ROT: Reunion of Terror (2008) User Reviews

Acronyms are fun! ROT is a POS. See!

[capkronos · 2/10 · 21 March 2010]

As of this writing, this has a somewhat respectable rating of 6.2, but when you look closer and see that only 21 people have actually voted for it and then realize that 20 of those people were probably directly involved in the production, things start making sense. This is a sloppy low-budget slasher movie that doesn't deliver much of what anyone wants to see. Well, unless you love really bad acting, TERRIBLE dialogue, irritating and unsympathetic characters, unoriginal murder scenes, some of the worst editing known to man and very poor use of slow motion in nearly every single scene.

Two lesbians are killed during the opening sequence. What they have to do with the rest of the movie (aside from providing the sole glimpse of nudity) is beyond me. Then we're introduced to five former classmates; Jimmy (Christian Anderson), Tyrone (L.J. Green), Michelle (Nori Jill Phillips), Amanda (Monique Barajas) and B.J. (Mark Carducci), who get together ten years after graduation for a camping trip. Judging by the hateful dialogue, these people can't stand being around one another so I have no clue why they'd even bother with a reunion. A sixth "friend" who organized the trip doesn't show up but the others, along with a young female runaway (Hallie Bird) decide to head to their rented cabin. Along the way they're hassled by a perverted park ranger (John Shumski), someone flattens their tires and the filmmakers attempt to be funny by making lame jokes about tampons, panty-sniffing, jail bait and bowel movements. Then (surprise!) a psycho shows up to do them all in.

After sitting through 70 some minutes of utter tripe, the film tries to introduce a twist at the end (hinted at in the abbreviated title), but it doesn't work at all. You can tell the filmmakers thought they were being provocative and shocking, but they fail to pull it off in any kind of meaningful or impactful way.

Production on this began in 2006 but the film didn't get a DVD release until four years later. I can see why no one was really chomping at the bit to get this out to the masses.

I wouldn't have even commented on this movie, but....

[innocuous · 3/10 · 8 April 2010]

I think I need to counterbalance some of the excessively positive reviews. Contrary to the overall rating, this is a bad movie.

For one thing, the acting is terrible. How much would it have cost to find some actual actors, or acting school students? These people just didn't know what they were doing half the time.

The direction is pretty bad, too. Lots of flashbacks, shaky cam, overcranked scenes, and film student wet dream shots. I mean, can't you just shoot the film and edit it? You're a budding director, not an artiste.

The story has a single good idea in it. (No, it's not the lesbian prologue.) Everything else is just pretty dumb. (And why is it that ALL college students in movies nowadays are so unpleasant? They're all just maladjusted, creepy, outspoken, crude misfits. This is not true in real life.) Surprisingly, the SFX are not bad, ranging from tolerable to pretty good. I guess that's where the budget went.

As far as nudity, it's obvious that the film maker(s) came up with a couple young ladies willing to do the lesbian scenes in a few hours, but that nobody else in the cast was willing to go for it. While the first few minutes of action are enjoyable, it really throws the whole tone of the movie off. Since it has very little to do with the remainder of the movie, I would have just skipped that aspect.

Overall, not good.

loved it

[rex-118 · 10/10 · 12 June 2008]

The movie is well done. Looks very good. I enjoy the camera work. It keeps everything moving along. Sound track is phenomenal. The ending is gripping - a must see. An homage to some different classic films that make this worth taking a look at - and even a second or third look. Such as Friday the 13th and Prom Night. You will recognize the tribute when you view the film.

Done well with out gratuitous violence - more suspenseful and over the top in the right places. I liked this horror flick. I saw this at it's world premiere at Milwaukee Massacre Horror Film Festival along with many other movies and this stood out.

Well done movie. Acting worked for me. Story was easy to follow - some tasty nudity and then the ending twist make this a fun movie.

Not Your Typical High School Reunion, But Not as Boring

[gavin6942 · 6/10 · 24 May 2008]

A group of friends from high school are called to meet up at a cabin in the woods. But when they arrive, their benefactor (presumably wealthy) is nowhere to be found. Danger and death lurk behind every tree, and a mystery is brewing: where is the old friend and who is killer on the prowl? Are they one and the same? "Reunion of Terror" is the brainchild of Michael Hoffman, a fresh face on the horror scene and a welcome one at that. While this film isn't the next living legend, it has enough good qualities that it deserves attention and Hoffman's profile ought to be elevated. A little fine-tuning and Hoffman could be a name familiar to horror fans worldwide (heck, if Mick Garris can do it, we all have a chance).

Where "ROT" excels is in creating a mood. If we had to sum this film up in three words, they would be mood, mood, mood. The beginning is full of establishing shots, and we are treated to more of these throughout the film. Plenty of "spooky" and "creepy" pictures flash across the screen, while music that is equally terrifying plays in the background. Hoffman's focus on mood rather than plot has its drawbacks, but he certainly knows how to set a tone. This is something all too often forgotten in the mainstream, where I haven't felt as unnerved as this in years.

The cast of characters is interesting. There's the gas station attendant with a redneck midget sidekick, various post-high school stereotypes, the warden and of course the lesbians. The lesbians dominate the first half of the film, being drunk and randy doing things that straight guys are going to want drunk and randy lesbians to be doing. You want hot, steamy action? This is the best you'll find outside of "Raiders of the Lost Arse".

The mystery of the killer's identity is really well done. Is it the dirty gas station cashier? The panty-sniffing game warden (unfortunately with the weakest acting in the film)? The hitch-hiker with the knife and very short shorts? The missing friend? I just kept guessing until the end... so there's a thick slab of suspense waiting for viewers.

The only real complaint I have about "ROT" is that the pacing drags at times. We have too long between deaths (when people aren't dying or fooling around, they're not doing much else in this film). And the blood doesn't flow enough. The opening deaths are messy, but we lose this beautifully morbid artistry from that point on. Luckily the mystery of the killer is so well scripted that even during my moments of boredom I couldn't leave my seat because I didn't want to miss a clue.

"Reunion of Terror" is the work of a budding director. Picture the caterpillar and the butterfly. While "ROT" has the rough edges of a first film and a film with a limited budget, Michael Hoffman is a man with a vision and his work is poised to bloom. I fully encourage horror fans to give this one a chance, and keep your eyes open for his follow-up, because I suspect we're going to see something big.

Enjoyable slasher outing

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 13 November 2012]

Six friends get back together ten years after high school graduation for a reunion at a remote hunting cabin in the woods. Soon folks start to disappear. Is there a serial killer on the loose? Or is one of the six friends behind this reunion of terror? Director Michael A. Hoffman Jr., who also co-wrote the clever and compact script with Morgan Jones, relates the engrossing story at a snappy pace, generates a considerable amount of tension, delivers an abundant amount of nasty gore, and tosses in a decent smidgen of sizzling lesbian soft-core sex and yummy female nudity for good measure. The solid acting by the capable cast keeps the picture humming: Christian Anderson as scruffy redneck loner Jimmy, Monique Barajas as sultry free spirit Amanda, L.J. Green as the hip, but sickly Tyrone, Nori Jill Phillips as the uptight Michelle, John Shumski as a creepy ramrod game warden, Hallie Bird as enticing underage drifter Celia, and Mark Carducci as cocky jerk B.J. The true identity of the killer and the unexpected downbeat ending are both genuinely surprising while the fierce outbursts of brutal violence pack a vicious punch. The sharp cinematography by Jason Musco and Jennifer Ann Henry boasts neat use of a prowling camera and loads of strenuous slow motion. The ominous score by Ryan Copt and Joseph Buttle III does the rattling trick. A worthwhile slice'n'dice item.

Very solid indie horror production

[scmovie-1 · 7/10 · 10 June 2008]

ROT is a bit different from most horror movies you'll see... it has a different take on what the word "terror" means by the end of the film. There is a lot going for the movie aside from plot; it is well-shot, has some very effective sound effects, pro camera moves, some good performances, and it keeps you entertained throughout (which is very tough to do for a feature on a low budget.) That said, there are flaws of course inherent with these sorts of projects. For each good performance there is a standard one, there are a few scenes with lighting problems, and parts of the script could have used some tweaking in this reviewer's opinion.

If you are into horror movies and/or appreciate indie film-making, I highly recommend it. If you're curious about this project in the first place, I would also recommend it. Check ROT out! My buddy and I had a good time at the MKE debut.