AN AMERICAN TERROR takes on a bit of a different storyline. Creating characters and a story setup kind of like From Dusk Til Dawn with a narrative within a narrative.
Ray, Josh, and Sammy are the outcasts in high school, getting bullied by jocks and cheerleaders to the point where they snap. They devise this scheme to wreck havoc at the schools homecoming dance, using guns and pipe bombs to destroy those that have hurt them mentally and physically. There is only one problem, they only have one old handgun. Well two of the kids seek out a place to steal the guns. They follow and break into a “Redneck’s” home and junk yard, not knowing that the redneck is a psycho killer that likes to capture and torture victims in an underground bunker beneath the yard.
Written and directed by Haylar Garcia, the film plays well. There is not a moment where you are looking at the clock wondering when it will end. Both narrative’s are interesting and terrifying in their own right. The best thing about it, Haylar doesn’t bother trying to explain the background, or any character development of the beak-mask-wearing psycho. He’s just there for one reason only, to bring the carnage, and to be an obstacle the kids have to overcome to get to the killing of their classmates. Or maybe he’s there as an Angel, to save the fate of those homecoming high-schoolers.
The killer is pretty cool, he doesn’t say much, has a couple cool kills and they are pretty bloody as well and I dig the way that after the killer puts on the “beak” mask, he goes to watch some Woody Woodpecker. This gave me the sense that Haylar wanted us to think the mask was a homage to the killers favorite cartoon character. I may be wrong, but that was my interpretation of the images flashing before my eyes, and I like that scenario so I will cling to it.
The film is great some great visuals, not a lot of gore, but when there is it’s innovative and new, the cast is great and the storyline is very well done. It shows how an experience like this can bring anyone’s value of life full circle.
Overall it was a fun film, one that I must recommend and one that since watching, I have added to my collection.
AN AMERICAN TERROR 2014 Review: It’s Not Bullies You Have To Worry About
Chad Armstrong
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