The Funhouse Massacre (2015) – Clowns or Frowns?

Intro:

The Funhouse Massacre has killer clowns, brain-dead teenagers, and gore galore. There is even a cameo from the horror legend, Robert Englund, himself. Then, as if those things aren’t enough, you can rent it for $4.99 at Amazon.com. I can’t say I have ever been too upset about losing five dollars. After watching The Funhouse Massacre, that may have changed. It could also be my cart at Amazon.com. In order to find out, you will have to keep reading. That is just the way the cookie crumbles.

Plot:

A group, of deranged mental patients, escape from their confines and take refuge at a local funhouse. Then, an unsuspecting group of twentysomething’s, attend the funhouse and aren’t sure whether their friends are really dying, or if it’s all just part of the show.

Review:

From the start, The Funhouse Massacre is already in motion. You won’t realize it until five minutes in, but that gives them enough time to explain the backstory of these depraved individuals. I appreciate them laying their cards down right away. That means I have more time to be on the edge of my seat, less time to spend in the dark, and my attention is grabbed from the start.

The Funhouse Massacre is how you do a horror comedy correctly. Never once was I removed from the fear element, long enough to kill the adrenaline rush, these maniacs comfortably placed me in. A deranged dentist, a cannibal, a human taxidermist, a cult leader, a juggernaut, and a female clown all contribute to keeping this movie full of steam. Some are definitely more comedic, than the others, but none of them take away the terror their evil comrades convey. Having multiple antagonists also allows for the viewer to pick a favorite. Which one was mine?

The Stitchface Killer, also known as Dollface, was played perfectly by Candice De Visser. Her ability to look innocent, while being incredibly deadly, was flawlessly portrayed. The facepaint was visually intriguing and consisted of powder and human blood from her victims. If I have to give one individual credit for grasping my attention early on, and never letting it go, it was definitely Dollface. She prances around, in an almost Harley Quinn fashion, and dispatches her victims without even batting an eye. What is not to love about that? More importantly, what is not to fear about that?

The setting was also very fitting. The funhouse was built to terrify and meant to tell the story of each of these infamous serial killers. Do you see where the confusion comes in? Now do you understand why these unsuspecting youths don’t realize what’s going on until it’s too late? Isn’t it genius? Not only does this allow contributions to the comedic side of the film but it also lends quite a few to the terror. There were numerous times I was screaming at the TV, “Run! It’s not part of the show!” They didn’t listen…. They never do.

Conclusion:

The Funhouse Massacre is delightful, terrifying, and incredibly enjoyable. I’m seriously kicking myself for not watching it sooner. It has plenty of humor, but not so much that it dilutes the fear factor. As I said before, this is how you make the perfect horror comedy. Find it, rent it, buy it, and just watch it. This isn’t your average straight-to-video slasher. It’s a cut above the rest.