Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon

Film Threat Eric Campos

Fortunately, the filmmakers have quite a few clever tricks up their sleeves, bringing us a smart, refreshing an affectionate skewering of a celebrated genre.

Variety Joe Leydon

An ingeniously twisted mockumentary.

LA Weekly Scott Foundas

At its best, Behind the Mask offers some, um, cutting insights about mass-media blood lust and the cult of the serial killer, and in Baesel, who is by turns charming, manic and thoroughly scary, it has a gifted young actor who clearly relishes a role he can sink his pitchfork into.

Los Angeles Times Michael Ordona

Behind the Mask is original and weirdly delicious, and executed with gory aplomb.

New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman

It's a must for those who like thrills laced with a sense of humor.

Baltimore Sun Chris Kaltenbach

A twisted little comic gem.

Boston Globe Ty Burr

The movie's a cheeky, low-budget goof on dice-and-slice horror films, but for all the visible seams, it's a lot cleverer than "Scream."

Washington Post Stephen Hunter

The movie has more cleverness than violence, and its breakdown of cliches is vivid and witty. Baesel is an extraordinary presence, holding the film together with his mesmerizing performance, charm and openness, and Goethals measures up to him.

Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov

A poke in the eye of genre convention with a flensing blade and a disarmingly charming razor-blade grin.

TV Guide Ken Fox

Perhaps too clever for its own good.

New York Post Kyle Smith

Stieve and Glosserman may yet strike a vein: This thing screams out for a Hollywood remake with, say, writers from "The Simpsons."

The Hollywood Reporter Frank Scheck

Most of this is fairly predictable spoofing, and Englund is wasted as a psycho-hunting shrink clearly modeled after Donald Pleasence's character in "Halloween." But there are moments when the proceedings are unsettling and original.

New York Magazine David Edelstein

Working in a mini-genre whose bones would appear to have been picked clean by the likes of Kevin Williamson and Wes Craven, Glosserman and Stieve find a few pints of fresh blood.

Village Voice Ed Gonzalez

Desperately overcompensating for the fact that most horror films are already parodies of themselves, Behind the Mask takes a bite out of the dumb "Scream" franchise before devouring its own tail, proving that you are what you eat.