Ah, yes: amateur horror, made with consumer-grade electronics, with brothers Blake and Brent Cousins (or are they, you know, cousins?) writing, directing, starring, producing, and editing, inasmuch as these words carry weight with features operating on this level. Needless to say the image and audio quality are highly variable, the stunts that the cast perform themselves are on the lighter side of things, and between how the chief characters are written and portrayed, we have the answer to the age old question of what it might look like if Jay, as performed by Jason Mewes in Kevin Smith's "Askewniverse," was a Dude Bro with a brother, and if they suddenly found themselves in an 'Evil dead'-style romp.
All joshing aside, I deeply appreciate what the Cousins put together here, and it comes across much better than it has any right to. The stunts aren't the top of the line, but considering that the folks here aren't exactly professionals, they look darn good - nay, surprisingly good. The practical effects are actually really fantastic as far as I'm concerned, including blood and gore. In fact, this may be definitive proof that the least tangible creations, realized with the lowest of budgets, are always and forever preferable to the best post-production digital wizardry that money can buy. In general the cinematography and editing are rough around the edges, but in select instances the efforts are pretty smart in how they're employed. Across the board the acting and direction say "we made this in our hometown where people were very generous to us and our friends," but the sincerity and enthusiasm that everyone brought to the project outweighs any specific questions of skill.
The writing meets the dictionary definition of "serviceable," or if you like your thesaurus, "perfunctory" - something something Necronomicon, something something cursed respirator, possession and chaos ensue. The story is fine just as it is, but doesn't matter all that much, because it's only a vehicle for the action, stunts, effects, and general horror violence and vibes. I'm pretty sure if Sam Raimi saw this he'd be really proud of what the Cousins and their friends made in the spirit of the man's own genre roots, and he should be. What the participants lacked in resources or capability, they made up for with bountiful heart, and for all the hard work they poured into it, 'Slaughter Day' is actually really fun!
These goofballs had some terrific filming locations in which to make their flick, which leads at points to the arrangement of some shots and scenes that truly emphasizes just what a blast everyone was having. (As if that weren't already the case with everything else here.) To my delight, the music that complements the proceedings really adds to the sheer joy of the viewing experience, and dare I say it, even offers a tinge of atmosphere at times. Really, when you get down to it, this movie is quite well made considering its amateur nature. It may raise a bit of a quizzical eyebrow at first, but once the reverie of violence, blood, and gore picks up it's easy to get swept up in the ridiculousness and enjoy it. Those who have a hard time engaging with such low-grade fare may not have their minds changed here; on the other hand, it genuinely comes off better than no small amount of what actual production companies have churned out before and since (consider The Asylum, or Uncork'd Entertainment). Yet if one is open to film-making where unbridled zest and earnest commitment take precedence over any notion of "production values" or "professionalism," I am all so pleased to say that 'Slaughter Day' is worth far more than it may seem from the outside looking in. It bears repeating: this is better than it has any right to be. Drop your pretenses and presuppositions about how pictures should made, and just embrace the moment - this 1991 slice of homemade horror is a really great time, and I'm happy to give it my recommendation!
