In the 80s, 4 kids go to an empty college building. They start talking about murders that took place there. Suddenly they start getting killed. The surprise killer is revealed. But then someone knocks on the door. It's another masked killed who ends up killing everyone.
Some months later a smart but socially awkward kid start college there. He's bullied by some jerks and befriends his roommate. But then the killings on campus and off campus start. At some point the kid is about to fall victim to the killers but instead they only injure him. That draws the attention of a detective who has been tracing killings on campus for years. He thinks all these deaths over the years are connected and he even suspects the kid's involved. Instead the kid offers to help in the investigation since no one else believes the cop. For some reason the cop offers up his daughter to help the kid get more involved in the college scene and investigate on their own. Soon enough they are again in the middle of he killings.
Eventually we learn who the killers are and why they kill, as well as why they let the kid live. It has to do with his father. He was on campus as well decades ago. There are some surprises as well.
There's a lot to like in Murder University. Despite the low budget, it's relatively well done. There's a good story here. It's confidently directed. It's not shy about nudity. For some reason all the killings involve cool decapitations. The acting by the main star and the main villain is very good.
On the other hand, the production also overreached. With a low budget you can't do everything you envisioned well. The 80s theme, while a tribute to 80s slashers, doesn't work, neither does the awful synth pop music. Unfortunately all horror is supposed to happen at night by some law I guess, but when you don't have adequate equipment it's not recommended. There's too much darkness here. Acting by everyone else but the two actors mentioned above isn't convincing. I suspect that most of these people are horror fan-volunteers so it's understandable. The final 30 minutes, when things usually pick up in horror movies, are completely dull here. Even though things are revealed, most of the time is taken up by long speeches instead of action.
Overall, this is a good very good effort by a talented crew but it doesn't satisfy.
Some months later a smart but socially awkward kid start college there. He's bullied by some jerks and befriends his roommate. But then the killings on campus and off campus start. At some point the kid is about to fall victim to the killers but instead they only injure him. That draws the attention of a detective who has been tracing killings on campus for years. He thinks all these deaths over the years are connected and he even suspects the kid's involved. Instead the kid offers to help in the investigation since no one else believes the cop. For some reason the cop offers up his daughter to help the kid get more involved in the college scene and investigate on their own. Soon enough they are again in the middle of he killings.
Eventually we learn who the killers are and why they kill, as well as why they let the kid live. It has to do with his father. He was on campus as well decades ago. There are some surprises as well.
There's a lot to like in Murder University. Despite the low budget, it's relatively well done. There's a good story here. It's confidently directed. It's not shy about nudity. For some reason all the killings involve cool decapitations. The acting by the main star and the main villain is very good.
On the other hand, the production also overreached. With a low budget you can't do everything you envisioned well. The 80s theme, while a tribute to 80s slashers, doesn't work, neither does the awful synth pop music. Unfortunately all horror is supposed to happen at night by some law I guess, but when you don't have adequate equipment it's not recommended. There's too much darkness here. Acting by everyone else but the two actors mentioned above isn't convincing. I suspect that most of these people are horror fan-volunteers so it's understandable. The final 30 minutes, when things usually pick up in horror movies, are completely dull here. Even though things are revealed, most of the time is taken up by long speeches instead of action.
Overall, this is a good very good effort by a talented crew but it doesn't satisfy.