Here’s an early 80s “slasher-in-the-woods” offering crossed with an episode of
Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?
A group of young people, including an obvious Fred, a nerdy character with glasses, a pretty, fun-loving, self-confident gal, a more serious, smart one, and a kinda goofball, driving in a van on an adventure with their talking Great Dane… oh, wait, scratch that last part. But all the rest of it is on-point. Anyway, they are driving up the big, scary mountain to the cousin’s place that Fred has now inherited the deed too when they run into a park ranger (George Kennedy!) who warns them not to go up the mountain and then another guy who warns them that there’s a demon on the mountain (I mean, seriously, this is an episode of Scooby-Doo, minus, ya know, actual Scooby-Doo… and add a rather menacing machete).
Of course, they ignore all this and go up anyway, at which point they begin to be casually stalked by someone. (And just like a Scooby-Doo episode, there’s actually an opening sequence where we meet the villain before we actually meet the kids, so we already know what the “demon” is.)
Anyway, eventually some killing gets under way and there’s a bit of a
Deliverance element and also a little something the savvy viewer will have seen reflected in
Pumpkinhead (probably not directly but you’ll know what I mean). And then there’s a scene where the kid with the glasses drops them and has the whole “Oh no, my glasses! Is that you, Shaggy?” as the villain walks right up to them and makes the menacing noise or whatever… it’s hilarious. Fortunately, that scene leads right into the most interesting moment of the film, which the whole thing ultimately hinges on.
So, what’s the dope on this film?
Well, you’ve seen worse. I promise you. Despite it’s very-low budget, this is a perfectly competent kids-in-the-woods horror movie (and by kids I mean 20-somethings) with some creepy backwoods elements that, while not offering much in the art department (Wikipedia says the cinematography was “praised” but I thought it was “fine”), competently tells a story that's at least not totally cookie-cutter (though the cookies mostly look like other cookies you've had). The acting is at least adequate if not better, with a particularly strong performance (for the budget, mind) by obvious-from-the-first-scene-but-damn-plucky-when-it-counts Final Girl, Constance…
… and George Kennedy actually not phoning it in but giving a convincing, professional go. Mad respect.
And the mini-twist in the plot lands very successfully and gives the movie enough oomph to carry it to the end, particularly when Constance shows her mettle in the inevitable Final Confrontation.
All in all, it’s not necessarily a movie I’d recommend except for true completionists but I would also say you could do a lot worse on a lazy Sunday.
No idea what "Just Before Dawn" has to do with anything in the movie, though.
Just Before Dawn