Director: Danishka Esterhazy

Writer: Suzanne Keilly

Starring: Hannah Gonera, Alex MgGregor, Schelaine Bennett, Mila Rayne, Rob Van Vuuren, Masali Baduza

Rating: ★★★★

Slumber Party Massacre is a remake of the 1982 film of the same name. The original was a parody at first, before the studio turned it into a more serious slasher film. The new remake feels closer to a parody with many references to the genre and clever moments.

In 1993 a group of girls at a slumber party are brutally attacked by the ‘Driller Killer’, with only one survivor, Trish Devereaux (Masali Baduza), who manages to push him into a lake. Around thirty years later Trish’s daughter, Dana (Hanna Gonera), and her friends set out on a trip of their own. After their car breaks down they end up in a cabin near a lake and the events are eerily similar to what happened to Dana’s mother.

It’s so many tropes of slasher films rolled into one. Slumber Party Massacre is the initial film, the sequel and the reboot all rolled into one. It starts in 1993 with the original killings that starts the story, it then jumps to the modern day with the next generation returning to the scene of the massacre, which would usually be reserved for the sequel, and then it gives you enough twists that makes this completely new (without going into spoilers). It’s reminiscent of the recent Halloween reboot from 2018 with the daughter of the ‘final girl’ from the opening scene as the main character.

The writing is perfect. It tricks you into thinking this is going to be a generic and dull slasher film that we’ve all seen a ton of times since the 1980s, and then it reveals its full hand in a twist that will make you sit up straight and pay attention. It’s incredibly well played and really self-aware of what it’s doing. There are so many cliches and tropes that are presented in different and fun ways. The whole thing is a blast right up to the conclusion. It’s hard to talk about without giving spoilers.

The effects are pretty decent with more than a couple of stomach churning moments. There are a few deaths that are really creative and that’s what you really want from a horror film. It’s not the goriest of the most brutal film going, but it’s definitely something to watch with a group of friends. It would make a very good Halloween night film. There’s a lot of humour, a lot of kills and the film is so charming that you can’t help but love it, especially the acting, which is hammy in the best way possible.  

Slumber Party Massacre is a surprisingly fun and entertaining slasher film to add to the year of horror that is 2021. It’s a must see for any horror fan and something that more than earns a cult following.

Slumber Party Massacre will be available on Digital Download from 13th December

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