Hell Fest

Name: Hell Fest
Genre: Horror
Released: September 28, 2018
Duration: 89 min
Rating: 26
Cast: Alicia Rosato, Amy Forsyth, Ashley Uecker, Athena Akers, Benjamin Weaver

2018

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 11 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 90 Ratings

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7.7

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7.7	Your Score
7.7	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 90 Ratings

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Hell Fest (Red Band Trailer)

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Movie Details & Credits

CBS Films | Release Date: September 28, 2018 | R

Starring: Alicia Rosato, Amy Forsyth, Ashley Uecker, Athena Akers, Benjamin Weaver, Bex Taylor-Klaus, Brooke Jaye Taylor, Christian James, Courtney Dietz, Elle Graham, Mason Pike, Matt Mercurio, Michael Tourek, Reign Edwards, Roby Attal, Stephen Conroy, Tony Todd

Summary: College student Natalie (Amy Forsyth) is visiting her childhood best friend Brooke (Reign Edwards) and her roommate Taylor (Bex Taylor-Klaus). If it was any other time of year these three and their boyfriends might be heading to a concert or bar, but it is Halloween which means that like everyone else they will be bound for Hell Fest – aCollege student Natalie (Amy Forsyth) is visiting her childhood best friend Brooke (Reign Edwards) and her roommate Taylor (Bex Taylor-Klaus). If it was any other time of year these three and their boyfriends might be heading to a concert or bar, but it is Halloween which means that like everyone else they will be bound for Hell Fest – a sprawling labyrinth of rides, games, and mazes that travels the country and happens to be in town. Every year thousands follow Hell Fest to experience fear at the ghoulish carnival of nightmares. But for one visitor, Hell Fest is not the attraction – it is a hunting ground. An opportunity to slay in plain view of a gawking audience, too caught up in the terrifyingly fun atmosphere to recognize the horrific reality playing out before their eyes. As the body count and frenzied excitement of the crowds continues to rise, he turns his masked face to Natalie, Brooke, Taylor and their boyfriends who will fight to survive the night.… Expand

Director: Gregory Plotkin

Genre(s): Horror

Rating: R

Runtime: 89 min

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Critic Reviews

The Film Stage Mike Mazzanti

Sep 30, 2018

A balance is struck between fun and fear, make-believe terror and actual trauma. It borders on an examination of real pain, still lets you whoop at the madness, then has that cheer catch in your throat. Read full review

The Guardian Mike McCahill

Nov 29, 2018

Plotkin’s relentless button-pushing, coupled to the script’s cringe-inducing yooftalk, instead mark Hell Fest as unmistakably the work of middle-aged execs trying to jab suggestible teenagers back into cinemas. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Nick Allen

Sep 28, 2018

It’s the closest you can subject people to a horror potluck without being "The Cabin in the Woods." So why can’t the six writers of this story have more fun with this premise? Read full review

Noel Murray

Sep 27, 2018

Hell Fest has exactly one genuinely nail-biting scene.... Otherwise, the movie does little to update, subvert, or comment on the trappings of classic thrillers like “The Funhouse” and “Halloween.” Read full review

Dennis Harvey

Sep 28, 2018

Eye candy without much to offer the brain or emotions, Hell Fest is a competently crafted slasher film rendered instantly forgettable by its disinterest in character, plot, and motivation, let alone original ideas. Read full review

Movie Nation Roger Moore

Sep 27, 2018

The killings aren’t particularly gripping, there’s little suspense in the earliest ones and the menace is pretty watered down for much of the movie. Read full review

Josh Kupecki

Oct 3, 2018

But really, it seems like a movie hatched because someone had access to an amusement park and knew a lot of people in the makeup and lighting department. Read full review

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User Reviews

tombraiderxxx12

Sep 30, 2018

Really took me back to the old slasher movies that I loved! Such a fun and exciting ride!

7 of 9 users found this helpful72

Abolish

Aug 24, 2021

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0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Willywonka180

Apr 8, 2021

Hell Fest is a breakthrough slasher! The comedic elements work but boy do the horror elements work even more!

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

qbase

Apr 7, 2019

Όπως οι περισσότερες exploitation ταινίες τρόμου, έτσι και αυτό το «Πάρκο του Τρόμου» στηρίζεται σε μία και μόνη ιδέα, πάνω στην οποία προσαρμόζονται όλες οι δοκιμασμένες συνταγές του είδους...Όπως οι περισσότερες exploitation ταινίες τρόμου, έτσι και αυτό το «Πάρκο του Τρόμου» στηρίζεται σε μία και μόνη ιδέα, πάνω στην οποία προσαρμόζονται όλες οι δοκιμασμένες συνταγές του είδους...

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TheQuietGamer

Aug 31, 2021

Remember in the '80s when slasher flicks were a dime a dozen? How they all had little themes like summer camp or some random holiday? Well meet Hell Fest. A throwback to the stab-happy movies of that era that managed to find a setting largely untouched in the genre: haunted funhouses. TakingRemember in the '80s when slasher flicks were a dime a dozen? How they all had little themes like summer camp or some random holiday? Well meet Hell Fest. A throwback to the stab-happy movies of that era that managed to find a setting largely untouched in the genre: haunted funhouses. Taking place in a seasonal Halloween amusement park a masked killer takes advantage of the fact that every employee is in costume and actively trying to scare guests to stalk and murder a group of college students undetected. A group who, while a bit annoying at first due to how unnecessarily vulgar they are, quickly begin to grow on you due to their love of all things horror.

This definitely has some decent thrills. There are a couple of really good kills, one of which is very Fulci-esque, and a few genuinely tense moments near the end. The real star of the show though is the environment. The creative mazes and attractions the characters' visit make the traveling carnival look like something you'd actually want to visit were it not for the demented murderer lurking about. Plus, it's hard to not get excited by a cameo from the Candyman himself, Tony Todd.

It drops the ball in a pretty big way with its villain however. Outside of a neat reveal in the final scene there's nothing interesting about him. His most defining attributes are that he slowly plods forward in a clear nod to the likes of Jason Voorhees and Michael Meyers, a tear in his right shoe, and that he hums Pop Goes the Weasel. None of which make him very memorable or scary. It's this kind of thing the hold this back from ever attaining true classic status or turning into its own franchise with sequels.

Still, even relying on visuals and location alone like it is, Hell Fest is ripe for a cult following. It got off on a bit of a wrong foot with me at first as its cast of young actors and actresses seemed prime to grate on the nerves. Yet, their enthusiasm proved infectious and it wasn't long before I was having just as much fun as they seemed to be having onscreen. The entire setup makes it a perfect October watch and it even capitalizes on the premise in some clever, effective ways. All of which is enough for me to give it a pass and a recommendation.

7.3/10… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

tropicAces

Sep 28, 2018

I have a soft spot for slasher films, and I can’t say this is anything great, but it has some fun kills and there were plenty of people covering their eyes in scared glee. Take all that how you will.

3 of 8 users found this helpful35

JLuis_001

Oct 6, 2018

I suppose that audiences has made the film studios believe that because Halloween is near, they will swallow any ineffective horror ideas that they produce.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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