Raymond Did It

Director - Travis Legge (Urban Legends, Christmas Carvings)
Starring - Linda Cieslik (Devil's Day Out), Elissa Dowling (Creep Creepersin's Dracula), and Steven Lee Edwards (Dry Spell)
Release Date - 2011
Genre - Horror/Thriller
Tagline - "Mom's pretty mad at me"
Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

      Writing for Horror Society has brought so many films my way that I would normally never get the chance to see.  I spend hours searching through amazon.com, Facebook, and various review blogs to find movies to review.  This is the way I usually find films to review but writing for Horror Society does have it's perks.  Sometimes directors, actors, producers, and etc will reach out to us to review their films.  I find this to be very humbling and the biggest reward a person who enjoys writing reviews can get.  Recently, director Travis Legge found me out on Facebook and asked me to review his 2011 slasher-esque film Raymond Did It.  I eagerly jumped at the chance and I want to thank you Travis for reaching out to me!
      The film opens with teenage Bryce and his older (but mentally impaired) brother Raymond watching cartoons.  Moments later there is a knock at the door and it is Bryce's friends wanting him to hang out.  His mother, Mrs Rourke (Cieslik), makes him take Raymond with him against his friend's wishes.  While the group is out an argument breaks out resulting in one of the girls in the group kicking Raymond knocking him out.  Bryce steps up to protect his brother and is accidentally murdered by her.  The group, with the exception of one, agrees to blame Raymond for the murder and forces the young girl to keep her mouth shut or suffer.  We then jump 6 years and Raymond has escaped the mental institution to seek bloody revenge on each of them one by one.
     I never know what to expect when people reach out to me to review their films. When I hear people talk about a film it peaks my curiosity and I often will reach out to them for a review copy, however, when someone reaches out to me I often get blindsided by a film I know nothing about.  Raymond Did It was something new to me even though it looks like it was released 2011.  I was excited to see it but when I started watching I was afraid I was going to write a bad review which is something I hate doing.  However, because I stuck it out the film actually turned itself around and shocked me with the last 30 minutes or so.  The acting in this one is what you would come to expect from a low-budget flick.  Some members of the cast has had acting experience prior but most of the cast just lacked the experience necessary to make the story flow better.  The story is a modern adaptation of the same storyline told in many slashers.  That being someone was wrong and seeks vengeance on those that did.  I personally love slashers but some are better than others and this one is that.  It is one of the best modern slasher I have seen, however, it does suffer from poor pacing.  At time the film does seem to drag on with very little to keep the viewer tied to the screen before picking up to one hell of an action packed ending.  Finally, those looking for great special effects and bloody kills will find them here.  The first few kills we get to see are very mild and tame.  It was these kills, along with the pacing, that made me think I would not like this film.  Then we get to the last 30 minutes or so and we receive some bloody and imaginative kills that are very hard to beat.  Overall, this is one impressive slasher that is slow burning but ends with a bang.   I highly recommend it.