If you are honest with yourself, when someone mentions watching a slasher movie you immediately assume you are going to be watching some sort of possessed undead chap, stomping about the place, with more muscles than body building contest sponsored by Dr Filibusters Miracle Steroid Pectoral Growth Medicine. There, in the shadows, he will go on his merry way, casually ripping off young teenagers privates whilst they poke said privates into places that they probably ought not do.
It is very rare to come across an entry into this genre that is truly original. However, director Dylan Reynolds has managed to bring us a movie that is genuinely unique. The first stoner slasher movie.
4/20 Massacre (84mins)
Written and Directed by Dylan Reynolds
Produced by Vanessa Rose Parker
Starring Jamie Bernadette, Stacey Danger, Vanessa Rose Parker, Justine Wachsberger, Marissa Pistone, Jim Storm
Over 4/20 weekend, five young women decide to celebrate their friend's birthday by taking a camping trip to a secluded part of a nearby national park. However, their fun is quickly snubbed out when they stumble upon an illegal marijuana grow operation hidden in the greenery and protected by a bloodthirsty maniac.
Jess is a kind, considerate young lady well thought of by four of her friends that she is celebrating her birthday with. A birthday that happens to fall on 4/20 the now famous date that stoners hold so dear. The reason that this day is important to the culture is that to blaze up will keep away the bad spirits that have plagued 4/20 over the years. You will be safe as houses if you remain completely munted over the following twenty four hours.
On their way to their camp site the ladies meet Ranger Rick, who warns them of the dangers that will lay ahead if they wander into the wrong part of the park. Illegal marijuana farms in the area are fiercely protected by the criminals that run them. Jess and her friends promise to be good and are almost immediately begat a dirty big bag of weed by a panic stricken young man who explodes out of the shrubbery. He tells them that a demon killed his friend Doug before running off leaving the group to decide if his story is true or of someone who may well be tripping his nuts off. Donna who is the groups well seasoned, in more ways than one, pot head is more than happy to accept the gift despite warnings from the other girls.
The friends settle down to a picnic and soon partake in a blaze by means of a bong of a size that it may well have been the preferred smoking apparatus of King Kong. That is, all except Jess who proclaims she has never enjoyed getting stoned in the past.
Little do they know that the buds that have partaken were stolen for an illegal weed farm and one by one they are hunted down by the crops designated protector. In the struggle to survive, the group discover more about themselves and each other - mainly by being introduced to each others internal organs as their assailant silently offs them in various imaginative ways. We are only left to discover who will survive!
I have to admit when I was offered the opportunity to review 4/20 Massacre I was a little bit hesitant. I have a history of not enjoying films based around drug culture. I accepted the challenge based on the talent involved in the making of the movie. It was a choice I did not regret.
Now, before I go any further you are reading this on a web site that is in the main part a fan site dedicated to Jamie Bernadette. You would expect a certain amount of rose tintedness about anything I write about her performances. However, I can promise you Jamie knocks it out of the slasher filled national park in this movie. Effortlessly believable as a gentile, caring woman pushed to the limit by an unknown predator. Jamie has the skill to flick a switch that changes Jess from timid homely girl, albeit with a back ground in mixed martial arts, to survivalist without causing the viewer to doubt the plausibility of such a dramatic change of character. Jamie has very emotive eyes, if you look at them in later scenes there is no doubt that this is a woman that has been pushed to the edge.
I think one of the main reasons this is probably my favourite of Jamie's movies so far is that she is surrounded by equally great performances from the rest of the cast. Stand out is Stacey Danger as Donna, bringing the comedy chops as the hyper THC enthusiast. Vannessa Rose Parker adds a touch of humanity as she tries to come to terms with her love for Jess and the decision to declare her feelings to her best friend. Justine Wachsberger is Rachel, brave and driven member of the group. Justine provides her character with a backbone that brings her to the fore and is engrossing to watch. Rachel is the perfect counterpoint to Michelle, played by Marissa Pistone. Marissa gives a sly wink and an element of sass to Michelle who is well out of her comfort zone being in the middle of the wilderness. The character that everyone will be talking about is Ranger Rick. Played with an amazing cool by Jim Storm. Mr Storm is outstanding in his scenes, giving a grizzled intensity and will leave you thirsty for more.
There is good reason why the film won me over and got me past my shoulder shrugging, eyeball rolling when it comes to weed based motion pictures. Writer/ Director Dylan Reynolds has managed to create a balance in the movie that others have failed to achieve. Yes, weed and 4/20 is the basis of the plot but that isn't all that it is about. Donna is the embodiment of that side of proceedings. Yes the other girls partake in a puff or two but the emphasis is more on developing the characters, making them believable so we care what happens to them. The story could have easily become bogged down in relying too heavily on it's chosen back drop. However, the action moves a long faster than a stoner with the munchies chasing down a taco van.
Dylan also scores highly in the scare department. He treats us to some good old fashioned gore, laced nicely with a touch of humour. Whilst watching these scenes I was reminded of the splatter fest Bad Taste, the directorial debut of Hobbit botherer Peter Jackson. My favourite is the jump scare and we are treated to a fair few of those deftly crafted by Reynolds. This is no mean feat considering that the entire film takes place in daylight. Ordinarily an element of darkness is required to pull off a scare of this nature good enough to make the audience find itself in need of a sudden change of underpants.
The dialogue too is also on point. Mr. Reynolds shows a deft touch with a monologue. Donna's discussion of the meaning behind the 4/20 holiday displays Tarrantino-esque overtones and is a "high" light of the movie (did you see what I did there...I know, genius right?)
Dylan lists his influences as being the classics such as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Halloween. The influence is certainly present in his movie but he has managed to create an entertainment that is uniquely his own. By the end of the movie you will be wanting a second chapter.....and a Ranger Rick based t-shirt.
4/20 Massacre is available to buy from April 3rd 2018 from all good media outlets.
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