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Review – Timo Vuorensola’s Jeepers Creepers: Reborn

Although the creator of the first three films is a pedophile, I can’t help but love JEEPERS CREEPERS and JEEPERS CREEPERS 2 because an original and creepy villain was brought to life. While a straight-to-TV third movie emerged 5 years ago, well, it was absolutely god awful and I don’t think any fans of the originals thought they’d see another entry until this one was announced last year. Luckily, at the same time, it also came to light that Victor Salva would not be a part of JEEPERS CREEPERS: REBORN and would not receive any compensation from sales. So, finally, fans of the monster could enjoy a new narrative without feeling like they’re supporting a convicted criminal.

After a small legal battle over distributing the movie, JEEPERS CREEPERS: REBORN was released to select theaters for 3 days only at the end of September and grossed $1,200,000 in that time. It’s obvious that there’s love for the series despite its founder, but JEEPERS CREEPERS: REBORN sees an upscale battle from every angle that, honestly, it never manages to hurdle. It’s true that the new movie does something rarely seen in the horror genre, but the palpable creep-factor from the first two movies is depressingly lost here. It feels as if The Creeper could be removed from this story and replaced by a new monster – and the outcome would remain the same. Just a general, run of the mill monster movie.

Written by Sean-Michael Argo and directed by Timo Vuorensola, JEEPERS CREEPERS: REBORN finds a young couple on their way to enjoy HorrorHound Weekend, though both of them are harboring a secret. After a series of predestined events, they show up at a Creeper themed escape room in the middle of the woods along with a small camera crew to film the adventure provided by HorrorHound. However, it quickly becomes apparent that the escape room is a real trap and the monster lurking in the halls is far from an urban legend. JEEPERS CREEPERS: REBORN stars Sydney Craven, Imran Adams, Ocean Navarro, Peter Brooke, Alexander Halsall and Matt Barkley with Jarreau Benjamin as The Creeper and a special appearance by scream queen Dee Wallace.

JEEPERS CREEPERS: REBORN was produced by Michael Ohoven and Jake Seal, and finds cinematography from Simon Rolling and editing by Eric Potter. I don’t have many complaints about this movie from a production standpoint, but my one big complaint is an absolute deal breaker. Half of the movie looks like it was filmed on cheap green screen, and if it wasn’t, then why the fuck does it look like that? Even a location as simple as a graveyard looks badly crafted with CGI when a real setting like that is just a stone’s throw away. Any attempt at seriousness, fright or tonal relation to the first flicks are lost due to this huge behind-the-scenes decision. Whether it be a budget issue or a camera issue, it takes the viewer out of their element and I’m sure they’ll be talking about how fake it looks instead of the story itself.

Another talking point is the overall look of The Creeper. Sure, the outfit, the car, the crows and the weapons are all on point, but the face doesn’t match up when compared to the first two movies at all besides the teeth. However, it can be argued that the face looking so different depends on the person he consumed before returning to his full strength. The difference in appearance is silly in such a way that Michael Myers has another version of his iconic mask in every movie from 4 to 6. Is it such a hard look to capture with special effects? Because The Creeper in JEEPERS CREEPERS 3 wasn’t fully actualized either. And, I ask with great intensity, WHERE IS THE PART WHERE HE LIKES THE SMELL OF YOUR FEAR?! This was such an integral part of the mythology that has been completely skipped over in the last two entries.

Speaking of mythology, one thing JEEPERS CREEPERS: REBORN does well is add two new details to how and why the monster exists and operates. I hate to bring up HALLOWEEN 6 again, but you’ll get the reference if/when you watch this – because it is out on VOD and digital. Other things this movie does well is incorporating horror culture into the narrative, featuring a modest body count and the main and support cast did a wonderful job with the material they were provided. JEEPERS CREEPERS: REBORN really tried to be the reboot fans were looking for, but it failed in all of its most fundamental steppingstones. I lost interest about halfway through and struggled to make it to the end. A let down for sure, and I think it’s finally time we let this franchise rest for another 23 years… or just never come back at all.

Final Score: 4.5 out of 10.

Michael DeFellipo

(Senior Editor)

One Comment

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  1. For the most part I agree with you. I loved the first 3 reborn I don’t even want to watch it let alone pay for it. I watched the trailer and I said oh hell to the no

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