It’s pretty safe to say that the most popular sub-genre of horror is the slasher flick. While they aren’t as prevalent now, the 80s saw countless filmmakers attempting to cash in on the masked killer craze. The quality of the films weren’t always the greatest, but at least they were entertaining in their own right. Can the same be said about Luciana Faulhaber’s Don’t Look? Read on to find out.
The Plot
Nicole and a few of her closest friends abandon the city life for a weekend away at her family’s farmhouse. It doesn’t take long for the group of youngsters to cross paths with a maniacal killer on the loose in the woods.
My Thoughts
At this point in my fandom, I believe I’ve seen the best and the worst that the slasher sub-genre has to offer. I’ve gone out of my way to watch everything from the mainstream sequels and remakes to the flicks made in aspiring filmmakers’ backyards. Still, I keep tracking down more, in hopes to find that next best entry in my favorite sub-genre.
Don’t Look is a mixed bag of the good, the bad, and the ugly. Like most low-budget films, it suffers from many restraints, effecting everything from special effects and make-up to lighting and sound design.
The cast is made up of a pretty talented bunch. The eclectic group of actors are more impressive than most when it comes to indie slashers, but there were unfortunately still times where delivery or reaction was lacking. It should be noted that one of the better performances actually came from writer, producer, and director Luciana Faulhaber, herself, as the sexy vixen, Lorena.
The majority of the slasher audience is only concerned with one thing — how good do the kills look? While Don’t Look showed some promise early on, it is again due to budgetary constraints that a lot of the deaths were executed just out of frame or out of focus. Aside from a few shots from an evisceration late in the film’s 71 minute runtime, there really isn’t much to write home about.
The Verdict
Don’t Look is a low budget slasher film that lacks in some departments but is effective in others. It has a moderately high body count, practical effects, features an attractive young cast, and is ambitious with its cinematography. With a slightly higher budget, this really could have been something great.
If you would like to check it out for yourself, be sure to purchase Don’t Look on DVD, available now from Wild Eye Releasing.
I give this one 2 daughter wives out of 5.
