my thoughts on.... 'The Final Girls'

As with all of my reviews of the independent films that we get sent here at The Creepercast, I fully recommend that you check each and every one of them out. I am one man and this is my opinion. I've seen plenty of movies that received reviews that were the complete opposite of how I saw the film. These writers, directors, producers and actors all put a lot of time and love into these projects. They deserve to be seen and appreciated for what they are. Everyone has a dream and I fully support the people that take the time to make theirs a reality. With that being said....

I've said it before and I'll say it again, for those who think that Hollywood ran out of ideas, you haven't been paying attention. 'The Final Girls' may not be 100% original, at it's core, but it's 100% original all the same. I can honestly say that I've never seen anything quite like it and there were some moments in it that my jaw literally hit the floor. We'll talk more about that later. It's not often that a horror movie can achieve something beautiful, maybe not in the traditional sense, but beautiful all the same. A horror movie with heart. (Note: Please see another film that was woefully left off my top 10, 'Spring'.... beautiful in a different way though.) 'The Final Girls' has a story that's grounded in a heartbreaking event, with all the feelings that go along with it. Not only do you get all the blood, a bit of guts and a little gore, you also get a sense of a complete character arc and a story line that never slows down. From the opening faux trailer, until the amazingly climactic ending, it's racing at the speed of a machete being swung. There's a tale of sadness and loss that ties in with a future event that gives closure to our main character. This is something you would expect that from a big budget drama starring Juliet Binoche, but not from a horror comedy that features a machete wielding maniac in a lizard like tiki mask.... that's too big for his head. Yes, you heard me right. I wasn't expecting that either. When I started watching this film, my original expectations were to see something a little clever with some gross out comedy, but this was so much more than all that. This had moments of looking like living artwork. Sounds interesting yet? Well, keep reading.

Directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson (known primarily for his work in television) and written by M.A. Fortin and Joshua John Miller (who've done several things together before), 'The Final Girls' feels like something made by veterans in the genre. By people who've paid their dues and have a reputation, but feel like taking a risk and creating something new. On the flip side of that, it could also be the product of young up and comes who want to make their mark. Either way, they succeeded in giving us jaded horror lovers something fresh and new. The film opens with a trailer for 'Camp Bloodbath' (very reminiscent of the 'Thanksgiving' trailer made by Eli Roth for his part of the film, 'Grindhouse'.) an 80's style slasher throwback, complete with a masked killer named Billy. From there, we fast forward to almost the present where we meet Max Cartwright (played by Taissa Farmiga) and Amanda Cartwright (played by Malin Akerman) a mother and daughter on their way home from another audition for another movie. (We quickly realize that Amanda was one of the girls in the trailer from the opening of the film) Suddenly, an accident happens and Amanda is killed. Fast forward 3 more years and Max is struggling to come to terms with all the things that have happened in her life and what to do next. Her friends take her to a revival for the film, 'Camp Bloodbath', where a strange series of events leads to Max and her friends being transported into the film. From there, it's something that has to be seen to be believed and better left unspoken. Trust me. You'll thank me when the credits roll.

There is so many things to love about 'The Final Girls', that it's hard to talk about them all, without spoiling the whole film. I want you to have all the same moments of shock and awe and happiness I did. This one was an instant classic, before it was even ¾ of a way through it. Sadly, I've already made my top 10 best horror films of 2015. I'm not quite sure this one would have made out overall, but it would have been pretty high up there. Among some of the reasons this one stands out among it's peers, lie heavily in it's stylistic approach to horror. The cinematography stands out among other genre fare, possibly only matched by another recent classic, 'The Cabin in the Woods'. It practically takes on a life of it's own and is another character in the film. The use of different shooting styles for real life vs the the movie and even beyond that, the flashback sequences. However, where this becomes a near work of art is in the third act. When Billy is on fire, to the slow motion chase scene and all the way through the final fight. I've never seen anything quite like it in a big budget Hollywood blockbuster or even a second rate student film. You could pause it at any point, take a screen capture and hang it on your wall. It's a thing that has to be seen to be believed. The characters in real life are the stereotypical modern day horror teenagers and those within the movie inside the movie, represent every 80's horror cliché you've even seen. That's the point though. To parody everything you've seen before and to make the two worlds collide. It's fun to watch, just based on that premise alone. When you then add Billy, the flashbacks even further and the creativity of the script, you get 'The Final Girls'.

Hindsight 20/20, I wish I had seen this sooner. With that being said, it's too late for this to make your own personal top 10 for 2015, but it can make it onto your top 10 bluray/DVD's you need to pick up as soon as possible. It's got more than enough fun little layers of horror movie staples to keep even the most jaded slasher nerd happy. Beyond that, it's so entertaining that you can re-watch it and enjoy it just as much as the first time. But wait, there's more! As the credits start to roll, one last moment of genius occurs when another trailer begins.... the trailer for the movie in the movies sequel! Double the things that you loved during the film, the possibility of a sequel and one more reason to love it. In my humble horror opinion, 'The Final Girls' deserves a solid 4 out of 5 stars and a bigger audience then it has. Don't let this one fade away into the background, only to be forgotten. You may just find yourself on the wrong end of Billy's machete.

If you enjoy this horror comedy, then check out: 'The Cabin In The Woods', 'Tucker and Dale vs Evil' or 'Behind the Mask: The Rise and Fall of Leslie Vernon'