REEKER
(director/writer: Dave Payne ; cinematographer: Michael Mickens; editor: Daniel Barone; music: Dave Payne; cast: Devon Gummersall (Jack), Derek Richardson (Nelson), Scott Whyte (Trip), Arielle Kebbel (Cookie), Tina Illman (Gretchen), Eric Mabius (Radford), Michael Ironside (Henry), Marcia Strassman (Rose), Lee Jankey (Half-a-Trucker), David Hadinger (Reeker); Runtime: 90; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: Amanda Klein/Dave Payne/Tina Illman; Primal Pictures; 2005)
“It might not be a gem but it’s funny, macabre and has good special effects.“
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
A low-budget old-school indie creepy horror pic that’s cleverly written and directed by Dave Payne (“Under Oath”/”Not Like Us”). It delivers shocks over a supernatural decaying creature causing havoc by giving off unbearable fumes and then attacking the vics with a power drill to rip off their faces and body parts. However, it was a major mistake ending the slasher movie with a contrived ending. Five college students share a ride to a big desert party in Area 52 but get stranded without gas and no cell signal at a deserted motel in the California desert. The level-headed South African Gretchen (Tina Illman) is the driver hoping to meet at the rave her estranged boyfriend. Jack (Devon Gummersall) is the witty sensitive blind scholar along for the ride. Cookie (Arielle Kebbel) is the sexy free-spirit co-ed. The dim hunk Nelson (Derek Richardson) brings along his wise-guy pal Trip (Scott Whyte), who just stole a supply of Ecstasypills from a psycho dealer Radford (Eric Mabius) threatening to go after him. The stranded teens must confront the monster one at a time, while Trip is hunted down by both the alien and the human monster. Michael Ironside has a cameo as the RV driver searching for his missing wife (Marcia Strassman), who stops at the motel. It might not be a gem but it’s funny, macabre and has good special effects. It also does wonders with its horror pic conventions it rips off from many popular films, as it leaves us with an entertaining but disposable film.
REVIEWED ON 1/27/2017 GRADE: B-