Starring - Kait Brayden (Kecksburg), Victor Gabriel, and Tina Galindo
Release Date - 2024
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "If this film doesn't make you vomit... You have NO soul!"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)
Rating (out of 5):
I'm a huge fan of slashers and if you have been a follower of mine for any amount of time then you will often see how passionate I am about the sub-genre. I was born in the mid 80s and grew up during the tail end of the video store era. I spent many evenings browsing the shelves of my local video store, Dewey's, looking at the artwork as I try to make my mind up about which films I wanted to rent. Horror had always caught my eye and the man working the counter, owner Dewey's father Luther, would often let me rent them because he knew my dad. It was here that my love for slashers took hold. I found so many amazing films that stuck with me and a love for the sub-genre that has never wavered. Sometime back, I was browsing hash tags on Instagram when I came across a post for Future Video's release of the slasher Blood Gorge from director Victor Gabriel. I quickly snagged a copy and worked it into my review schedule as soon as I could.
The film follows a group of twenty-somethings who decide to head out into the woods for a little partying. However, someone in a mask is stalking them and killing them one by one. As their numbers dwindle, one of them discovers who the killer is and why they are brutally murdering all of his friends.
I've loved this sub-genre for as long as I can remember and when I found my home in the indie horror community I quickly started searching slashers out. The problem with that is that there is countless indie slashers out there. As much as I love them, they are overdone especially in the indie setting. You don't really need a budget to make a slasher. All you need to do is convince some of your hot goth friends to go bare chested for a few minutes while being chased by someone wearing a discount mask and throwing crimson dyed corn syrup on them. My point being, there is so many indie slashers out there and it's not often that I come across one that is actually enjoyable. Blood Gorge just happens to be one of the few that I actually liked. The acting in this one is easily the film's weakest link. The cast is inexperienced but they really do try their best. They bring a lot of energy and charisma to their roles but the inexperience is evident. The dialogue feels forced and their performances is a bit stiff. The story for this one is one is nothing we haven't seen before. Back in the early 2000s genre fans may remember snagging movies from labels like Brain Damage Films who would collaborate with companies like Pendulum Pictures to release box sets of no budget flicks. A lot of those box sets included slashers with very similar stories. Group of teens/young adults head out into the woods only to get picked off by a masked murderer only to discover it was someone close to them. It's nothing we haven't seen before but it's very well done which goes a long way. It might not be the most original slasher but it's still enjoyable for a first time viewing. Finally, the film doesn't have the budget for the gory deaths. Instead, they fit the style of early slashers with most taking place off screen and covering the victim in blood. They fit the movie and fans of traditional slashers will appreciate them but those of you looking for memorable death scenes will be very disappointed. Overall, Blood Gorge isn't the slasher to reinvent the sub-genre but it does a fantastic job contributing to it's long history. I highly recommend checking it out.
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