unorthodox assignment by her professor (the incomparable Michael Madison) who challenges his class to break one sexual norm during the course of the semester and then to write about it. Something that would most likely not hold up well in today's #MeToo movement but our suspension of disbelief is adequately maintained because ultimately what is more compelling is Ella's journey.
There is the obligatory confusion between sex and death that comes with these teen slasher flicks... with Ella as the virginal maiden, expressing her sexuality through grotesque violence, thus effectively distancing herself from her own discomfort. It is only when she and the aforementioned Dude-Bro come together that a resolution to this conflict comes into sight.
The pop psychology angle of it posed some interesting questions that likely would be explored in a sequel but proved, more so, to add a very interesting twist in the end... in which all is right with the world... this very devious world... her world.
All in all, I really enjoyed this picture because, like I said, it thwarted my expectations and I give it high markings because I believe efforts like these are important in cinema and should be encouraged!
Just watch it, give it and chance, and see what you think!
