[Skeleton Crew]
Plot:A filmmaker who uncovers a collection of snuff films containing raw footage of real murders, becomes inspired to create his own masterpiece of terror.

Cast:Rita Suomalainen, Steve Porter, Anna Alkiomaa, Jonathan Rankle, Jani Lahti, Ville Arasalo, David Yoken, Riikka Niemi, John J. Lenick, Ramo Kalupala, Eija Koskimaa, Jukka Toivonen, Wiley Cousins, Markku Peltola, Karoliina Blackburn.

My Thoughts:Not great, but atleast a decent attempt.

Review:"Skeleton Crew" is the latest attempt at making an indie slasher movie worth watching for 90 minutes. The film follows a film crew who are shooting a slasher movie at an abandoned mental asylum. An asylum which was used back in the day for a sicko to film snuff movies in. So why are they filming there? Well L.A. is too expensive. Which connects to real life actually, but then again, why not move the production to New York ala art imitating life, instead of some shabby European mental asylum?

At any rate, the movie is supposed to eventually lead up to a point where someone in the group goes nuts and starts making a "real-life" slasher movie. But, the plot outline spoils the twist, and the twist, takes far too long to be set into motion. The movie does look good though. The set piece of the grungy, shabby abandoned mental asylum makes for a great look, tone, and feel to the movie. But beyond that, the performances aren't very good, and the action and suspense are held at bay for too long.

And the havoc, we all have come to know and love from the slasher movie genre, is unleashed way too late for this films own good. Waiting until the final 25 minutes of a movie to start the dying is not good. Especially in a slasher film scenario. This movie should've started dropping people at the start of act two. Instead for some reason, it falls under the incorrect assumption that it can ride the likeability of it's characters for 80% of the film. That, doesn't turn out to be so.

When the killing finally does start, it doesn't really live up to expectations, and comes off as goofy, and somewhat too contrived for it's own good. There's one scene in particular where two characters are tossed into an American Gladiators-esque pit, and forced to fight for their lives at the behest of the killer. They of course do this without hesitation, as if they've been enemies for years. And not co-workers for a few weeks. Yeah, I totally believe that one...*sarcasm*.

The killer we already know, is the films director. And the movie basically gives us all of the stuff we need to know about him. I dunno, I prefer killers who are hidden, unseen, and show up later to reveal themselves. Having a film start off where we know the killer and who he is, is really something that can only work in a sequel. Not a first outing. In this film, we watch the director direct these actors, and is totally focused on his job. Until, he finds the hidden box of snuff movies that the asylum's previous owner, hid away. He begins watching them, and becomes enamored by the true-to-life violence being displayed.

He then decides to make his own snuff movie, using his current cast. We watch as he slowly descends into madness, and eventually snaps altogether. But again, it's not very effective because we already know this is gonna happen thanks to the plot outline which spoils everything. Had this movie just reworked it's plot outline, the journey, and eventual occurance of events, would've been a lot more creepy, and disturbing. But watching a person who we know is eventually gonna go crazy.....go crazy, doesn't work in this particular setting.

The films ending is an even bigger slap in the face, and just skewers everything it too many different directions for it all to conclude coherently. "Skeleton Crew" has many flaws, but it is a shot in the dark at something new. And while it doesn't succeed on many levels, such as it's attempt at true suspense and scares. It does succeed on other levels, e.g. creating an intriguing subplot where it isn't clear if the director has gone mad on his own, or has become possessed by the snuff film madman's spirit. All in all, it's alteast worth watching once if you like slasher movies with gruesome kills, or are looking for something that atleast attempts originality to some degree.

Positives:The backdrop of the shabby mental asylum is very effective for a slasher film. The plot is somewhat original. The kills are bloody enough to get by.

Negatives:Again, knowing who the killer is gonna be going into the film hurts it, the characters and acting are below average, the film waits way too late to get to the good stuff, and the ending is nuttier than a fruitcake.

Overall:One and a half stars out of four.





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