Rabid Love

"Rabid Love" took forever to go nowhere, and in between all that time, the movie never really picked up pace and stepped out of the boring, dull pace that it progressed in.

The story is about a group of people who go to a remote cabin in the forest, where there is a killer in the forest. But something else is also brewing in the idyllic forest...

I must admit that it was amazingly difficult to keep focus on the screen, because so very, very little happened in the movie, that it was a struggle to keep watching the screen. And I caved in and gave up, not even making it to the end of the movie.

There is something very low budget about the movie, but when that is said, then I will also say that there was a good production value to the movie - despite the slow, dull storyline.

As for the acting, well it was alright, though nothing groundbreaking or award-winning here.

All in all, then there was nothing to keep "Rabid Love" afloat, and this is definitely a movie that I will not be giving a second chance to knock me off my feet.

Paul J. Porter's "Rabid Love" is a retro-charged love affair with classic 80's horror that does so much more than the term "throwback" could justify. The film stars Hayley Derryberry, Jessica Sonneborn, Brandon Stacy, Josh Hammond, Hannah Landberg and Brian Reece in a story that combines psychological/grindhouse atmosphere with traditional thriller/melodrama. Five friends decide to spend a weekend at a family cabin in the woods for some hunting typical comradery that turns into a retreat into Hell.

The story in "Rabid Love" hits on familiar themes, but the combined elements with the major plot creates a truly original nightmare. The beginning of the film was a little bit of a sleeper. It did feel as if the first 40 minutes lasted forever before something major happening in the storyline. It didn't seem really boring but I found myself becoming more aware that no real scares or bloody scenes had taken place yet. The first of half of the story really allows for a more emotional connection and character build for the horror to come. What makes it worth the wait it the stellar attention to retro aesthetics and one kick ass soundtrack. It plays out like a classic rock opera. Now the second and third acts in "Rabid Love" really amp up the action and intensity, creating a creepy almost grindhouse melancholy that is both compelling and chilling. All this rises to a fevered pitch of terrifying circumstances as the story arcs finally where the film becomes one really intense fight for survival that hits on vintage thrills of both grindhouse and psychological horror films of the late 70's and early 80's.

"Rabid Love" is really a well planned and executed tribute to the heydays of classic b-movie and survival horrors. The characters are convincing, and drawn out enough to connect with without being over exaggerated. The soundtrack is truly a epic play and sets the nostalgic and entertaining tone to the film. The actually horror and bloody elements are restrained and a bit under-glorified but the effects are well done. Paul J. Porter really does show a true talent and deep love with classic horror, and the almost romantic embrace that 80's directors held for the genre. That aspect often gets left out of modern horror which tends to go for the guts and gory. I really enjoyed this film once it kicked in, and with the attention to period aesthetic- a solid story "Rabid Love" is well worth any horror fan's attention.

Listen,

There are a ton of horror films out there nowadays, but what separated this from the new age of mostly junk is the obvious throw back to the time when horror was great, the 80s. I don't think this film was meant to surprise you with something you have never seen, but rather introduce the younger crowd to a time when horror films were fun, enticing and interesting. The performances were pretty darn good, the story is a simple story that is not out to confuse you and take you away from the overall experience of watching a horror film. The few small issues are special effects which with a low budget you can oversee cause the story is fun and the lack of nudity in such films. You put a bunch of hot girls in a horror film and not show the goods, sorta a bummer. However, these small problems are insignificant to the amount of fun you will have watching this.

Again, considering the junk flowing around out there now, Paul Porter and his crew stumbled on to the right mix of humor, horror and 80s that is missing from horror fins today..

If you can stick with the film long enough to hear all of the music in it, I promise that you will walk away happy. The best song on the soundtrack is "Exit the Building Or Die" by Racecat. It plays during an intense action scene and is very well matched to what is happening on screen. By the second stanza of the song, I was already looking up the soundtrack for the movie and hunting a website where I could download the track. Amazon offers the single for download as well as the movie's entire soundtrack (although the other songs don't do it for me). Also, much to my exquisite delight, Racecat has a presence on Spotify, as the soundtrack is available for streaming through the service. I wish there were more songs by Racecat available, because I am in love with the mellow, ambient, trip-hop sound of "Exit the Building or Die."