Students at Dewitt University are all getting ready for the annual all night Scavenger Hunt unaware a psycho dressed as the bear mascot and armed with a fist full of steak knives is stalking the young ladies of Dewitt. It sounds like such a simple premise, but director Robert Deubel gives the viewer so much more than a slasher. Severe overacting, bad dialog, unlikable characters, and the lack of a central heroic figure turns a routine slasher into a garbled mess. I suppose the director tried breaking new ground by throwing away most of the Slasher formula unfortunately he threw away the parts that make slasher films great.
The first thirty minutes is more soap opera than slasher. Guys complain about their girlfriends, girls brag about screwing other guys. Far too much screen time is given to characters that vanish midway into the film. The middle section focuses on the killer stalking the girls while on the scavenger hunt. One can tell the hunt is a big event because there are five, count'em, five girls involved. The bear costume is rubbish and the third act plays like a police procedural. Drag in the red herrings, ask them a question, then show flashbacks while they answer.
Hal Holbrook literally "phones" in his performance. He spends most of his screen time behind a desk clutching a receiver instead of patrolling the campus. His son, David Holbrook, plays red herring #3. David growls and stomps through his scenes. Lauren-Marie (Friday the 13th Part 2) Taylor is a welcome sight as one of the bad girls, but fans might cringe when she brags about having great sex with her cousin. Her line "It hurts when I sit down." is one of the worst in the film.
All in all I found this movie quite disappointing, no nudity which didn't really bother me, no gore, low on suspense and plus there is no final girl showdown with the killer a first in the slasher genre which I find a major letdown and what we're left with is a totally stupid ending which kind went out with a whimper instead of a bang. I suppose only die hard Slasher movie fans will want to watch this.
The first thirty minutes is more soap opera than slasher. Guys complain about their girlfriends, girls brag about screwing other guys. Far too much screen time is given to characters that vanish midway into the film. The middle section focuses on the killer stalking the girls while on the scavenger hunt. One can tell the hunt is a big event because there are five, count'em, five girls involved. The bear costume is rubbish and the third act plays like a police procedural. Drag in the red herrings, ask them a question, then show flashbacks while they answer.
Hal Holbrook literally "phones" in his performance. He spends most of his screen time behind a desk clutching a receiver instead of patrolling the campus. His son, David Holbrook, plays red herring #3. David growls and stomps through his scenes. Lauren-Marie (Friday the 13th Part 2) Taylor is a welcome sight as one of the bad girls, but fans might cringe when she brags about having great sex with her cousin. Her line "It hurts when I sit down." is one of the worst in the film.
All in all I found this movie quite disappointing, no nudity which didn't really bother me, no gore, low on suspense and plus there is no final girl showdown with the killer a first in the slasher genre which I find a major letdown and what we're left with is a totally stupid ending which kind went out with a whimper instead of a bang. I suppose only die hard Slasher movie fans will want to watch this.