SPLATTERdrome

Release Date: July 10th, 2015

Director: Travis Cluff & Chris Lofing

Screenwriter:Travis Cluff & Chris Lofing

Genre: Horror

 

 

If we, the movie viewing public, want found footage movies to disappear from the earth there's only one solution: stop buying tickets. These projects are no-risk investments for film studios who can churn one out in thirty days for $100,000 then sit back and watch it earn $10M opening week. At the time of this writing The Gallows has earned around $22M with a meager budget and unknown actors. Don't have any illusions about Blumhouse Productions, they don't care if these movies are good, it's about the numbers.

 

Unfortunately for us The Gallows offers neither of these things, the project is pure money grab. Critical responses to this film will mention how the 'shaky cam' genre has been played out for years. There's no arguing with this point but that alone isn't a reason to write off a film. In recent years we've been gifted with quality efforts like V/H/S in 2012 and the reality TV themed Grave Encounters in 2011. These films are undoubtedly playing with a dead format but both display creativity and take the time to create suspense. 

 

It doesn't feel like much effort was put into any aspect of the picture; it's unoriginal and badly executed from the very first line. The characters are so obnoxious you can't wait to see them knocked off but even that isn't done well enough to be satisfying. The first half-hour is a superficial jaunt through a Nebraska high school where most of the students are obviously in their early twenties. The narrator during this time is an unbearable loudmouth who chides his peers endlessly for no particular reason. 

 

The primary action involves our young geniuses breaking into their school at night in an attempt to sabotage a stage production. They run around with lo-fi cameras sputtering vapid nonsense while being tormented by an unknown menace. The scares come cheap and often, generally utilizing jumpy camera movement and unimaginative lighting tricks.

 

There are many opportunities to snuggle up with your sweetie in anticipation which makes this a great movie to see if you're sixteen and on a date. Viewers looking for more from their horror films will not find it here. Even when it's released on home video you'll find the disc more useful as a coaster.