Starring: Jim Tavaré, Rae Latt, Lexi Giovagnoli, Alex Dobrenko, Randi Lamey, Branden Lee Roth, Taryn Cervarich, Elizabeth Bigger
Directed by: Brian C. Weed
Written by: Jake Helgren
Running time: 84 minutes
Rated: Not rated (for language, nudity, adult situations, and violence)
The slasher film is probably the single most popular sub-genre of the horror film, having been reproduced hundreds of 
times in the past. Slasher films are a relic of the 80’s however; there really haven’t been any great films since then with a few exceptions such as Scream, Hatchet and Saw. The terms throwback or reinventing are usually coined when describing most of the ones made today, when in reality, that’s not the truth at all. Unfortunately, the new release Bloody Homecoming features more of the same old routine just rehashed for a different film.
In the film we are introduced to a group of freshmen who are attending the homecoming dance. Members of the group inadvertently cause the death of one of the students. Cut to three years later, the gang is now seniors and you know what that means; it’s time for the homecoming dance once again. This will be the first time the dance is being held in three years due to the unfortunate events from before. Someone is stalking the old gang and whoever it might be is out for blood and looking for payback. A maniac is killing the old gang one by one and the survivors must stop the bloody killer before it’s too late.
The synopsis I just described could have been from any one of nearly a hundred different slasher films from the past. Bloody Homecoming doesn’t have an original bone in its body. The writer takes all the usual cliché ridden characters and just recycles them into this film. All of the slasher film tropes are used as well. The film borrows heavily from similar movies such as Prom Night, My Bloody Valentine, and The Prowler among others.
The acting in the film is decent but mostly uninspired with some roles such as The Principal being too zealous which comes across as overacting. The roles of Loren played by Lexi Giovagnoli and Steve played by Alex Dobrenko are probably the best of the bunch.
I have to say the film is shot well, director Brian C. Weed made the film look better than it actually is. It is lit solidly and looks really good. My one complaint about how the film is shot is during most of the stalk and fight scenes when it looks as if the killer is moving in slow motion when throwing a punch or a lunge at a victim. The fight choreography is terrible; the actor playing the killer over-telegraphs his movements to the point of it being laughable.
What would a slasher film be without great kills? Bloody Homecoming has some blood to it; I was surprised to see that. Most of the kills though are really nothing special; there are no really great gore effects to satisfy the average slasher fan. I will say there is one decent kill in the film with copious amounts of blood some may enjoy.
I really wish I had better things to say about Bloody Homecoming because it’s shot well, it’s just too bad that the writing is uninspired and clichéd and the acting isn’t much better. There are some red herrings thrown at you but even novices will be able to see past them, there are no surprises here. Everything in the film has been seen many times before. So if you’re looking for a great slasher film, this one isn’t it. You’ll need to look elsewhere, not recommended.
1 out of 5 Pentagrams!
Watch the trailer for Bloody Homecoming here:
