Candy Land (2022) User Reviews

Thought I Found a Gem..

[thory-1 · 5/10 · 24 January 2023]

This movie started out really interesting. I thought it was going to present a more realistic thriller. It has decent character development and above average cinematography. Unfortunately It has the vibes of a movie that didn't get picked up so they drastically altered the plot to make it a horror/slasher.

I can't help but to think this movie would've been much better served without the antagonist being a 1 girl army. The movie is entertaining at times but ultimately falls short on what seemed like the start of a good thriller.

Sam Quartin did a fantastic job as the main character. The film had a lot of promise and while ultimately disappointing it was still worth watching.

Last Truck Stop on the Left...

[A_Different_Drummer · 6/10 · 24 January 2023]

Remember the 1970s? That would be helpful. Bottom line, Candy Land is what might happen if you took a Ninja blender and mixed together a 1970s sexploitation film and a 1970s slasher film. By that standard, the end result would be better than you might expect. The acting is solid, the script adequate, and the direction restrained. The typical over-amped soundtrack of the 1970s films -- where gaps in the action are filled in with raw noise -- is nowhere to be found, and that is a very good thing. In fact, almost every aspect of this film is toned down, and that works well too. The only recognizable star is William "Billy" Baldwin, who has been in the biz since the late 1980s. Above average for an indie. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Saints and Sinners

[billcr12 · 5/10 · 25 January 2023]

The only recognizable actor here is William "Billy" Baldwin as a sheriff in a desert town with a truck stop filled with "lot lizards." It is term I first encountered while reading a book about a serial killer who targeted hookers at truck stops.

The lawman has a thing for the one male hustler living at the place with several women who hop in and out of trucks in exchange for cold hard cash.

Along comes a preacher spouting hell fire and damnation to an amused audience of nonbelievers. The reverend evicts one of his followers for not being obedient enough. The young lady is taken in like a lost puppy but the madam running the place informs the lass of the need to earn her keep.

What follows is a bloody mess. Clients seeking a happy ending are in for a big surprise and the working girls are also in for some interesting times. The movie has the feel of a 1970s slasher film and is a decent diversion for ninety minutes.

Witness the hand of awful

[fender-32191 · 1/10 · 27 January 2023]

Seed of a good idea in the story, candy land truck stop hookers ie a serial killer stalker revenge themes, but no all we get a religious brain washed girl taken in by hookers at a truck stop, who feels she has to do the lords work and purge the sin of said sinners, bodies pile up and no one really notices, trucker gets it in the neck, old guy in car the same, preacher same, hooker friends same, thy will be done.. it's just a dumb flick, that could have been with a good writer a different film, but similar premise.

Could have been dark threatening edgy, who did it and why, but no we get a low rent slasher.

Knife to know you

[begob · 7/10 · 7 February 2023]

A truck-stop hooker thinks twice when a cult turns up to save her soul, but her fate may be sealed when one of the cult decides to go on the game with her.

People say this harks back to '70s exploitation movies - and it does, but in two ways: one good, one bad. The good comes in the open and frank sleaze of the prostitution biz, with completely candid performances showing us how it works, what it does to people, and I guess above all how the workers retain their kindness and empathy. These characters are very nicely put together, and I was totally engaged by them for the first half of the story.

It helps that the cinematography and the writing and editing keep the scenes on point, with a good flow. As well as the acting, maybe the best quality of the production is the sound design, with a subtle shriek when a pair of eyes are opened and a faint heart-patter during a virgin's first time.

The bad comes in the second half, when we enter straight up slasher mode. That genre rarely appeals to me, so I can't be too hard, but there really is nothing of interest to say as all the character-building is thrown away in favour of a lurid and unenlightening mania. Also, there's no real jeopardy for the villain since nobody entertains any suspicion, making the plausibility break down as the climax approaches. And then, as in all metaller productions of horror, the music has to go tongue-in-cheek, combining Christmas carols with scenes of bleak death. No idea why they always pull the rug out from under interesting stories.

The one movie this reminds me of is from the '70s - Alice, Sweet Alice, which has the same shape of a disturbing, engaging start and a lurid, pointless end.

Overall: Good story finished off by typing into ChatGPT: 'write the ending of a religious slasher.'

I watched it on fast forward ....that's how bad it is.

[bmco-247-721025 · 1/10 · 25 January 2023]

I was hoping for a somewhat gritty true to life film like "The Florida Project" - boy I couldn't have been more mistaken. The limited number of reviews (eight when I watched this) giving this film high marks should be the first clue that those reviews are planted to generate an overall rating that is deceptively higher than is warranted. That's if you even consider a 5ish rating to be good?

The poster/advert and synopsis is written to take the viewer in, but if you bother to watch even the first few minutes, you'll see this is nothing more than a "B" grade production (or less) with nothing to offer except a predictable script with at best mediocre acting by unappealing actors that ultimately veers towards a violent sexploitation film. And to be honest if that's what you're after there are certainly better choices than this one.

99 minutes for nothing!

[rastino · 10 January 2023]

It's not horror, it's not action, it's not drama, not even a fantasy!

I don't know how and why this movie was released.

I don't know what kind of acting is this exactly.

Most of the movies supposed to be meant something (true story or there is a wisdom on it and maybe sometimes could be funny but in this movie there was nothing but wasting time.

I don't recommend this movie to any kind of natural human no matter what their age is and specially the teen age. It will not benefits them nothing but a bad and crap thoughts and drag them to a different path.

And I am sure that many people will agree with me.

A bitter candy!

[pedja-the · 7/10 · 2 February 2023]

An innocent young girl appears at a truck stop which is occupied by sexual predators and workers, what could go wrong? Obviously, everything. Althought the story is an open road that clearly shows and points to where it's gonna end, there are things to be liked. Perhaps the thing that missed the most here was the mystery of Why and Where? But director decided the lay the cards on the table from start which took away the needed tension. Almost every possible stereotype has been put into this movie and I have to admit this is not for everyone, so be careful who you watch it with. One thing is certain, this is not your typical everyday movie and it is recommended for someone who wants to see something new and out of the ordinary.

I Guess ALL the Baldwins Need the Money

[arfdawg-1 · 1/10 · 1 February 2023]

A seemingly naive and devout young woman finds her way in the underground world of truck stop sex workers a.k.a. "lot lizards.

Anti-religion slasher misoginistic exploitation movie that will put you right to sleep.

It's quite simply boring. The acting is non-existent. The senario is all wrong. It's supposedly set in 1996 but the grooming of the "ladies" is all wrong. Plus no one had 2022 tattoos in 1996. And who was drinking bottled water in those flimsy plastic bottles back then?

Billy Balwin shows up periodically as the sheriff. He has fallen quite a long way since his brief heyday 30 years ago. All around sad.

not a barbie

[ops-52535 · 6/10 · 26 January 2023]

Fairytail from the candy land that you might imagine, and i do for god sake not hope this come under the genre of x-mas movies, as the plot happens in those happy days of joy, and the musical score jingle all around. Its the cloaked businesses that happens to take place in every trucking pit stop or major rest areas at the vast interstate road system of america.

Its a raw and consiousless story about them sexworkers that hangs on to the trade of giving pleasure in the humongous cabins that american rigs are equipped with, until kingdome come, and the great cleansing begins.its right here youre introduced to the environment, presented in such a heartless chilly way that you wont forget...

Well it was not the sexual, erotic joyride you paid for, and its absolutely not a childfriendly piece of action, other than some overgrossed gory absolutionatory moves, if that knife is still sharp i doupt, an uncomfy view for a grumpy old man. Its a shocker for sure, and the cast are really going all in, so a little recommend.

Absolute rubbish

[Boristhemoggy · 2/10 · 29 January 2023]

Every once in a while a film comes along that is so bad, you can't even assign it to a razzy, or a 'cult' film or even a C movie. It's so bad that you never want to watch it again because you feel embarrassment and shame for the people who made it.

That's how I feel about Candy Land.

There are so many plot holes, so much dire dialogue, and so many actual mistakes throughout it's hard to list them all. And then there's the acting, or lack of it.

Oddly the main protagonist Olivia Luccardi does a fairly good job considering what she had to work with. I could see her in the future getting lot's of B movie work to hone her skills.

Aside from that there's not a lot to say. You'll like it if you like 'very' graphic female nudity which borders on porn, and lots of blood. If you're not mad about either, don't waste any of your life on this rubbish.

Very good

[PedroPires90 · 8/10 · 8 October 2022]

Candy Land is another good example that it doesn't take a lot of different sets or a huge budget to create a visually appealing work - what a nice cinematography, but even better, what an incredible editing! - that, at the same time, fulfills its goals of entertaining with quality.

All this could seem like a kind of sexploitation. That's what the beginning of the first act implies. Calm down. Let those who already had stones to throw calm down. Let those who thought they were going to watch a porno also calm down. The first 15 minutes show more explicit nudity than what we're used to in North American cinema (which, truth be told, is very limited), but that's pretty much the end of it. Better yet, these women are true characters, all of them are very well built and are dignified by a story that doesn't just want to show their tits nor wants them to be seen only with pity. They do what they have to do, things are going relatively well and they form a real team with moments of real camaraderie that are very well-built. There's also a man in the same circumstances, but Candy Land's greatest triumph is that it's always interesting in the way it tells its story and explores gray areas.

Even when it commits excesses - such slaughter in such a short space of time makes us have to question our credulity in the story - it continues to be a work with something to say and very well constructed. It is in its excesses that it also has many of its virtues, but it is in its simplicity that its characters conquer us. It tells us a lot about prejudice, religious fanaticism, and friendship, without forgetting to entertain us and give us a real bloodbath.

Candy, Candy, Candy, I can't let you live...

[Coventry · 7/10 · 20 June 2023]

"Candy Land" is another entry in the seemingly never-ending stream of throwback exploitation/horror to 'back when the genre was still harsh and relentless. I normally would have passed, since too often these movies are incredibly disappointing, but gave it a chance after several friends and fellow reviewers (with whom I usually agree) said it was good and really worth checking out.

Guess what, ... it is! "Candy Land" is a refreshingly original and authentically gritty exploitation wild-ride, with strong performances from plausible actresses/actors, plenty of uncanny violence, and an extremely persuasive underbelly-of-America ambiance. Writer/director John Swab gives a realistic portrayal of a seedy truck-stop and roadside motel (I reckon, at least, it's not as if I visit those places very often).

A close group of sex workers at truck stop Candy Land shelter and care for a naïve and vulnerable young woman when she gets exiled from the fanatically religious sect she grew up in. The girl - Remy - gradually becomes a "lot lizard" herself, but the impressive wooden crucifix she carries around everywhere reveals that she might have a hidden agenda.

"Candy Land" benefices from extremely powerful and explicit opening sequences, as if John Swab promptly intends to make very clear that he's not about to conceal or romanticize anything in his film. We're talking about rough, emotionless sex sequences in filthy toilets or dark truck cabins, and brutal confrontations between prostitutes & God-freaks. The most intelligent and effective trick Swab pulls off, however, is that he patiently takes time to introduce the lead characters, and basically obliges the audience to sympathize and cheer for a band of prostitutes. And it works, too. Sadie, Levi, Riley, and Liv are sublime characters. Heck, even the cuckoo Remy and the imposing "Madame" Nora are somewhat likeable. Only the customers and sect-members are truly appalling. And maybe also William Baldwin, who puts down a courageous performance as the Sheriff.

Review title inspired by Iggy Pop's song "Candy"

This is not a horror movie

[olcayozfirat · 3/10 · 24 March 2023]

Failed thriller of 2022. It is specified as a genre of horror, but it is not relevant. It's a very sexual, uninteresting and very boring movie. It takes place in 1996. 4 women and 1 gay man who provide sex services to drivers in a truck park are invited by religious preachers. Later, a girl who was with these preachers escaped and took refuge with them. Soon after, mysterious deaths begin. Extremely boring. Everything is clear.

The best thing in the movie is the ending and the song Don't Dream It's Over by the band Crowded House that played with the casting.

There is plenty of sexuality and nudity in the movie.

5.2/10. Watchable but not recommended

[athanasiosze · 5/10 · 5 September 2023]

First 30 minutes were good. Kinda bleak and depressing but it was realistic and well-acted. As a drama, this could work. Maybe as a crime drama too, without all the crazy stuff that happened next. Because the movie changed its tone and it was impossible to believe what was happening. Furthermore, it was not that interesting. I like a good slasher movie but it felt like a parody, like unintentional comedy. I continue to watch it, hoping for a payoff. At least, something satisfying. Nope. It was becoming more and more ridiculous. Shock for the sake of shock. First 30 minutes made me want to take a bath but it was undeniably a good movie up until then. I don't understand why it changed its direction.

I don't recommend it but i've got to admit that actors did a very good job, especially Quartin, Baldwin and Campbell. All of them were so convincing that it felt like watching a slice of reality.

Baldwin cameo and nudity make it ok

[ptjase · 7/10 · 26 March 2024]

I watched it through to the end, which says a lot. Probably suits guys around my age (48) who remember Baldwin back in his prime. It's held up by Baldwin's scenes, black humour, violence, horror, twists and the sex stuff. Story was fine, acting was fine. If you don't mind getting a bit dirty and feral you will find some enjoyment in it. Ignore the haters, they're obviously seeking some pretty Hollywood big budget tripe.

Seriously these reviews and ratings need to be categorised by reviewer type. This might be a 5.3 to gen pop, but to me it's a watchable 7/10 DVD night in. For someone who has seen everything else, add it to your list.

Bad writing, nothing special here.

[deloudelouvain · 5/10 · 31 January 2023]

Candy Land looks like a B-movie, feels like a B-movie, is a B-movie. Not that aren't good B-movies, but this one is just not one of them. The story is just a bit stupid. Plenty of murders, no investigations whatsoever, nobody slightly worried about the rising death toll, it's just bad writing. The acting is just average, certainly no award winners here. William Baldwin, the less famous one of the family, plays the sheriff, you wonder how he got that job as he's not slightly interested in doing any police work. He acts okay but his character is just dumb. I wouldn't waste my time with this one if I were you, there are much better movies than Candy Land.

Repent sinner(s)

[kosmasp · 6/10 · 20 August 2023]

No pun intended - what do you consider a sin? And how do you think you would be able to free those who have commited sins? Is it even your ... well job or whatever you would call it, to help those ... and when I say help ... well not sure this is what you would actually call it.

The movie starts off with a ... can we call it a bang? That clearly would be a pun - you see two consenting adults having (wild) intercourse. Nudity included - so you should be too sensitive about stuff like that ... or blood, which we will see along the runtime of the movie.

The theme or story is quite interesting. The basic idea deserves a bit of thought ... but overall there is too much mayhem and too predictable outcomes ... whether you agree with what is happening or not ... a b-movie that could have been made in the 90s ...

Low budget religious/ slasher flick

[stevelivesey67 · 4/10 · 3 July 2023]

A strange blend of themes and genre's is Candy Land.

Firstly we have a friendly bunch of sex workers that hang out at a truck stop.

Next we have some bible bashing loons who want them to repent.

Next we have a certain Billy Baldwin, yes, that Billy Baldwin, from Sliver and Backdraft, who plays a weird gay corrupt cop.

Put all of these elements in blender and you come out with a movie that is depressingly explicit in its depiction of the sex work and yet predictable in its horror slasher finale.

I must give the movie its due, it is at least original in its blending of the elements but I did need a shower after watching it.

This movie missed the exit

[Silicone54 · 1/10 · 31 January 2023]

The first few moments as they were building up the stories of the characters were actually really good. The lot lizards and the sheriff seemed to have a mysterious air to them. I thought maybe this movie was about the exit stop from hell. But instead they turned it into a dumb slasher movie. Once you see 1/2 the cast die the rest will be dead within 10 minutes. Don't waste time trying to find any deeper meaning to the events.

Seems like there were leftover props and blood from last Halloween movie. They just made this movie to finish off those extra supplies. I can't recommend this garbage to anyone.

Sweet.

[BA_Harrison · 8/10 · 5 February 2023]

Cast out from her religious cult, virginal Remy (Olivia Luccardi) is befriended by the tight-knit group of sex workers who ply their trade at a nearby truckstop known as Candyland. Madame Nora (Guinevere Turner) takes Remy under her wing and coerces her into becoming one of her girls. The newcomer is taught the art of being a 'lot lizard', but is secretly on a mission to cleanse her newfound family of their sins using the dagger concealed inside her wooden crucifix.

If you're not a fan of good old-fashioned exploitation, in all of its scuzzy glory, then Candyland probably won't do it for you; I, however, am rather partial to a nice-and-sleazy psycho flick and this film, from director John Swab, is just that, a raw slice of sick cinema that explores the seedy underbelly of Middle America. The film opens as it means to go on, with a sex scene followed by a full-on vag shot (something you don't see on-screen all that often outside of a porno). The remainder of the film features all manner of depravity (prostitution, male rape, murder, a toothless OAP priest giving oral sex) and culminates with a blood-drenched stab-fest and a mass suicide.

Swab ensures that his film delivers maximum emotional impact by carefully humanising his sex workers before the carnage begins, the cast giving surprisingly sensitive portrayals of characters that could easily have become caricatures. Luccardi, as unstable Remy, is wonderfully deranged, while William Baldwin impresses as low-life lawman Sheriff Rex, a daring role for the actor regardless of how badly his career path has gone.

This movie sucks you in and spits you out and then you hate it.

[manofbusiness · 3/10 · 21 April 2023]

So, this movie was somewhat intriguing in the beginning but then it just takes a complete disastrous turn right in the middle of the movie. I have no problems giving spoiler alerts on this, it doesn't deserve to even be a movie. I give it a three because the actors were actually really good for completely unknowns. Unfortunately, whoever wrote this trash wanted to intrigue you in the beginning and then destroy your dreams of it being actually good movie. So to begin with my first red flag was the fact that it's supposedly 1994. They should have just ditched the whole idea of era setting. First mistake that you see is a truck that most definitely came out in the later 2000s. Then when they flash money twice the bills are big faces which did not exist in 1994. They didn't start changing the money until closer to 2000 and that was the $100 bill to have the first big face. They show a $10 bill and a $20 bill both colored and big face and most definitely from the later years of the early 2000s. After that the seemingly naive religious cult psychopath bi*** starts murdering everybody with no rhyme or reason at all except for she's cleansing them. Remy deceives everyone into thinking they can trust her just to kill them. In the beginning of the movie you get somewhat involved with the characters and you're really just pitying them the whole time for making these choices to turn a truck stop into a brothel. It's sad because these places actually exist. Remy basically murders everyone that you get involved with in the movie except for Rex the crooked sheriff because Remy then commits suicide right as he's about to shoot her. Bottom line don't waste your time with this movie you will be angry at yourself for even watching it and getting involved you'll be angry at Remy you may start shouting at the TV. I'm a sane person for the most part and I found myself angry at Remy. The only redeeming Factor about this is that the actors are good and I hope they get better roles than this trashy horrible story. If this was a true story it may be considerably watchable and then extremely sad as you realize that this actually happened. It's basically like watching Charles Manson kill people in a religious cult only it's Remy. That's my take, definitely take it into consideration before you watch it or don't please don't.

Cleanse Me

[nogodnomasters · 4/10 · 1 February 2023]

The production takes the first thirty minutes to introduce the characters and to set up the plot that takes place in 1996. They explain how they stay drug free and clean. The girls wait for the flashing headlights to be called over to the vehicle. Nora (Guinevere Turner) is the madam over the three girls plus Levi (Owen Campbell). Sheriff Rex (William Baldwin) knows what is going on and likes Levi over the three women. The nickname for their stop is "Candy Land." The film concentrates mostly on Sadie (Sam Quartin). They all live at the Lazy J Motel. They adopt Remy (Olivia Luccardi) who is a virgin an outcast of a religious cult. She too must pay her way if she is going to stay. A man turns up dead. By the second murder we know it is Remy having her own idea how to cleanse people.

The film was not as funny as "Truck Stop Women" and not as bloody as "Chainsaw Hookers." I think it would have been better to have someone either fragile like Taylor Swift for Remy or someone comical like a Divine figure. Watchable mix of genres.

Guide: F-word. Sex. Nudity (Sam Quartin, Eden Brolin)

Started out well enough, but took a turn for the worse...

[paul_haakonsen · 4/10 · 4 February 2023]

I had not heard about this 2022 movie titled "Candy Land" from writer and director John Swab prior to getting to sit down and watch it. And seeing that the movie was labelled as a horror movie, of course I was interested in watching it.

Well, "Candy Land" is not really a horror movie. It is more of a drama thriller. But horror it is not.

The storyline in "Candy Land" started out well enough and proved entertaining as well, but then the movie took a turn and I have to admit that I didn't really enjoy that particular twist to the storyline, as written by John Swab. So "Candy Land" didn't really turn out to be an overly enjoyable movie for me, especially since I was expecting a horror movie.

Of the entire cast ensemble, then I was only familiar with actor William Baldwin and Billy Blair. I will say, however, that they had a good cast ensemble, and the actors and actresses really put on good performances. Despite of me not liking the storyline as it played out, then I will say that the acting performances were good enough to make me watch the movie to the end.

While "Candy Land" is not among the worst of movies I have stumbled upon in 2022, then it was not a memorable movie either. And I doubt that I will ever return to watch director John Swab's movie a second time.

My rating of "Candy Land" lands on a four out of ten stars.

More like stupid movie land!

[shiftingparadigms · 1/10 · 4 February 2023]

This disgusting waste of time presents an idea of human trafficking that could only have been dreamt up by a white male high school aged boy. It is NOT HORROR. The scariest part is that some people might actually believe this misogynistic fantasy version of human trafficking. When the madame pulls an epstein and manipulates the vulnerable girl its all done in a lovey dovey way, in reality pimping is a brutal affair...obviously. This is garbage for the mind. Unless you enjoy back to back sex assault scenes punctuated by extreme violence - in which case poor movie taste is the least of your problems. I didnt think Billy Baldwin could sink lower than he already was, but then hey the Baldwins are great at that. Save your time, save your mind. Skip this garbage.