Last Girl Standing

Even if you don't enjoy the story... it's shot really well!

I like independent films and don't try to compare them to Hollywood blockbusters with big budgets unless they deservedly out do the latter. I especially love horror. I enjoy independent horror sometimes way more than anything Hollywood could produce. Unfortunately, in this case it was not the result. I've been interested in seeing this film after reading about it and seeing it won some independent film awards. The movie starts off very good. Gory slasher, even if a bit cliché, but it was a nice stat. Then it just died into an abysmal tedious 45 plus minutes of drama, non sense talking, scenes that didn't fit, and could go on but like the movie I don't want to bore you here in the middle. But nothing happens. Then the last 15 minutes picks up were the beginning left off as a good gory slasher, again even if predictable and cliché. If you want t add this to horror movies that you have seen by all meas watch it. It is definitely not the worst. If you choosenot to, you are not missing anything.

My rating was waffling between 6 and 7, so I rounded up because I both enjoyed it and respect what was done with a small budget. I had no idea this was a Kickstarter funded movie, until the credits rolled.

I DVR'd this movie, months ago, and like most of the things I record, they sit there, waiting to get deleted or watched later. I originally came to IMDB and saw a lot of reviews stating that this movie was boring or not that good. But, a few positive reviews kept me from deleting it, so it sat...

Last night, I was channel surfing and this movie was on. I was only going to watch a minute or two, but It was right around the part where Nick introduces Camryn to his roommates. I soon realized that I was getting drawn in and was interested in seeing more of these characters, so I loaded up the DVR'd version and started from the beginning. I'm glad I did, otherwise, I would have missed the whole setup!

I got sucked in because of Camryn's predicament and how well fleshed out all the characters were, right down to the boss and complaining customer. Nick's friends include the bitchy, elitist, Maelyn, the compassionate, but clingy, Hannah, the responsible paying roommate and undergrad student, Danielle (also played by someone named Danielle), purist and woodworking artist, Tyler, a likeable moocher, named Griffin, and of course the leads, Nick and Camryn, played by people with the same last name. Was it a brother and sister? As it turns out the onscreen couple happen to be married in real life. "Whew!"

Nick is a person who could be the killer, or who could just be an empathetic guy, who has his act together. Camryn has survivor's guilt and nightmares. The lead up to the finale was good. While I didn't really like where the story ended up, it made sense. There are some gory moments, but only during a few sequences.

If you snip off the beginning and end of the movie, there is not a lot in the way of horror or action. That's not a fault, as I found the characters and interactions to be interesting and genuine. It was that interaction which motivated me to watch the movie from the beginning. I do agree with another reviewer's point, that the beginning of this movie could have benefited from a few more introductory moments. It still works well, though.

Overall, it was decently produced. Good electronic music score and some cool background songs. The cinematography and editing (particularly some recurring transitions to images of the killer) were pretty good. Nice gore effects. Most of all, I liked the way the director and actors presented these characters.

Apparently the director's reason for making this cheap, independent slasher movie was the question "what happens to the final girl after the credits roll?". He answers his own question in a no budget way in this derivative and uninteresting movie, that seems to hinge on a familiar old twist that I already saw played out - better - in previous slasher sequels and the like. It's hardly original.

Akasha Villalobos plays the sole survivor of a massacre at the hands of a bizarrely-costumed killer in the film's opening sequence. She struggles to adapt to normal life afterwards, but ends up alienating herself from her social group. The problem the viewer has is that the character is completely unlikeable and as an actress Villalobos is quite horrible, never displaying a moment of emotion despite her character's ordeal.

Of course it transpires that the bloodshed isn't over yet as LAST GIRL STANDING hinges on a major twist ending involving another killer. The cheap gore effects flow freely here but the twist itself is quite laughable and overstated. Sadly this is a film that never quite manages to overcome a lack of talent and budget and ends up being completely forgettable as a result.

Benjamin R. Moody's story is a dark, cynical next chapter in the final girl persona. Although the film starts with a strong, gory opening it soon turns to Indie driven character study with lofty amounts of solemn atmosphere. The cast get into their characters and for the most part give strong performances. They play up the quirky but familiar stereotypes nicely. "Last Girl Standing" goes into a deep drama mode after the first scenes, but it is an evenly paced, tense rise to a bloody climax.

The special effects are worth watching the film. It is bloody, and gory and brutal. It has all the elements of giallo, grindhouse, and splatter gore neatly tied up in one hell of a bloody third act. The middle moves toward atmospheric, and macabre thriller, but the story is strong, and the blood is gore is in your face. Definitely a big plus for "Last Girl Standing". I do think the suspense and intensity could have contained more power, but whateve, all in all this is a good, indie American giallo horror that most indie fans will dig.