Slasher.com – Some First Dates Can Be Deadly

The “firsts” are always special experiences. A first kiss, first time riding a bike, and first dates are all things that are magical. For me, this was the first time having the opportunity to review a film that hasn’t even been released. So when I started Slasher.com, I prayed that it wouldn’t be a flop. I wanted only a few things from this movie. I wanted a fresh spin on the genre, clever writing, and actors who could portray their role believably. Was this a magical first time for me or was it awkward and messy?

Plot:

A couple on their first date choose to get away from it all. They head out to a bed and breakfast in order to get to know each other better. Meanwhile, there is a serial killer on the loose who is murdering women he meets online. As if that isn’t enough, the family that runs the bed and breakfast seem a little off too, so to speak. The couple will have to fight for their lives in order to make it out alive.

Review:

A first date for them and a first screener for me. What could go wrong?

First dates are hard enough as it is. Adding on any extra stress can be the difference between, “When are you free again?” and “I’ll be in touch.” So, what happens when your life is on the line while you’re trying to make that love connection? In Slasher.com, we get a first-hand glance at what effect this will have on your love life.

What a wild ride this movie took me on! Slasher.com will really test your limits as a horror fan. What it lacks in budget, it makes up for in shock value and suspense. Director Chip Gubera (Fangoria: Blood Drive 2004) was quite brave in his ability to look at the line and then cross it without a second thought. The antagonists don’t want to just kill their prey. They would like to play with them first. Normally, I’m immediately turned off by a film that delves into the sexually sadistic annals of horror. However, Slasher.com does a very good job at keeping you right on the brink of discomfort and then reeling you back in. That’s one of the things I loved about this film. You get a feeling that writers Gubera and Chelsea Andes (Bagged 2014) has you in the palms of their hands through its entirety.

Slasher.com also does an amazing job with fine tuning the mood it wants you in. During the initial third of the movie, they set an extremely erotic undertone. As the two leads seduce each other, doing the typical mating dance we all do on the first date, the temperature is more than turned up a notch. I honestly forgot I was watching a horror movie. I believe that is what they want us to do, those clever writers. Not too long after, once everyone is hot and bothered, we are slammed into the horror portion of this film. In this section, they will twist your mood knob once again. Only this time, you are about to get very uncomfortable.

Going back to the roots of horror, before all the found footage and paranormal phenomena, Slasher.com wants nothing more than to have you writhing in your seat. It doesn’t necessarily want you to enjoy it. It wants you to feel as screwed as the characters that you are watching. I love when a movie can give me that “There is no way they can get out of this” feeling. I love when I finish a horror movie and feel impressed. Especially when they completely come out of left field and hit me with a twist I never saw coming. Sure, there was plenty of clichéd predictability but it serves a purpose. Slasher.com wants you to underestimate it. That way, just when you think it’s just another low-budget horror movie, it can knock the wind out of you.

None of this would be possible without great writers and actors. Andes and Gubera wrote a flawless story that can only be appreciated upon finishing the movie. Ben Kaplan (Pillow Talk TV series) and newcomer Morgan Carter do a great job as the protagonists and their chemistry is undeniable. Return of the Living Dead’s Jewel Shepard should win an award for her commitment to the role of Mama Myers. The terror felt in my heart was, mainly, thanks to her quite disturbing performance. You can really tell she had fun with it. R.A. Mihailoff, known for the lead role in Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990), has no shame in going balls out for his character. That’s incredibly fortunate because his character requires no shame.

Conclusion:

Slasher.com will not only tell you how to feel, it will make you feel the opposite way whether you like it or not. For an indie horror, I am incredibly impressed with the final product. It isn’t often that a movie can pull one over on me and this one did it effortlessly. Great acting, great writing, and plenty of terror make this movie a success. The choreography in the action sequences could have been better. If I had to give any constructive criticism, that’s what it would be. Don’t let that deter you from this film, however. You will miss out on a disturbingly good time. Make your reservations and pack your bags. Momma Myers is waiting to serve ALL of your getaway needs.