You pretty much know that when a film starring Casper Van Dien comes your way, that it most likely will be airing on the Sci-fi channel or has already. In this case Slayer premiered to the world on television back in July of this year. Now, yes it’s true, most of these made for television films can’t compare to the production value and quality that your normal Hollywood theatrical released film has. But in all seriousness folks, production value wise this film was not half bad. However in other categories it failed miserably.
Slayer is about a team of elite commandos who are deep in the South American rainforest. (Sounds like Predator, I know.) The team is attacked by a group of native vampires, whom seem to be able to come out during the day. The team manages to kill off the vampire clan but not without losing some of their own. Six months later they are sent back into the rain forest to rescue the ex-wife (She’s a scientist) of the team leader known as Hawk (Van Dien). The movie as you probably guessed turns into a vampire rumble in the jungle, with Hawk fighting vampires, and even taking on some of his own team whom turned into vampires in order to save his ex-wife and so on…. You get the point.
Slayer in all it’s glory is a very well produced film. the editing and photography is very good. The production value is pretty dam good for a direct to television film. I’ll even admit despite the fact the film had limited special effects and the make-up effects were nothing we haven’t seen before, the overall effects were pretty decent in this flick. I won’t take away the fact that this film has an overall great look to it. In fact the look and feel of the film alone is what kept me from shutting this film off.
On the other hand, and this is where the problem comes in. I found the script to be very poor. Not so much in the way of the story, but the dialogue. The dialogue in this film was so over the top, and way to intellectual, that the characters became boring as they essential seemed all one of the same. I’m sorry, but people don’t talk like that in real life, and if they do, then fuck me I must be living in a box. This in turn however effected the acting in the film. Each character seemed to struggle with the complexes of such odd dialogue, that you can actually see the actors struggle to say their lines. In the case of this film, the script hurt the acting.
Overall, I can say that Slayer is no masterpiece. It is entertaining, I’ll give it that much. But it’s not a good film by any means. Take it for what it’s worth, another vampire movie. I guessing that people that enjoy the majority of direct to video or television horror films will probably enjoy the overall great production value the film has to offer. But in no way are they going to look at Slayer as a great film.
– Horror Bob
- Interview with J.R. Bookwalter - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
