ROT: Reunion of Terror

A group of friends from high school are called to meet up at a cabin in the woods. But when they arrive, their benefactor (presumably wealthy) is nowhere to be found. Danger and death lurk behind every tree, and a mystery is brewing: where is the old friend and who is killer on the prowl? Are they one and the same? "Reunion of Terror" is the brainchild of Michael Hoffman, a fresh face on the horror scene and a welcome one at that. While this film isn't the next living legend, it has enough good qualities that it deserves attention and Hoffman's profile ought to be elevated. A little fine-tuning and Hoffman could be a name familiar to horror fans worldwide (heck, if Mick Garris can do it, we all have a chance).

Where "ROT" excels is in creating a mood. If we had to sum this film up in three words, they would be mood, mood, mood. The beginning is full of establishing shots, and we are treated to more of these throughout the film. Plenty of "spooky" and "creepy" pictures flash across the screen, while music that is equally terrifying plays in the background. Hoffman's focus on mood rather than plot has its drawbacks, but he certainly knows how to set a tone. This is something all too often forgotten in the mainstream, where I haven't felt as unnerved as this in years.

The cast of characters is interesting. There's the gas station attendant with a redneck midget sidekick, various post-high school stereotypes, the warden and of course the lesbians. The lesbians dominate the first half of the film, being drunk and randy doing things that straight guys are going to want drunk and randy lesbians to be doing. You want hot, steamy action? This is the best you'll find outside of "Raiders of the Lost Arse".

The mystery of the killer's identity is really well done. Is it the dirty gas station cashier? The panty-sniffing game warden (unfortunately with the weakest acting in the film)? The hitch-hiker with the knife and very short shorts? The missing friend? I just kept guessing until the end... so there's a thick slab of suspense waiting for viewers.

The only real complaint I have about "ROT" is that the pacing drags at times. We have too long between deaths (when people aren't dying or fooling around, they're not doing much else in this film). And the blood doesn't flow enough. The opening deaths are messy, but we lose this beautifully morbid artistry from that point on. Luckily the mystery of the killer is so well scripted that even during my moments of boredom I couldn't leave my seat because I didn't want to miss a clue.

"Reunion of Terror" is the work of a budding director. Picture the caterpillar and the butterfly. While "ROT" has the rough edges of a first film and a film with a limited budget, Michael Hoffman is a man with a vision and his work is poised to bloom. I fully encourage horror fans to give this one a chance, and keep your eyes open for his follow-up, because I suspect we're going to see something big.

ROT is a bit different from most horror movies you'll see... it has a different take on what the word "terror" means by the end of the film. There is a lot going for the movie aside from plot; it is well-shot, has some very effective sound effects, pro camera moves, some good performances, and it keeps you entertained throughout (which is very tough to do for a feature on a low budget.) That said, there are flaws of course inherent with these sorts of projects. For each good performance there is a standard one, there are a few scenes with lighting problems, and parts of the script could have used some tweaking in this reviewer's opinion.

If you are into horror movies and/or appreciate indie film-making, I highly recommend it. If you're curious about this project in the first place, I would also recommend it. Check ROT out! My buddy and I had a good time at the MKE debut.

The movie is well done. Looks very good. I enjoy the camera work. It keeps everything moving along. Sound track is phenomenal. The ending is gripping - a must see. An homage to some different classic films that make this worth taking a look at - and even a second or third look. Such as Friday the 13th and Prom Night. You will recognize the tribute when you view the film.

Done well with out gratuitous violence - more suspenseful and over the top in the right places. I liked this horror flick. I saw this at it's world premiere at Milwaukee Massacre Horror Film Festival along with many other movies and this stood out.

Well done movie. Acting worked for me. Story was easy to follow - some tasty nudity and then the ending twist make this a fun movie.

I think I need to counterbalance some of the excessively positive reviews. Contrary to the overall rating, this is a bad movie.

For one thing, the acting is terrible. How much would it have cost to find some actual actors, or acting school students? These people just didn't know what they were doing half the time.

The direction is pretty bad, too. Lots of flashbacks, shaky cam, overcranked scenes, and film student wet dream shots. I mean, can't you just shoot the film and edit it? You're a budding director, not an artiste.

The story has a single good idea in it. (No, it's not the lesbian prologue.) Everything else is just pretty dumb. (And why is it that ALL college students in movies nowadays are so unpleasant? They're all just maladjusted, creepy, outspoken, crude misfits. This is not true in real life.) Surprisingly, the SFX are not bad, ranging from tolerable to pretty good. I guess that's where the budget went.

As far as nudity, it's obvious that the film maker(s) came up with a couple young ladies willing to do the lesbian scenes in a few hours, but that nobody else in the cast was willing to go for it. While the first few minutes of action are enjoyable, it really throws the whole tone of the movie off. Since it has very little to do with the remainder of the movie, I would have just skipped that aspect.

Overall, not good.