I expected a dime in a dozen seventees horror-flick, with gallons of blood and chopped-of bodyparts flying around, but to my surprise it turned out a bit different than usual. The premise is the well-known cliché of the bullied one who takes revenge on the culprits. As always our sympathy should go to the first (David), and in the first half of the movie this works pretty well, but when he begins his vengeful killing-spree he turns out as relentless as the bullies, going rampant at more or less everyone, guilty or innocent, up until the entire school. The killings by the way are shown in an almost matter-of-fact way, and for a supposed horror-flick there is hardly any gore. The interesting addition to the chewed-up premise was the storyline of Teresa and Mark, who are torn in a loyalty conflict between each-other and their once friend.
There are some flaws in the story as well. Like where on earth are the grown-ups in this movie, not one parent or teacher is to be seen, and in spite of one weird fatal accident after another, up to several explosions, even within the school, there's never a policeman or a detective to question the kids. And this school, with 9 deaths within a few days, doesn't hesitate to have a cheerful alumni-prom dance as if nothing has happened?!
I loved to see young Andrew Stevens, all good-looking and blond and surfboy'ish. He does a fine job in his sensitive part, as did Kimberley Beck in hers. Main character Derrel Maury is good-looking as well, but impressed me less as an actor.
Well, if you expect from a movie that's titled "Massacre..." a gorey slasher-horror, you are bound to get disappointed, but not so if you don't mind a horror with a little bit more depth.
There are some flaws in the story as well. Like where on earth are the grown-ups in this movie, not one parent or teacher is to be seen, and in spite of one weird fatal accident after another, up to several explosions, even within the school, there's never a policeman or a detective to question the kids. And this school, with 9 deaths within a few days, doesn't hesitate to have a cheerful alumni-prom dance as if nothing has happened?!
I loved to see young Andrew Stevens, all good-looking and blond and surfboy'ish. He does a fine job in his sensitive part, as did Kimberley Beck in hers. Main character Derrel Maury is good-looking as well, but impressed me less as an actor.
Well, if you expect from a movie that's titled "Massacre..." a gorey slasher-horror, you are bound to get disappointed, but not so if you don't mind a horror with a little bit more depth.