Don't Go to the Reunion (2013) User Reviews

Bad, and unintentionally funny too

[calumuk93 · 3/10 · 15 February 2014]

Oh, this is bad. It's really bad. OK sure, I wasn't expecting anything like Citizen Kane, and I did actually find this rather entertaining, but it still falls near the bottom of the barrel.

The ''cerebral'' plot follows a group of high school students, written to fit those stereotypical horror movie clichés, who play an unfunny prank on Scott, a loner with an unhealthy obsession with horror films; cut to several years later and this group meet up for a high school reunion. However, someone wants them dead and starts killing them off one by one. I wasn't expecting much originality from this, but it did annoy me when the film eventually lapsed into some blatant Scream rip off.

I have stated that this film is terrible. However, I did find it somewhat entertaining. Yes, the dialogue is stupid, the kills are so over the top they defy the laws of physics (for example, one guy gets decapitated by having a car bonnet slammed onto his head) and the acting is so bad that I think school kids would give a more convincing performance. But all these flaws did make me giggle during the film.

On the whole, despite the clear fact that this is a bad film, it is a rather enjoyable experience. Mind you, I wouldn't recommend seeing it more than once.

Low Budget Surprise

[Poptart_Psycho · 4/10 · 7 November 2015]

Steve Goltz movie brings us back to the good old 80s themed slashers. No its not the best horror, acting isn't great, blood and gore scenes are disappointing but its a low budget indy horror its not supposed to be a big production its about the idea and atmosphere and it has that In 2004 high school student Scott Rantzen who is a huge horror nerd is asked on a date by school beauty Erica, being set up by her and Ericas bullying buddies Scott is lead away by police. 10 years on the original gang are invited on a school reunion, but a dark mysterious man is lurking in the bushes. Is it Scott seeking revenge for the incident or something more twisting? No this isn't a sequel, a failed Hollywood horror or a found footage so if your fed up of these this is one for you

An Independent That Knows How To Work

[gavin6942 · 6/10 · 9 September 2013]

A prank goes too far for the popular students at Hamilton High; they begin to pay for their actions ten years later at their high school reunion.

Anyone watching this needs to be aware up front that this is an independent film where most people involved never made a feature film. The budget is quite low, some of the actors are not as polished as they probably could be. If lower budgets turn you off to a film, this probably will not be for you.

That being said, lower budgets do not automatically mean the film will be of lower quality. Take a film like "The Janitor", for example -- it has comparable production values and is one of the better horror films ever made. This film is much the same -- while there were budget limitations and time constraints, this was more than made up for by the brilliant writing.

HorrorHound magazine's Aaron Christensen refers to this as a "beer and pizza" movie, and that is spot on. The film is best enjoyed with a group of friends, or a full theater if possible. I saw a screening with fifty or sixty people and it only amplified the humor. Something you might smile at becomes a "laugh out loud" moment when you are surrounded with smiling, giggling fans. This is a party movie all the way.

On top of the humor, the horror homages obviously deserve mention. The characters are all named for horror notables, and I think this was done right. Adam Green (of "Hatchet" fame) has said he dislikes this practice, but I think it was handled appropriately here. Unlike "The Dead Next Door" (for example) the character's are rarely (if ever) referred to by their last names, making the reference more subtle. This also fits the feel of the movie, which is one big homage to 1980s slashers.

Writer Kevin Sommerfield knows his horror films. I have seen hundreds, if not thousands, and he still managed to toss in references that I found obscure. Well played, good sir. For the certain kind of horror fan who loves references, this will be a real treat. Sommerfield evens managed to sneak in a great "Scream" spoof.

Support independent film, support Wisconsin film, go see this movie.

Fast paced slasher fun with wonderfully timed humor!

[andrew-morris19 · 9/10 · 11 August 2013]

Slasher Studios has put together a great feature here! It has all the elements that a fan of an 80's slasher will love but that a new horror fan can jump right into with no prior knowledge of the sub genre this film alludes to frequently.

A great mix of genuine slasher kills and scares are intertwined with some scenes of truly funny dialogue and scenarios. The director also has a real knack for shooting night scenes as well as these scenes stand out visually and provide great atmosphere for the film.

The culmination of events at the end of this film will please any fan of horror from the 80s and 90s. It is immediately familiar without ever allowing the audience to be comfortable. Be sure to pick up a copy of this one. You won't be disappointed!

A must-see for any fan of the slasher genre.

[Gregryanbutler · 8/10 · 3 November 2013]

This film is a wonderful homage to 80's slasher films. The makers of it achieved exactly what they set out do to, in that it remains entertaining throughout and follows the structure of a typical slasher film. In certain scenes, it felt like the camera may have been too close or shot from the wrong side, but this didn't interrupt my general enjoyment of the film. That can mainly be put down to experience, which hopefully this film has provided the movie makers with. It is very easy to look past the amateurishness of this film and really enjoy what is being shown, as this is practically a no budget film.

The main issue I had was that it felt as though it was about 10 minutes too short, but it is really impressive considering the budget. I'm excited to see what Slasher Studios produce next with hopefully a bigger budget and the experience of making this film under their belt.

A Nice Surprise

[kittengrouch · 10/10 · 13 April 2014]

I had a much better time with this movie than I would have ever expected. Yes it is low budget but you can tell the heart is there as they make a gory tribute to some good horror movies from the 80s. (The best decade for slashers)

Basically, if you think you will like this movie, you probably will. A good cast, some impressive cinematography, and a fast running time make this movie seem a lot shorter than what it is. I had a pretty good time with this one and I'm happy to see that slashers are still being made today like this.

Overall, a Fun stuff all around.