Directed by: Steve Goltz
Starring: Stephanie Leigh Rose,
Written by: Kevin Sommerfield, Spencer Harlan, Nick Sommer, Matt Dorschner, Mike Anthony, Tawnie Thompson, Hannah Herdt, Hayley San Fillippo, Johnathon Krautkramer, Brady Simenson
Genre: Horror/Slasher
Format: Online Screener
(out of 5)
Praise to Kevin Sommerfield and Steve Goltz! I love true independent aka underground horror films. I really can't get enough of them, beginning many many years ago with Darkness the Lief Jonker classic indie vampire movie and then moved on to my friends at Wicked Pixel Cinema with Savage Harvest, Scrapbook, etc. I could go on and on my point is I watch a lot of indie productions and have for a long time. Sometimes you have to wade through a lot of crap to find the true gems like this one and I was so thrilled to have Mr. Sommerfield shoot me a screener for review.
I hate homage films for the most part but this really had me rolling. I've seen my fair share of indie movies that try so hard to be a good homage film and they end up just pissing me off like My Pure Joy. Sitting around in various rooms or areas talking about great films doesn't make for a good time. That all being said I loved the sense of praise to the slasher genre this film incorporated. The kills, the atmosphere, the writing it all screamed 80s slasher classics like Prom Night, Terror Train, Final Exam, Scream, Madman, Happy Birthday To Me, Iced, Night School, the list just goes on. 
For being the first full length effort by the directing and writing team I have to say, excellent job. The acting while it's not the greatest I've ever seen it's pretty damn good for an indie production like this. As I've said I've watched a lot of crap in my day and the one thing most indie or underground movies fail at miserably is the acting. I mean I know real actors tend to cost money but sometimes I just have no clue what certain directors/producers were thinking casting certain people. It's mind numbing and very distracting when you can tell the moron on camera is nervously overacting. But no this is not the way for Don't Go to the Reunion. Towards the end the acting of Matt Dorschner kind of goes down hill a bit but that's not to at all take away from his overall performance. To the opposite direction I felt that Stephanie Leigh Rose was not that great at first and in fact was annoyed but then I realized I was supposed to be annoyed by her character which she nailed. By the end she really blossomed into an array of emotions that had me laughing, concerned, and wowed. Spencer Harlan though was the outright best actor in the film, all I saw was character, didn't even seem like he was acting. Also liked Hannah Herdt a lot she did her part well as did Nick Sommer, Mike Anthony, and Tawnie Thompson. Got a big kick out of Hayley San Fillippo who played the wife of Joe most especially her sex scene while texting, that was priceless! Some of the lines to come out of Nick Sommer's mouth were just plain hilarious, his gestures and facial expressions were perfect for his role as one of the two main assholes. Every actor in the film reminded me of someone from high school
which was another factor I loved.
The movie follows a group of bullies who all received an invitation to a high school reunion in the mail along with that they receive another invitation. It's a private "A-List" party and only their group of old friends were invited. At first even our main actress Stephanie Leigh Rose who plays Erica was very apprehensive about going back to see her old friends again. She wanted to forget all about her past and those involved in it. And this is for a very good reason because the film was introduced by showing a little prank she and her kind friends pulled on a boy named Scott whom they went to school with. All so Brandon (Dorschner) could get Valedictorian of their graduating class and so Joe (Anthony) and Christopher (Sommer) could just be assholes. Their little prank caused Scott to be kicked out of school and later go crazy.
After the guests begin to arrive they laugh, they drink, they die! Beginning with a little Night School homage Megan (Thompson) is killed on a carousel after finishing a phone conversation in the play ground, nice effects there. Not a fan of blood squirts on the camera though but that's just me. Just takes me out of the movie when that happens. But never the less it didn't stop me from continuing my enjoyment. The severed head effect with the Madman killing was my favorite, nice editing. Joe and his wife are making love when they are offed with a fireplace poker through both their bodies which originally came from Twitch of the Death Nerve aka A Bay of Blood by the great Mario Bava. At first the homage would seem to most as a Friday the 13th style killing since Jason did murder a couple in Friday the 13th part 2 but Twitch was definitely the influence here as is stated in the film. Which got a giant cheer from me since it is obvious these guys aren't just pop American horror culture junkies.
I won't go on any further see the movie for yourself all I know is I was very impressed and have been following Kevin Sommerfield's Facebook page closely since I noticed the posters and pics from production. Well written, edited, directed, and for the most part acted. Really enjoyed this movie a lot and trust me for me to say this about a "Scream" style homage film that's saying something. Hated the Scream series with the exception of Matthew Lillard's performance in the first. The end is sure to make horror lovers laugh I know I did. Pure entertainment!
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