A mixup of the ritual, the wicker man, midsommar and the truman show! Pretty good little unexpected netflix horror film with a bit of a different take. There is a few plot holes and a lot doesnt make sense but i liked the direction it went in. There are some decent shots here and there but it could have had a bit more style considering it was made by the Italians who used to make excellent horror films. The acting is ok some are over the top and others are corny however they all serve the purpose of the characters they are playing. Its not a traditional horror film but it is definitely worth watching if you are a horror fan who likes it when things are a bit different from the current blockbuster horrors that have not been very good as of late. This at least had a bit of originality to it although it borrowed from many films it still had potential and is worth a watch.
298 Reviews
Did I misunderstand the film???
Zebra715 July 2021
Warning: Spoilers
So, after having watched it to the end, I took it as a satire and not as an actual horror film, but reading many of the reviews, it's surprising that only one other person seems to have mentioned this so far, so I could've got it totally wrong.
Anyway, my rating is a 6 based on my interpretation of this film as a satire of our society craving for "creativity", "originality" and "realism" yet at the same time condemning and complaining about it (this is a broad gist of it, there's more to it).
I didn't rate it higher, because it seemed a bit "preachy", though I get it's not meant to be taken too seriously. Also, it seemed like Netflix was using "reverse psychology" to get a higher rating, like the last scene where everyone was bashing the film and the "male viewer" gave it a thumbs down, as if to say "don't be like them". Well, I may be reading too much into it, but not falling for that BS! Ha Or maybe I and the hundreds of others are doing exactly what the film intended to prove by complaining about it! Lol
Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Sums up our current society perfectly to be honest.
Anyway, my rating is a 6 based on my interpretation of this film as a satire of our society craving for "creativity", "originality" and "realism" yet at the same time condemning and complaining about it (this is a broad gist of it, there's more to it).
I didn't rate it higher, because it seemed a bit "preachy", though I get it's not meant to be taken too seriously. Also, it seemed like Netflix was using "reverse psychology" to get a higher rating, like the last scene where everyone was bashing the film and the "male viewer" gave it a thumbs down, as if to say "don't be like them". Well, I may be reading too much into it, but not falling for that BS! Ha Or maybe I and the hundreds of others are doing exactly what the film intended to prove by complaining about it! Lol
Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Sums up our current society perfectly to be honest.
Surprisingly good
chicogeno16 July 2021
It will be hated by many, but it's a really good film
PedroPires9015 July 2021
It's a film that has a high risk of being hated by many for the way it subverts our expectations. It's also a film made by people who clearly love cinema, full of excellent production values, charismatic acting and with a strong social message. It takes patience and isn't as bloody and scary as it was sold, but its third act makes the whole trip worth it.
Pretentious
diazkilfonte26 October 2022
I noticed that some people used the word "satire", to make it sounds as if this movie is smarter than it actually is. These people need to google what "satire" actually means.
Satire is a comedic exaggeration of a stereotype as a form of criticism, This movie has no comedy, no exaggeration, no highlighted stereotype whatsoever. "A Classic Horror Story" just copied some part of other slasher movie plot and made a last minute criticism at the end. That's not a satire, that's just being unoriginal.
For real satire movies, check What We Do in the Shadows, Hot Fuzz, Tropic Thunder, or Don't Look Up. That what a satire movie really is. "A Classic Horror Story", is just a normal slasher movie.
That being said, the acting is good, special effect is good, script is good, plot is decent. If you can enjoy a decent, yet unimpressive slasher horror movie like me, I'd say give it a try. By its own merit, I think it's fair to give this movie a very normal 6/10.
Satire is a comedic exaggeration of a stereotype as a form of criticism, This movie has no comedy, no exaggeration, no highlighted stereotype whatsoever. "A Classic Horror Story" just copied some part of other slasher movie plot and made a last minute criticism at the end. That's not a satire, that's just being unoriginal.
For real satire movies, check What We Do in the Shadows, Hot Fuzz, Tropic Thunder, or Don't Look Up. That what a satire movie really is. "A Classic Horror Story", is just a normal slasher movie.
That being said, the acting is good, special effect is good, script is good, plot is decent. If you can enjoy a decent, yet unimpressive slasher horror movie like me, I'd say give it a try. By its own merit, I think it's fair to give this movie a very normal 6/10.
Nothing special
JT_Bundy25 July 2021
Homage to horror
anapsousa17 July 2021
The name says everything. I found it to be a clever homage to horror, with elements/inspiration from The Evil Dead, The Hills Have Eyes, Midsommar, The Cabin in the Woods. It's like comfort food. More like this please!
ummm
ozgekaynak-5921523 July 2021
The movie tried to add some dumbass social commentary towards the ending and i got second hand embarrassment from it. First half of the movie was ok I mean it had been done so many times before but the atmosphere was actually horrifying and then the plot twist came...i counted the minutes begging for it to be over :(
Great film!
jonflottorp21 August 2021
A Classic horror story is one of the best Netflix horror movies i have seen i realy recomend it.
It is a very original movie and it has A rating at 5,9 that is totaly wrong. If you have time Watch this movie right now.
It is a very original movie and it has A rating at 5,9 that is totaly wrong. If you have time Watch this movie right now.
Solid pseudo-satire horror
nick_holloway17 July 2021
People on here really have no clue. I am seeing a lot of 'cliche, taking parts from other horror movies'. Yeah,that was literally the entire point, its poking fun at predictable horror movies and how they use the same blueprint time and time again.... imo, very good tongue in cheek satire.
CABIN IN THE WOODS + MIDSOMMAR.
andrewchristianjr8 August 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This film is like The Cabin in the Woods and Midsommar in the way it is self aware. The gore was pretty well done. I was also a fan of the cinematography. The third act takes an interesting turn. Had high hopes but it underwhelmed.
A Classic Horror Story ...this is not.
ed-503-46518315 July 2021
I have to admit the first hour or so had me thinking this was going to be something similar to the 2017 English movie The Ritual. But after that it took "A Cabin in the Woods" kind of turn, and the finish was terrible.
I think Lutz did a good job, other than that I give it three mehs.
I think Lutz did a good job, other than that I give it three mehs.
Decent flick
donancricchiasaverio15 July 2021
Meta Horror
Pairic15 July 2021
A Classic Horror Story: Southern Gothic but this film is set in the South of Italy and the Gothic shades into Folk Horror. There are elements of pastiche here as several tropes are mixed - a group of people who are car pooling get involved in a crash, when they come to they are in their camper van but it's in a forest clearing. Nearby is a deserted house, in it they find pictures of a Pagan cult and evidence of savage rituals. Then the fun begins, hordes of cultists wearing bark masks and animal masks act out the ritual. Some very disturbing scenes of mutilation and murder ensue. There are influences here from the Wicker Man, Midsommar and a 1975 film Race With The Devil but ACHS has it's own strengths and puts it's own stamp on things. The film takes a strange turn and their are plot twists which sends the narrative off in an even more bizarre direction as we get into the territory of Meta-Horror. While this might not be a classic it's well worth watching. Co-Directed/Co-Written by Roberto De Feo and Paolo Strippoli. On Netflix. 7/10.
Classic? Definitely not.
imdb-1485014 July 2021
Guys..it's straight up satire!
davidcbabsthurgarland20 July 2021
Warning: Spoilers
So I'm confused and concerned by many of the reviews on here. There are several reviews, short and to the point, that criticize this film because it's a 'rip off' of "The Ritual", "Midsommar", "Cabin in the Woods", "Blair Witch" and so on and so forth. Are people literal idiots? There is dialogue in this movie that directly addresses the fact that this is a satirical commentary on the horror genre and the public's fascination with brutal crime. I believe the film even references the Amanda Knox case at one point. So I can only assume that the people writing these reviews either don't pay attention, don't understand nuance, are stupid...or all of the above.
If U don't like the film based on its subject matter, the direction is sub par, the production is lacking or the acting lackluster - sure, critique the film accordingly. Same goes if U enjoy any of the aforementioned things - review it accordingly. But don't call something a rip off cause you're too daft to read between the lines (or simply pay attention to the dialogue).
I thought the movie was solid: Directing, script, set pieces and acting were all super impressive. Whilst the twist and very premise of the film were cool, it wasn't "Usual Suspects" kinda cool. Hence the 7/10 rating. But very enjoyable nonetheless.
If U don't like the film based on its subject matter, the direction is sub par, the production is lacking or the acting lackluster - sure, critique the film accordingly. Same goes if U enjoy any of the aforementioned things - review it accordingly. But don't call something a rip off cause you're too daft to read between the lines (or simply pay attention to the dialogue).
I thought the movie was solid: Directing, script, set pieces and acting were all super impressive. Whilst the twist and very premise of the film were cool, it wasn't "Usual Suspects" kinda cool. Hence the 7/10 rating. But very enjoyable nonetheless.
Don't waste your time
militantcactus15 July 2021
Nothing original. Every decent scene from good horror films taken and mashed together to create a seriously terrible movie. I'm sure the writer wanted to say something about society or whatever, and the tries to be clever but fails miserably. Pointless.
nothing new but enjoyable
MikesIDhasbeentaken27 July 2021
Reading the reviews you'l see people state this movie steals from various other horror movies, of course it does thats the point, in fact it's self awareness of it is almost overdone.
But i like all of them movies, so i liked this. But even the satire element is nothing new, on no level at all does this offer anything different, actually the fact that it's so like such a vast amount of different films maybe does make it different..
it's twist was probably the biggest cliche, and way too obvious, almost ruined it for me, once you figure it out in the first few minutes it's like the movie spends the next hour making it ridiculously obvious over and over again and then wants you to be surprised when it's revealed.
But it's fine, worth a watch if thats what your into.
But i like all of them movies, so i liked this. But even the satire element is nothing new, on no level at all does this offer anything different, actually the fact that it's so like such a vast amount of different films maybe does make it different..
it's twist was probably the biggest cliche, and way too obvious, almost ruined it for me, once you figure it out in the first few minutes it's like the movie spends the next hour making it ridiculously obvious over and over again and then wants you to be surprised when it's revealed.
But it's fine, worth a watch if thats what your into.
Typical Netflix Garbage
hisxlnc26 July 2021
This is one of those awful cliched Horror movies that you have accustomed to seeing from Netflix these days . Acting and direction is terrible and the plot is so predictable that you can guess what the next scene is going to be . Avoid this movie if you can . You have probably seen a hundred ( and much better) movies like this one before I.
The low scores are nonsense.
berg-7453217 July 2021
With the passage of time people are becoming hyper critical and nit picky movie snobs and I'm tired of it. You'll see many of the same people who give nothing but low scores and give the same reason for why the movie is bad. If for no other reason the insight in to an Italian folk legend that is completely unknown to us should immediately get respect on its own but this is a great story with excellent pace fantastic visuals with talented people putting on an excellent show top to bottom. It's scary without jump scares it's tense and with an unexpected and well thought out story arc's that's more than one story arc. You want to be entertained by something new that is also done well you'll enjoy this movie a lot. Not details about the movie because what's the point of that anyway.
You should watch this
gregor-moenter14 July 2021
If your first, second and third impression is that this isn't worth watching, that it's cheap and a copy of all we have seen before - just go on watching to the bitter end - it's worth it, because there's a nice and intelligent surprise waiting.
Ugly
gianmarcoronconi20 July 2021
This movie is ugly in the true sense of the word and has nothing to save it. Boring, repetitive and with an ending as stupid as few. The acting is good but otherwise the film does not entertain, it is obvious and bored. Many central elements in the film seem to be randomly placed there with no real logical sense just to carry on the plot which is itself senseless.
You like it or hate it
the_real_smile13 August 2021
In the company I watched this movie 2/3 did not enjoy it, 1/3 did. I liked the suspense and nice plot twists. What I didn't like was the out of camera gore, a horror movie suppose to show gore, otherwise what's the point? So overall a nice flick with a lot of killing you do not witness, worth seeing if you do not have a better movie at hand.
Not bad, but avoid the English dub.
LincolnSixEko18 September 2021
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