Kids Go to the Woods... Kids Get Dead (2009 Video) User Reviews

100% Spoiler-Filled Review

[jfgibson73 · 3/10 · 19 April 2011]

Here is another movie meant to be campy and retro as a nod to 80's slasher films. What I couldn't figure out is why the characters sound like they're stuck in a 50's sitcom. If you have seen Psycho Beach Party, Blood Feast 2, or The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra, you'll have an idea of the tone of this movie.

You can probably decide whether or not you'd enjoy this movie by considering if you appreciate movies that try to create an intentionally campy feel. The dialog sounds it came from an episode of The Brady Bunch, as it is meant to be corny.

The story is literally about a group of kids who go to a cabin to celebrate a birthday and then get killed. Everyone dies except the lead actress. In the end, she fatally injures the killer several times, but he keeps coming, so she eventually flees.

It felt like a bit of cheat not to have any clue as to who the killer was or what motivated him. Literally every character introduced in this movie ended up dead (except the girl), so there was no one left that we knew about. In one moment, the killer has his breathing tube broken, and appears to suffocate. This felt like the best way to end the story. Of course he kept going because the main inspiration cited by the director was the Friday the 13th movies.

The bottom line was that I didn't really enjoy any of it that much. For a movie that seemed to have an awareness of what usually happens in slasher films, this one didn't do anything different. It was an R-rated episode of Scooby-Doo where the gang all died, the crimes didn't get solved, and none of the action was humorous or entertaining anywhere along the way.

The title doesn't lie, but the sub title should have said LAMER THAN YOU THINK

[mhorg2018 · 1/10 · 7 July 2018]

This tries to be a homage to the 80's slasher films everyone loved (or at least went to see to see nudity and gore), unfortunately the version I saw was constantly interrupted with some stupid unfunny scream queen. Add this to the horrible acting (even worse than in the worst Friday the 13th), not enough nudity to keep me interested and really crappy special effects. Still better than virtually anything the SyFy channel or the happily gone Chiller shows, but not worth wasting 90 minutes of my life on.

My Review Of "Kids Go To The Woods Kids Get Dead"

[ASouthernHorrorFan · 9/10 · 14 June 2014]

Indie slasher "Kids Go To The Woods…Kids Get Dead" is directed by Michael Hall and follows a group of friends who decide to go away for a weekend of partying, as one celebrates her birthday. They soon realize that their weekend of fun is about to become a nightmare as they are taken out by a masked killer. "Kids Get Dead" stars Leah Rudick, Andrew Waffenschmidt, Joseph Campellone, Carly Goodspeed, Meghan Miller, Eric Carpenter, Amanda Rising and Kevin Shea in a modern return to the classic format of slasher horror.

The story is a classic blueprint of dark, campy horror than never reaches the cheesy, young, half naked kids getting wild in the woods, and a slasher with a blood lust of near supernatural proportions. The concept is classic but maintains a fresh, electric energy that never tires, and even comes with a high-concept fantasy element that plays well against the slasher set-up. Although the humor is more satirical instead of spoof, the comedic aspect of "Kids Go To The Woods…Kids Get Dead" shows a fun, wittier side to the writing that creates an attitude of modernization as opposed to retro rip-off. The direction and writing work on all levels in this entertaining slasher flick.

The acting and vision of "Kids Get Dead" is a cut above what one becomes used to with low-budget, indie horror. I was pleasantly surprised with this film, and the fantasy twist added into the story offers a perfect spice that keeps the film from becoming redundant. The cast give believable performances, even if more than a few of the characters came off as total douchebags, and a bit middle school, I connected emotionally with every character. Okay the characters are a bit cliché and stereotypical identities that plague pretty much every horror situation, but when most films fail to show plausibility or depth, Michael Hall manages to give us the cliché with heart.

"Kids Go To The Woods…Kids Get Dead" has some pretty stellar special effects in the film. The kill scenes are expect but Hall doesn't shy away from producing the visceral, gory kills. Kill sequences that work well, give full-on carnage and look as clean as any film with a higher budget could manage. It is some impressive use of practical effects that prove low budget horror can be every bit as good as big budget horror. Honestly "Kids Get Dead" shows that the genre still has break out potential that made classic slashers worldwide phenoms. Something a lot of modern horror fail to do, use of CGI and overkill production nightmares do more to kill the organic feel of the horror genre than cheap, poorly managed indie horror.

The sound effects and soundtracks used in "Kids Get Dead" is pretty much what we have come to expect in horror. The eerie, creepy sounds mix with cool music to create the desired atmosphere needed to sell the film. The timing of certain sounds and songs at key points do feel slightly played out, but they fit the moments they frame so they work. The choice of music is pretty rock'n'roll and does offer an electrifying feel to the story. Honestly throughout the whole film all I could do was feel renewed excitement for the indie horror genres potential. "Kids Go To The Woods…Kids Get Dead" is a great slasher that will please any horror fan and would easily turn on some new fans to the community. It is a must watch.