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Overall Rating : 7/10
Directed By : Craig Singer
Jamie-Lynn Sigler (The Sopranos (TV) )
Patrick Renna (National Lampoon Presents : Dorm Daze)
David Rogers (Sublime)
Jennifer Kelly Tisdale (The Hillside Strangler)
Supplied By : Lionsgate Films
Film Reviewed By : Rick L. Blalock
Date Reviewed : Mar. 14, 2007
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| PLOT A group of six friends on a road trip stop off at an amusement park attraction named 'Dark Ride', unaware that a psychopath who brutally murdered two girls, has just escaped a mental institution and is seeking refuge there. |
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| THE REVIEW In DARK RIDE, a group of of 5 college friends, whom pick up a blonde hitch-hiker take a little road trip on their Spring Break vacation. The trip lands them at a gas station, and while there they spot a flyer promoting a nearby amusement park ride called "Dark Ride" which is located in the next town of Asbury Park New Jersey. One of the friends, a film nut named Bill challenges his fellow friends to stay overnight in the closed down amusement park, he doubts that any of them are brave enough to succeed in the task They all agree to stay in the Dark Ride, so Bill, Steve, Jim, Kathy, Liz and the hitch-hiker Jen head inside the ride once they arrive.... it is not until later that they learn more about the place. After looking around and becoming a little spooked at the stuff inside - Bill tells the true reason as to way he wanted them to spend the night in the first place. It turns out that back in 1989 in the very amusement park in which they are staying, a maniacal and homicidal killer when on a rampage and killed two twin sisters. Some legends state the killer whom is named Jonah has died, while others say he has not perished and has been locked away in a mental facility ever since. But what the unsuspecting group of friends don't know is that Jonah has recently escaped that facility and has been staying in the amusement park in which he once killed. DARK RIDE is one of the "8 films to die for" that played at the After Dark Horror fest that spanned over a 3 day weekend on limited screens. From what I hear despite the studios wanting this Horrorfest to be a success and a high grossing event it was a huge mess instead. Some fans did not get to see all 8 films that were being promoted for the event due to botched scheduling....fans didn't even have their all access passes to see all 8 films honored(what crap that is). But alas on March 27th 7 of the 8(with THE ABANDONED getting another theater run, thus being omitted) films will come home to DVD for all to see. i start my reviews of all 7 of the said films with DARK RIDE - I will have the rest following this one coming soon, since it's a heavy workload and I have other films besides these waiting, I can't say when all of the reviews will be on the site but they will! First things first when speaking of DARK RIDE, I must say that I am a huge fan of Horror films that involve clowns or carnivals/amusement parks, and one of my favorite films of all time is Tobe Hooper's classic THE FUNHOUSE. When looking at DARK RIDE you are very quick to notice that as far as story goes DARK RIDE is a lot similar to THE FUNHOUSE in that the teens stay over night inside an amusement park attraction - also the surroundings are the same. One would be quick to ask, is DARK RIDE a remake? well the answer is no, because despite having a nearly identical plot, Dark Ride offers up a back story of the film's killer to differ it self. But the comparisons don't stop her, the escaped mental patient is lifted from HALLOWEEN, while the previously mentioned back-story is reminiscent of the story in the HOUSE OF WAX remake - and when unmask the killer looks strikingly similar to Dr. Satan - while as the ride named Dark Ride in this film would remind you of "The Murder Ride" of that same film. Although the film isn't all that original and borrows a lot from others, it still manages to do so seamlessly, blending all of this together - I mean when in the last time we saw a film that felt like a genuine 80's slasher(almost) with a masked killer stalking and killing people using their bodies to reenact the scenes seen in the ride? With all of the remakes clouding my memory I can't recall the last time a slasher with such a familiar feeling came along, that when I watched it I actually had a lot of fun. The acting here is fronted by Jamie-Lynn Sigler, whom does a good job but in my opinion has always been a little overrated. Also here is Jennifer Kelly Tisdale, sister of HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL actress singer Ashley Tisdale. Everywhere I go online it doesn't matter if the topic is about Jennifer or not, Ashley seems to always be mentioned first and Jennifer plays 2nd best for being "Ashley Tisdale's sister" which is a shame because Jennifer does a great job in her role as Liz and deserves more recognition than just being someone's sister - watch out for her! David Rogers, whom I last saw when I reviewed SUBLIME is here, but surprising, since he is a great young actor he is not a lead male role - which is also a shame...he needed more of a presence. Patrick Renna is the relative veteran of the young cast, having starred in roles that include THE SON IN LAW and SOMETIMES THEY COME BACK... AGAIN, not to be offensive towards him but sense he is no longer over weight, Renna seems to have broke out of his type casted roles and now many diverse roles are coming his way....which is a great thing, because he is one of the best characters in the film. Overall. DARK RIDE although not as memorable as films like THE FUNHOUSE, and even though I wasn't particularly crazy about the killers mask(it was ok) it is still fun with the clichéd plot, laughs, nudity and the special effects that make up an entertaining slasher flick....the kind of films we miss these days. |
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| GORE
METER 5.5/10 Pretty gory and heavy, we get people smashed against a door, a human puppet, one violently thrown against a wall, not to mention a head cut into and other things. |
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| MUSICAL
SCORE 5.5/10 The score was great, Christopher Young composes a theme for the film, that is carnival like and fitting, while Kostas Christides adds the rest with tunes that give the scenes more depth. |
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| OVERALL
IMPRESSION OF THE FILM I really liked DARK RIDE as it really reminded me of an old straightforward slasher. It's liable to be torn apart however by fans who immediately call it a rip off, they just can't be quiet long enough to realize that we have not been getting these types of films for awhile - who cares how many films it "rips off" at least it's not a remake people.... Before seeing this film, and just by reading the plot, I kind of knew this would be one that I would like, and sure enough it was....I recommend this one to slasher fans who enjoyed many of the slasher films the 80's had to offer. The After Dark Horrorfest set (available individually, or as a boxed set) will be released on March 27, 2007 |
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