Director – Daniel Armstrong (Fight Like A Girl)
Starring – Kat Anderson. Rachael Blackwood (The Silence), and Jake Brown
Release Date – 2013
Rating – 4/5
Tagline – “Stop screaming, keep skating”
When it comes to movies I am easily excitable. When I receive a movie that I had never heard of before my mind races with all the possibilities of what it could be about or how amazing it could be. This happens more frequently since my involvement with Horror Society and everyday is a surprise.
Several months back I became acquainted with Alternative Cinema and all the distribution companies they represent. They sent me a package a few months back with several movies in it. One of the film was MurderDrome. The film looked promising and I could not think of a horror film with this premise. I was soon hit hard with review requests and due to my lack of organization I completely forgot I had the film to check out until now. Thanks guys for allowing me a chance to see the film!
**Spoiler Alert**The film follows roller-derby dames and their lives off the rink including rivalry and love. However, when one of them falls in love with her rival’s ex she unknowingly raises the spirits of a demonic roller-derby team who disappeared some time ago.
The demons are led by a leather bound derby dame who stalks and kills each one of them with a cleaver attached to a hook with a chain. This masked dame stalks and kills every roller-derby dame until she finally makes it to the young girl and her love interest where they discover their return it tied to an amulet he gave her.**Spoiler Alert**
Over the years I’ve learned to never trust a film by the artwork on the DVD. I have bought so many movies over the years because the artwork looked awesome only to realize that I was burned. However, I have noticed that most of the films sent to me by Alternative Cinema have amazing artwork on their releases and the films were just as good. MurderDrome is no exception.
The acting in this one is not consistent throughout the cast. Some of the cast takes their roles way too seriously resulting in performances that does not match the mood of the film while others craft some pretty comical characters that fit the film perfectly. If the characters were consistent and more in tune with a Troma film then this film would have been unstoppable.
The story for this one is very silly at times but is able to perfectly blend brutal kills while keeping a mostly all female cast. This is not meant to be a sexist remark just a general observation about horror films in general. The story line is actually a pretty unique spin on a story that has been told a time or two. We have seen several demon/ghost stories following young twenty-somethings being terrorized by something supernatural that disappeared and resurfaced decades later. The most popular film to use this type of story is the made for T.V. film Sometimes They Come Back which was adapted from a short story written by Stephen King. However, none use the roller derby angle and it actually works very, very well.
Finally, the film has several on screen kills that are brutal and have decent practical effects. The kills are, indeed, brutal but they are simple and we do not get the amount of gore we would have liked. The film also has some great practical effects, as well as, some visual effects that are decent as well. Overall, MurderDrome is a worthwhile horror film from down under. Those that like to use oddball humor to wash down their horror will certainly love this one. This is a rockabilly horror show for the ages. Check it out!
