SL8 N8

JULY 25, 2007

GENRE: GHOST, POSSESSION,SLASHER
SOURCE: DVD (ONLINE RENTAL)

SL8 N8, aka Slaughter Night, was recommended to me on the Rue Morgue (a magazine all horror fans should read btw; it blows Fangoria and Horrorhound right the hell away) boards, after I claimed Hatchet was the greatest slasher in the past 10 years. A replier chastised me for only counting American slashers. Well I am not one to be ignorant (Australia and New Zealand confusion excepted) so I decided to check out this Dutch one out. And… Hatchet is the best slasher movie I have seen in the past 10 years.

However, this one is pretty good. Sometimes it even approaches great. For a slasher, it’s very brutal, and has a nice claustrophobic feel that I always enjoy. However, it is more than a little reminiscent of My Bloody Valentine at times, and the silly Ouija board scenes are overlong, especially when they are providing names that the characters should be able to know before the final letter is given. “B…R….I….A......N? BRIAN???!?!?!” Come on! After “I” it’s pretty obvious, let’s move on (Note – the name in the film isn’t Brian; I just used my own name as a totally self-involved example).

And what’s with the specific angle used to film a ‘surprise’ car crash scene? You know the one – they used it in the Bourne movies and Slither, and again here. As soon as we see it, you know the dude’s gonna die. Time for a change, boys!

The extras were pretty slim, considering it was a Tartan release. There are some unfunny outtakes, a trailer, and a bizarrely edited 20 minute clip compilation that every now and then is interrupted by one of the cast members giving what appears to be a very uninteresting interview or a useless look at some makeup guys working on something.

But look, all I ask of any modern slasher movie, Dutch or not, is that one character I thought would live gets killed, that the gore is sufficient, and that the lead girl is someone who I would totally love to run around in the dark with. SL8 N8 delivers on all fronts, and then some (i.e. her friend is hot too).

Also I learned that “Christ!” in Dutch is “Jesus!” So there, another bonus.

What say you?