Monster Party

 



Director - Chris von Hoffmann (Drifter, White Trash)
Starring - Sam Strike (Leatherface, Stitches), Virginia Gardner (Halloween, Little Bitches), and Brandon Michael Hall (The Mayor, Lez City)
Release Date - 2018
Genre - Horror
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

 

     This month marks 8 years that I've been writing reviews and 6 of those have been for Horror Society.  Horror Society has opened the door to so many opportunities over the years and I'm grateful for each and every one of them.  What I really enjoy the most about writing for Horror Society is learning about all the horror movies before they are released.  One such film is last years Monster Party that was released on DVD and blu the week of Christmas.  The artwork for this release was rather bland but the synopsis intrigued me so I reached out for a review copy.  I'm glad I did because I really enjoyed this one. 

     The film follows three career thieves who infiltrate a rich estate as caterers during a get together in order to score some quick cash to help the father of one of the thieves.  What they didn't expect was that the event is actually being attended by former serial killers who are trying to break their addiction.  Things then turn deadly when one of the serial killers relapses and the carnage sends the others into a frenzy.
        

I honestly didn't know what to expect from this film.  The title is a little misleading and the artwork was boring but the film was anything but that.  I absolutely enjoyed it and this will be one I revisit periodically.  The acting in this one is fantastic.  My favorite performance came from Julian McMahon who I grew up watching in Charmed, Nip/Tuck, and the two Fantastic Four films.  He's a very strong character actor and his character in this one is no exception.  I loved his performance and there was a few scenes where his emotionless stare really got under my skin so to speak.  I also enjoyed Sam Strike's performance.  His character starts out as timid but ends on an aggressive level that I was not expecting which is more in tune to his character from Leatherface.  The remainder of the cast is solid as well.  We get so many unforgettable characters and amazing performances.  The story for this one starts out a little slow but once the ball gets moving it turns into something very fun.  It is rather predictable but that didn't take away from the enjoyment.  Finally, this one does have some blood and gore which is something I was not expecting.  There was a few deaths that stuck out but most of them took place off camera.  With that being said, the ones we do get to witness are fantastic.  The effects are great as well.  Overall, Monster Party is the sleeper hit of 2018.  The film will be overlooked due to the artwork and name but I cannot recommend this one enough.