NOTE: This review contains a bunch of spoilers after the first paragraph.
There are many people that would claim that no original slasher movie can be made. These people insist that every slasher movie from 1980 to the present is a rip-off of "Halloween" and "Friday the 13th." (Note that I do not believe the "Friday the 13th" series is a "Halloween" rip-off) I typically don't think that way, but believe that, while those movies may have been an influence, it doesn't mean that each slasher movie can't bring original material to the screen. Look at such good slasher films as "Dr. Giggles" and "Popcorn" for example. And many slasher movies do provide new things, but still remain bad, like "The Majorettes" and the terrible "Nail Gun Massacre." But no movie has ever done the evil deeds that "Bloody Murder" has committed. It is by far the most blatant, bold-faced rip-off of "Friday the 13th" that has ever been made.
The movie opens annoyingly, with a man being killed by a man wielding a chainsaw, wearing a jump-suit and a hockey mask. But it is only a story being told by a teen to other teens as they head to the camp they will be working at over the summer. Yes, a group of teenagers at a summer camp with a hazy past. They explain that there is a local legend with no credence to it: some killer named Trevor Moorehouse roams the woods. Well, after some really bad introductions, we realize that none of the characters have any real personality traits whatsoever. Two of the counselors aren't even given names until the movie has been on for quite some time. Occasionally, some of the counselors are bumped off by someone wearing the jump-suit and hockey mask. There really isn't much more to say about the plot itself, since we all know how "Friday the 13th" goes. And speaking of which, let's see some of the ripped-off elements other than the fact that the killer is dressed similar to Jason in the Friday sequels and that there is a character named Jason that one counselor suspects is the killer because of his name. There is also a strange old man warning the main character about danger; the bodies disappear without a trace, and the dumb cast can't figure out what is wrong; and of course the killings themselves, which all are exact imitations from "Friday the 13th."
Trying to figure out who the killer is should be fun, but it is just painful here. You know that every time someone accuses someone else of being the killer, that it is not the accused. The police especially are stupid:
Sheriff: (holding up the imprint of a boot) Does Jason have a shoe that matches this print?
Julie: Well, yeah he does but....
Sheriff: Well, that's it. Jason Hathaway's our boy.
What? Was there an insignia on the bottom that said "Jason Hathaway's property?" There are some stupid police authorities out there, but police authorities typically are not THAT stupid; most are very intelligent. Why must our intelligence be insulted with such a character? Basically, by process of elimination, you can limit it down to a few suspects. I admit my main guess was wrong and secondary guess was correct, but that was mainly because the movie cheated. I can't say what it is without giving away too much, but it has to do with why the killer is killing, which is got to be the most implausible thing about the film. In addition to that there are character inconsistencies, people jumping from location to location in a way which is physically impossible, especially when they change their clothes in the process, and a downright terrible ending. My advice to anyone stupid enough to see this movie would be to give yourself extra time to watch it. You'll need it for the numerous times you have to stop the movie to beat your head against the wall. If you need proof of that, come look at the dent in mine. Zantara's score: 1 out of 10.
There are many people that would claim that no original slasher movie can be made. These people insist that every slasher movie from 1980 to the present is a rip-off of "Halloween" and "Friday the 13th." (Note that I do not believe the "Friday the 13th" series is a "Halloween" rip-off) I typically don't think that way, but believe that, while those movies may have been an influence, it doesn't mean that each slasher movie can't bring original material to the screen. Look at such good slasher films as "Dr. Giggles" and "Popcorn" for example. And many slasher movies do provide new things, but still remain bad, like "The Majorettes" and the terrible "Nail Gun Massacre." But no movie has ever done the evil deeds that "Bloody Murder" has committed. It is by far the most blatant, bold-faced rip-off of "Friday the 13th" that has ever been made.
The movie opens annoyingly, with a man being killed by a man wielding a chainsaw, wearing a jump-suit and a hockey mask. But it is only a story being told by a teen to other teens as they head to the camp they will be working at over the summer. Yes, a group of teenagers at a summer camp with a hazy past. They explain that there is a local legend with no credence to it: some killer named Trevor Moorehouse roams the woods. Well, after some really bad introductions, we realize that none of the characters have any real personality traits whatsoever. Two of the counselors aren't even given names until the movie has been on for quite some time. Occasionally, some of the counselors are bumped off by someone wearing the jump-suit and hockey mask. There really isn't much more to say about the plot itself, since we all know how "Friday the 13th" goes. And speaking of which, let's see some of the ripped-off elements other than the fact that the killer is dressed similar to Jason in the Friday sequels and that there is a character named Jason that one counselor suspects is the killer because of his name. There is also a strange old man warning the main character about danger; the bodies disappear without a trace, and the dumb cast can't figure out what is wrong; and of course the killings themselves, which all are exact imitations from "Friday the 13th."
Trying to figure out who the killer is should be fun, but it is just painful here. You know that every time someone accuses someone else of being the killer, that it is not the accused. The police especially are stupid:
Sheriff: (holding up the imprint of a boot) Does Jason have a shoe that matches this print?
Julie: Well, yeah he does but....
Sheriff: Well, that's it. Jason Hathaway's our boy.
What? Was there an insignia on the bottom that said "Jason Hathaway's property?" There are some stupid police authorities out there, but police authorities typically are not THAT stupid; most are very intelligent. Why must our intelligence be insulted with such a character? Basically, by process of elimination, you can limit it down to a few suspects. I admit my main guess was wrong and secondary guess was correct, but that was mainly because the movie cheated. I can't say what it is without giving away too much, but it has to do with why the killer is killing, which is got to be the most implausible thing about the film. In addition to that there are character inconsistencies, people jumping from location to location in a way which is physically impossible, especially when they change their clothes in the process, and a downright terrible ending. My advice to anyone stupid enough to see this movie would be to give yourself extra time to watch it. You'll need it for the numerous times you have to stop the movie to beat your head against the wall. If you need proof of that, come look at the dent in mine. Zantara's score: 1 out of 10.