Killer Movie (2008)

People are voting emotionally.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

A very up and down movie. A nut case is running around killing who knows who for who knows why. A Hollywood film crew is in town supposedly to film the once in a life time run to the state championship for the hockey team. In actuality is that they are there to try and get a story about the killer, kind of, maybe, sorta. The killings go on and on as the plot has them going about by their selves. Only in low budget horror films like this send the actors off by themselves to die. Turns out the killer is a love lorn nut case who is in love with Cuoco's character. He is finally shot by one of the film crew and gets put in a body bag by the cops. I guess in looking for a possible sequel set up the bag turns up empty with a bullet proof vest thrown on the ground. I sure hope a sequel is out of the question.

The plot = A TV crew set out to make a documentary about a small town hockey team in a small town, but almost as soon as they arrive, people start getting killed but are written off as accidents and then the camera crew start to get picked off one by one."Killer Movie" has an interesting concept and competently made and could have easily been great if it didn't fall apart too many times. It is watchable but yet it is quite poorly executed, like the death scenes lack any imagination at all and are mostly off screen and generally comes off as an easy-going piece of work that's simply unable to engage the viewer on any real level virtually from start to finish. But the good aspects that I liked are the characters that ultimately save this movie in my opinion like Blanca played by Kaley Cuoco, okay her performance wasn't perfect but she was the best thing about this movie, and the fact that I'm a big fan of Kaley I loved her in The Big Bang Theory, In this she plays a bitchy Paris Hilton type and unlikely final girl. Paul Wesley the male lead I found him likable and engaging and one of the more interesting characters in this movie and Al Santos who plays the camera man was also fun and likable.All in all Killer Movie is fun with some witty dialogue with some interesting stalking scenes, but as a whole this movie is quite forgettable.

Realty television crew are assigned to cover a small town high school hockey team running into a serial killer wearing a black mask and hoody. Lots of interviews where the members of the crew(and some of the locals who live in the town of White Plains where most of this film is set)talk into the camera about each other, those they encounter in the town of White Plains, their current situations, and the showbiz side of their lives. The screenplay is often acidic, cynical, and caustic and Killer Movie essentially pokes fun at realty television shows, featuring a cast of characters one might find on The Real World. If this plot is attractive to you, knock yourself out. I found the characters tiresome and the satire is old hat. Out of the cast, Paul Wesley, the director needing a big break, encountering more than he could possibly bargain for, Jake Tanner, is a nice guy, coming off very likable and tolerant of the crap he must contend with, considering the prima donnas and immature people in his entourage who often cause nothing but migraines. Particularly irksome is his producer Lee(Cyia Batten), a tyrant constantly barking orders to everyone, her poisonous attitude creating much tension..she's the type of producer who wishes to capitalize on a small town eruption regarding the killer, using the hockey team cover story as a front to exploit the tragedy occurring in White Plains. Those familiar with Kaley Cuoco know that by now she has perfected the pampered princess, got it down pat because it's the only role we ever see her in most of the time. As Blanca, she's polarizing the way she demands attention, milking what little celeb status she has to the hilt, manufacturing much friction as she becomes a source of frustration, and has quite the potty mouth(Cuoco may've taken the part just so she could escape her usual television sitcom roles, allowed to spout profanity without restriction) Cuoco, along with the entire cast, services Killer Movie as eye candy, but it's hard to find any character you wouldn't want to see hacked to pieces with a meat cleaver. Jason London is the sound/equipment guy, a real creep with a sour attitude, often tormenting the others with his foul comments that are uncalled for. We witness lots of personality clashes, watching how these self-absorbed Hollywood types in the cast snipe at each other. The killer's identity shouldn't surprise anyone, it's quite blatantly obvious. Some minor gore, but most of the violence is shot off-screen. Despite some tame lesbianism, not even this is satisfying. Leighton Meester pops up in the film as a cute victim. Director/writer Jeff Fisher assembles quite an attractive cast, but I wouldn't be able to distinguish this from the innumerable slashers that have stocked the horror shelves over the last ten or so years since SCREAM. While I've never liked any of Cuoco's characters, I never tire of looking at her, but eventually she needs to come up with a role that doesn't consist of her preening, with smug arrogance, always whining and complaining.

I saw a private viewing of Killer Movie and was blown away with Jeff Fisher's brilliant, imaginative twist in taking Reality Shows (and his depth of experience in directing them) into a whole other realm. For insiders there's hysterical insights and scenes. For general viewers, a unique look through the camera when great looking Hollywood comes face to face with right-wing, God fairing Middle-America. What does a smart, young director do with a plethora of knowledge, years of grueling shoot schedules, and a myriad of Divas and high maintenance talent? Parlay it into the real horror of it all....a tight, smart movie that gives the audience a roller coast ride of emotion and insight into how it all looks from the inside and when you expand and explore the content, what a horror it can develop into. Sex, abundance, attitude and verve collide with the moral majority to provide a violent elixir. Well written and tight this film will keep you thrilled. Great cast, great plot.