I read a critic's review about Deadly Detour where the reviewer referred to it as "Slasher Porn at it's finest" and after seeing the movie I have to say that I couldn't agree with that statement more. If you get off on slasher flicks then you should blow your load watching this. It has blood, gore, violence, sex... the works. Is it a good movie? I won't lie to you, it's not. It has problems with sound, a couple of continuity issues, and some scenes that didn't make sense at all. What Deadly Detour is, though, is an excellent first attempt at film-making by Mike O'Mahony, a talented writer and director who shows that he may very well be going places. While some aspects of the film didn't work, other aspects worked very well. There were some shots that looked studio quality, the humor was spot on (the 'Want Some?' scene is classic), and the over the top in your face violence was exactly what you'd expect. Actually, there's a bus scene at the end of the movie that is way MORE than you'd expect, but to me it makes the whole thing worthwhile. And while the acting was far from Oscar worthy, keep in mind that these are not experienced actors and the film was shot on a shoestring. One standout is James Costa as Zach, who seemed to be channeling John Belushi. Erich Ficke also did an excellent job as The Goatman. I'm not really sure WHY he was called the Goatman when he didn't really look like a goat at all but more like a deformed psychopath, but I believe that it ties into an old urban legend in Maryland which is where the film supposedly takes place. While I wish the mask had more expression, Ficke commanded the character with an imposing presence. He's a big guy, and I can see him taking up the mantle of Jason Voorhees one day. Thumbs ups also go to Stacey Hartman as Jenna for being super hot and Julie Ann Hamolko for being hot in a Zooey Deschanel sort of way. Hamolko shows she's got some acting chops as well and I look forward to seeing her again. And lastly, Fred Ficke, Erich Ficke's real life father, steals the show with his cameo as the doomed bus driver of that final scene. All in all, Deadly Detour is a great first try, it could very well become an underground classic, and I look forward to future films from Maniac Films.
Review of Deadly Detour
