Fear Town, USA

Director - Brandon Bassham (The Slashening, Grindsploitation)
Starring - Anna Callegari (CollegeHumor Originals, That Chick!), Cody Lindquist (Neon Joe: Werewolf Hunter, Shit Girls Say About Girls), and Amber Sophia Nelson (White Powder, Grindsploitation)
Release Date - 2014
Genre - Horror/Comedy
Tagline - "They were looking for fun, but what they found was..."
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Sometime ago I was browsing Facebook when a page was recommended for me.  The page was for an indie horror slasher titled The Slashening directed by Brandon Bassham.  I reached out to the page and spoke with him (I assume it was him) about reviewing the film.  I was informed that they had wrapped production on two movies.  One being The Slashening and the other was Fear Town, USA.  I watched The Slashening and really enjoyed but before I could get around to Fear Town the link was removed for the online screener.  I meant to message them back but life got away from me and I completely forgot.  Recently Troma picked up both films for distribution and released them on blu as part of a double feature.  I pulled some strings and was able to get a review copy of this set so I could finally watch Fear Town, USA.  Thank you Troma for sending this one my way!
     The film follows a group of nerdy men who have made it twenty some odd years without even touching a woman.  When they hear about a party they decide to go and make a pact with one another to get laid that night.  Also going to the party is a 17 year old girl who has been romantically involved with a man online and will finally meet him in person, an escaped mental patient, a compulsive pants wetter, a slasher wearing a welding mask, three young women haunted by their fat shamming friend, a psychic, and a man who may or may not be the devil.  Once the party gets started the bodies start piling up while everyone learns to fight their own demons or die trying.

     I was under the impression that Fear Town, USA was going to be a slasher comedy in the same line as The Slashening.  Honestly, you can't compare the two.  The film was not what I was expecting and had a lot going on.  This is rare for an indie production.  The acting in this one is indie rich.  The cast has some on screen experience but most were either extras on bigger productions or minor characters in other indie flicks.  Some struggled to find their footing but for the most part they do a great job at bringing their characters to life and making them memorable.  There was a few characters that I could see find their way into a Troma production so it's only fitting Troma released the film.  Congrats to the cast.  The story for this one is so far out there and outlandish that you can't help but love it.  It is rather bold for an indie production and some of the scenes felt mashed together but the overall story was fun.  I can't recall another slasher, paranormal, transvestite, teen sex comedy so this one stands out from the crowd.  Sadly, the blending of ideas and different story angles does feel a bit overwhelming and almost as cheap as a Scary Movie sequel.  Pulling it in just a little would have went a long way.  Finally, the film is full of kills.  Most are theatrical in nature with no actual murder being committed while others were classic slasher flair.  For the deaths we get that involve blood they have decent practical effects but a few of the kills was a bit of a let down.  They lacked imagination with the effects and did not look outside the box for things like camera angles and cut scenes to make the effects more enjoyable.  Overall, Fear Town, USA was one hell of an indie film.  In terms of story, it tosses everything including the kitchen sink at the viewer.  The story could have used some fine tuning but the overall film is a must.  Don't pass it up.