After being released from a mental institution, an insane rock-climber-turned-friend-murderer begins to stalk down a group of recently graduated friends. The killer follows them to their remote vacation home and turns their peaceful night into a Battle Royale-style fight for survival. The only rule: Kill or be killed.
After seeing Chris Moore's production style during the filming of 'Feast' on the since-canceled 'Project Greenlight,' I became a fan of his and respected the rare way he seemed to genuinely care about the film he was producing. As director for the first time, Moore took the helm of another low-budget horror film. That film is 'Kill Theory.' It's only natural to think that Moore would show even more care and love for the film as director than as producer; he did, and it was apparent. The plot is a bit of a turn-off at first for me. It's basically just a ripoff of 'Saw' (and similar films that came before) with extra freedom, like the ability to walk around instead of being chained to a toilet. However, one thing that indie productions have going for them is that no matter how SIMILAR a film is to another, it will probably still feel like genius originality in comparison to what Hollywood is producing. Therefore, in the current state of horror, I am not going to whine about wavering originality, but instead enjoy what's provided. As far as some basic elements go. . . the acting is average, which is to be expected at this level. No one really excelled all that much, and there were only one or two cases of real disappointment (like Amber, who conveyed less emotion than a sleeping Keanu Reeves). The characters they portrayed were strikingly similar to those in the 'Friday the 13th' interquel (though I'm fairly certain 'Kill Theory' was filmed first), including the group of pretty rich kids and the 'outsider' who enters on their good time. One thing that made me laugh about their characters was their extreme dislike for any electrical devices. Over the course of five minutes, the characters threw to the ground and broke a video camera, voice recorder, and walkie talkie (and later, a clock), for no real reason other than, I guess, frustration? The walkie talkie was probably the dumbest as her frustration came from a lack of contact. . . while she was underground in a stone-walled basement (?). Anyway, the writing, as far as story progression goes, wasn't awful; but, I do think the dialogue could've used another shine-up. Moore's direction, especially as a rookie effort, was very impressive and made for a good-looking film. This just goes to show what work within the film industry can do PRIOR to making the first film (aspiring filmmakers take note that there is no better training than actually being on set). Beyond that, the basic horror elements are in place and work well. It does have some genuine scares, the suspense is clear and solid, and it's an entertaining watch. There are some glaring problems and the story could've used a couple more twists & turns to keep it more exciting; but, overall, 'Kill Theory' is a strong thriller that can definitely hold its own in the modern horror game. Worth a watch.
Final Verdict: 6.5/10.
-AP3-
After seeing Chris Moore's production style during the filming of 'Feast' on the since-canceled 'Project Greenlight,' I became a fan of his and respected the rare way he seemed to genuinely care about the film he was producing. As director for the first time, Moore took the helm of another low-budget horror film. That film is 'Kill Theory.' It's only natural to think that Moore would show even more care and love for the film as director than as producer; he did, and it was apparent. The plot is a bit of a turn-off at first for me. It's basically just a ripoff of 'Saw' (and similar films that came before) with extra freedom, like the ability to walk around instead of being chained to a toilet. However, one thing that indie productions have going for them is that no matter how SIMILAR a film is to another, it will probably still feel like genius originality in comparison to what Hollywood is producing. Therefore, in the current state of horror, I am not going to whine about wavering originality, but instead enjoy what's provided. As far as some basic elements go. . . the acting is average, which is to be expected at this level. No one really excelled all that much, and there were only one or two cases of real disappointment (like Amber, who conveyed less emotion than a sleeping Keanu Reeves). The characters they portrayed were strikingly similar to those in the 'Friday the 13th' interquel (though I'm fairly certain 'Kill Theory' was filmed first), including the group of pretty rich kids and the 'outsider' who enters on their good time. One thing that made me laugh about their characters was their extreme dislike for any electrical devices. Over the course of five minutes, the characters threw to the ground and broke a video camera, voice recorder, and walkie talkie (and later, a clock), for no real reason other than, I guess, frustration? The walkie talkie was probably the dumbest as her frustration came from a lack of contact. . . while she was underground in a stone-walled basement (?). Anyway, the writing, as far as story progression goes, wasn't awful; but, I do think the dialogue could've used another shine-up. Moore's direction, especially as a rookie effort, was very impressive and made for a good-looking film. This just goes to show what work within the film industry can do PRIOR to making the first film (aspiring filmmakers take note that there is no better training than actually being on set). Beyond that, the basic horror elements are in place and work well. It does have some genuine scares, the suspense is clear and solid, and it's an entertaining watch. There are some glaring problems and the story could've used a couple more twists & turns to keep it more exciting; but, overall, 'Kill Theory' is a strong thriller that can definitely hold its own in the modern horror game. Worth a watch.
Final Verdict: 6.5/10.
-AP3-