The movie isn't terrible, but it focuses a lot on the romance angle which can be a little uncomfortable to watch, since the main relationship is between a teenager and an adult. The scenes with the crazy fashion teacher are entertaining to watch, but she's very overdramatic and few scenes just made me cringe.
15 Reviews
"Give Me Something Medieval!"
lavatch30 September 2020
Warning: Spoilers
"Designed to Kill" (a.k.a., "Fatal Fashion," a.k.a., "Deadly Runway") toggles between the thriller and horror genres. Jennifer Higgins has recently joined the faculty at Palm Vista High School in Southern California, where she teaches courses in photography. Previously, in New York, she was a fashion photographer who had a meltdown and started wielding a knife at a model while in a jealous stupor.
Now, Jennifer exploits young high school students, promising them fame and riches in the modeling business. She becomes obsessed with young David Doolittle, a wimp whom she "recreates" into a cover boy for fashion magazines. She also returns to her demented, jealous state. Early in the film, she kills young Britney whom she considered a rival for the love of David. Britney takes a tumble off a balcony with a push from Jennifer, who then calls out, "That's a wrap!"
While the photographic shoots were realistic, the filmmakers struggled to extract much depth to the characters and situations. One of the most interesting characters was Andrea, an actual agent who wanted to represent and promote David's career. She even met with David's kind mother Suzanne. But before the midpoint of the film, Andrea is bumped off when Jennifer experiences another one of her fits.
A romantic strand of the film emerges when David falls in love with his fellow student Caitlyn. Both of the characters were given a major facelift, thanks to Jennifer. But when Caitlyn poses a threat to Jennifer, she once again retaliates, turning her photo studio into a torture chamber. The most bizarre scene was when Jennifer orders Caitlyn to administer lashes to a hogtied David, then instructs her to slash his face. "Give me something medieval," barks Jennifer.
The attempt at gallows humor fell flat in this exploitative drama. The best one can say about the film was that the pacing was brisk and the style was appropriately slick and glossy.
That's a wrap!
Now, Jennifer exploits young high school students, promising them fame and riches in the modeling business. She becomes obsessed with young David Doolittle, a wimp whom she "recreates" into a cover boy for fashion magazines. She also returns to her demented, jealous state. Early in the film, she kills young Britney whom she considered a rival for the love of David. Britney takes a tumble off a balcony with a push from Jennifer, who then calls out, "That's a wrap!"
While the photographic shoots were realistic, the filmmakers struggled to extract much depth to the characters and situations. One of the most interesting characters was Andrea, an actual agent who wanted to represent and promote David's career. She even met with David's kind mother Suzanne. But before the midpoint of the film, Andrea is bumped off when Jennifer experiences another one of her fits.
A romantic strand of the film emerges when David falls in love with his fellow student Caitlyn. Both of the characters were given a major facelift, thanks to Jennifer. But when Caitlyn poses a threat to Jennifer, she once again retaliates, turning her photo studio into a torture chamber. The most bizarre scene was when Jennifer orders Caitlyn to administer lashes to a hogtied David, then instructs her to slash his face. "Give me something medieval," barks Jennifer.
The attempt at gallows humor fell flat in this exploitative drama. The best one can say about the film was that the pacing was brisk and the style was appropriately slick and glossy.
That's a wrap!
Pure Comedy!
ac561926 October 2018
This film's so COMICALLY bad with the OTT acting, awful script and stereotypical portrayal of lifetime characters. Don't watch this unless you get a cold and need to take medication. As someone who once said, comedy's the best medicine. Yeah you hear me right, this film is pure comedy. I do feel very sorry for Linsey though. Since she's on Days now, I hope she won't have to do piece of junk like this again.
Who rated this 10 stars?!!
DarienCaitlin27 November 2018
Warning: Spoilers
How this movie even got a 10 star review is beyond me. Must have been paid to write anything positive about the film.
For starters, the main character always has a blurring filter on his face when it's an up-close scene yet there are many times they forgot to fix the shots so you can see the acne not only on his face, but also his neck and body. I don't know why they didn't just cast a guy that had clear skin instead of having to put a filter on his face 90% of the movie.
The acting of all the characters was either over-dramatic( the teacher) or lacking (main character and girlfriend). I don't know why the producers thought this was a good film to actually release. Seriously, who watched the final film and thought anyone would enjoy this? Unless it was meant to be a comedy.
The girlfriend moves on from the main character pretty fast and goes running back to him when she gets dumped. And he accepts that? Not only that, but even after his mom told him what a psycho the teacher was he proceeds to TELL HER that he's leaving her and go pack his belongings as if she's gonna let him just walk away. What a complete idiot!
This movie doesn't even deserve 1 star. It's so awful! Waste of time to watch unless you have absolutely nothing better to do than stay at home and binge watch movies on netflix. Even then this wouldn't be a top pick for me.
For starters, the main character always has a blurring filter on his face when it's an up-close scene yet there are many times they forgot to fix the shots so you can see the acne not only on his face, but also his neck and body. I don't know why they didn't just cast a guy that had clear skin instead of having to put a filter on his face 90% of the movie.
The acting of all the characters was either over-dramatic( the teacher) or lacking (main character and girlfriend). I don't know why the producers thought this was a good film to actually release. Seriously, who watched the final film and thought anyone would enjoy this? Unless it was meant to be a comedy.
The girlfriend moves on from the main character pretty fast and goes running back to him when she gets dumped. And he accepts that? Not only that, but even after his mom told him what a psycho the teacher was he proceeds to TELL HER that he's leaving her and go pack his belongings as if she's gonna let him just walk away. What a complete idiot!
This movie doesn't even deserve 1 star. It's so awful! Waste of time to watch unless you have absolutely nothing better to do than stay at home and binge watch movies on netflix. Even then this wouldn't be a top pick for me.
Like a missing episode of Black Mirror
kbbfly19 October 2018
Please watch
mrslathan097 October 2018
This movie is so ridiculous that it's actually funny. It's soooooooooo bad but you wanna see it until the end. Im not sure if I don't like it because it's so bad or if I like it because it is absurd and pure comedy.
I hope this was meant to be a comedy
aporcha15 October 2018
Filtered
jillianmizenko5 October 2018
Going to war with and over high school kids
CranberriAppl9 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I'm still cringing. This movie was so comically bad that I can't even give it the "Lifetime grading curve." I agree with another contributor in that you will want to turn it off so many times but you'll finish the movie to see how much worse it could get. Then you'd be angry at yourself for getting sucked in. It's truly one of the worst Lifetime movies I've ever seen.
I mean it's so awful. The Jennifer character is awful. Poorly acted and so deranged for no reason. Why is she into high school guys? I don't think the movie made it make sense. Had the genders been switched, and Jennifer was a male photag creeping on a high school girl, the movie would have made it quite clear how gross it was. Total hypocrisy on that front. I don't watch Days so I don't know this actress but I would not even call her performance a soap opera inspired one. Her villainous breakdown at the end was so cringe-worthy that I laughed probably more times than they'd want. If this were live theater, they would have had to stop the play until the audience stopped laughing. It was all very silly. The ropes, the whipping, the lights and music.
Jamie Luner is better than this but at least her involvement in the campiest scenes was minimal to none.
I mean it's so awful. The Jennifer character is awful. Poorly acted and so deranged for no reason. Why is she into high school guys? I don't think the movie made it make sense. Had the genders been switched, and Jennifer was a male photag creeping on a high school girl, the movie would have made it quite clear how gross it was. Total hypocrisy on that front. I don't watch Days so I don't know this actress but I would not even call her performance a soap opera inspired one. Her villainous breakdown at the end was so cringe-worthy that I laughed probably more times than they'd want. If this were live theater, they would have had to stop the play until the audience stopped laughing. It was all very silly. The ropes, the whipping, the lights and music.
Jamie Luner is better than this but at least her involvement in the campiest scenes was minimal to none.
Nuts
mangospider3 October 2018
This movie is BONKERS in the most delightful way. For it being total garbage, it's actually edited in such a way that it moves along at a decent clip. I was having a panic attack when I started this movie and it may have just saved my life.
Entertaining in an over the top way
phd_travel3 October 2018
Fun in an over the top Lifetime way, this thriller is fast moving and has a few reversals from the norm. The wack job is a female fashion photographer. She obsesses over a teen boy after she transforms him to a fashion model. The way she dispatches the obstacles is funny to watch yet plausible enough. The concerned mom is played by Lifetime regular Jamie Luner. Quite amusing makeovers of the boy and his girlfriend.
Worth one watch.
Worth one watch.
Help me...
alishaebrahimnegad28 December 2018
This is the worst thing I've ever seen in my life!! NOT worst movie...the worst THING EVER!! I'm serious it seemed like everyone in the movie was on drugs or something!! Where are the editors?? Who let this BE?! Why did this movie have to happen!? My life is ruined from this movie! This is the most insane thing I've ever watched. I'm telling you, you will never be the same after watching this movie. I'm going to go puke now.
One of the best films of all time
sclafunk6 October 2018
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