School Killer (2001)
*** 1/2 (out of 4)
Extremely creepy Spanish film about six college students who go and spend the night at an abandoned school where six kids were killed 27 years earlier. This film from director Carlos Gil is without a doubt one of the best horror films I've seen in quite some time. The film had me on the edge of my seat throughout and that's saying a lot because I don't normally get creeped out by any film. Not The Texas Chainsaw Massacre or The Exorcist were able to scare me but this one here did. The film is neck deep in atmosphere and the direction is terrific throughout. The screenplay is also very good and gives us characters that we care about and know. These characters just aren't there to be slaughtered like so many American horror films. The film is smart about the genre and smart in the way it plays out. Spanish horror icon Paul Naschy plays the security guard and gives a very good performance as does the rest of the cast. The theatrical trailer makes it seem like this is an outright slasher but it's more in the ghost genre and certainly one of the best I've seen. The only negative is some heavy metal music that is played during a few scenes.
*** 1/2 (out of 4)
Extremely creepy Spanish film about six college students who go and spend the night at an abandoned school where six kids were killed 27 years earlier. This film from director Carlos Gil is without a doubt one of the best horror films I've seen in quite some time. The film had me on the edge of my seat throughout and that's saying a lot because I don't normally get creeped out by any film. Not The Texas Chainsaw Massacre or The Exorcist were able to scare me but this one here did. The film is neck deep in atmosphere and the direction is terrific throughout. The screenplay is also very good and gives us characters that we care about and know. These characters just aren't there to be slaughtered like so many American horror films. The film is smart about the genre and smart in the way it plays out. Spanish horror icon Paul Naschy plays the security guard and gives a very good performance as does the rest of the cast. The theatrical trailer makes it seem like this is an outright slasher but it's more in the ghost genre and certainly one of the best I've seen. The only negative is some heavy metal music that is played during a few scenes.