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Review: Marcel Walz’ PRETTY BOY (“Vengeance Never Looked So Good!”)

With a slew of film festival screenings on the horizon, it’s finally time for me to share my review of an upcoming horror flick that I think you all should add to your watch lists. A collaboration between Hollywood Media Bridge, Silent Partners and Acumen Films, Marcel Walz’ PRETTY BOY is everything you could want from a sequel – especially considering that it’s a continuation of BLIND up until the exact moment the previous movie left off. The psychotic madman known as Pretty Boy has abducted the visually-disabled actress and used her to gain access to a party in the Hollywood Hills. Once there, he begins to massacre the guests one by one while making the house into his love nest with Faye. What ensues is bloody as fuck and an absolute baptism in blood (you’ll get this reference later).

While all the major players from the first film – including director Marcel Walz and writer Joe Knetter – have returned for PRETTY BOY, the new flick stands on its own as a worthy but much different vehicle. PRETTY BOY looks great from a production standpoint, but it’s far less of an artistic journey than BLIND’s should-have-been Oscar nominated cinematography. Instead, the film-makers have focused on blood and guts and traditional slasher elements instead of story, suspense and mood. While it is akin to the first film, it’s definitely going to grab the attention from a different audience – a younger, instant gratification seeking audience that will get exactly what they’re looking for. PRETTY BOY is more modern looking than BLIND, but ultimately as successful in creating the next big slasher in the world of independent cinema.

PRETTY BOY stars returning cast members Sarah French (Faye), Jed Rowen (Pretty Boy) and Tyler Gallant (Luke) as well as newcomers Heather Grace Hancock, Devanny Pinn, Jake Red, Andrew Rohrbach, Sarah Nicklin, Ben Stobber, Maria Olsen and Robert Rusler. It was produced by Ruediger W. Kuemmerle, Phillip B. Goldfine, Oliver Diehm and Ivan Bernard Hruska; with cinematographer Michael Su, editor Kai E. Bogatzki, special effects artist Joe Castro and visual effects by Company 3 (Joker, Wonder Woman). PRETTY BOY pays homage to other horror films like HALLOWEN, STRANGERS: PREY AT NIGHT and TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 3, television films like FEUD and includes popular music like DON’T STOP BELIEVING – which is used in the most hilarious way in a noteworthy scene from the movie. Phew, that was a long name drop. Are you still here? My point with this is to recognize the efforts that went into making this movie, and to let you know that just because PRETTY BOY is an independent movie, that doesn’t mean it’s low budget. It deserves to go to theaters more than other titles I’ve seen this year.

Along with My Bloody Valentine and Valentine (2001), PRETTY BOY is sitting comfortable at the top of the Valentine’s Day slasher food chain. This is the kind of movie you’re going to want to watch now AND when we get to February 2022. With more backstory into its title character, more gore than expected and the continued theme of handicapped people being far from feeble, PRETTY BOY is another incredible addition to the horror genre from Marcel Walz that absolutely murders the notion of the sophomore slump. Wonderful and enjoyable from start to finish. Final Score: 9 out of 10.

Michael DeFellipo

(Senior Editor)

One Comment

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  1. This film is garbage. Me and my friends left the screening. Amateurish, boring and badly acted. Why are you promoting this?

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