About.com Rating

The Bottom Line

An occasionally funny but consistently fun gay-themed horror-comedy.



Pros

• Energetic cast
• Sporadically funny

Cons

• Low budget
• Humor at times falls flat

Description

• Starring Tyler Farrell, Billie Worley, Corie Ventura, Kaleo Quenzer, Jonahtan Lewis, Kevin Scroggs, Scott Fletcher
• Directed by Mark Goshorn Jones
• Rated NR
• DVD Release Date: April 20, 2010

Guide Review - 'Fraternity Massacre at Hell Island' DVD Review

Gay-themed horror movies have slowly emerged as a legitimate sub-genre over the past decade or so, although most tend to follow in the ultra-low-budget, straight-to-video footsteps of Fraternity Massacre at Hell Island, a comedic slasher that provides some entertainment value despite meager resources.

We begin in 1984 on Riverpark Island, where a 4th of July celebration goes awry when a barbershop quartet insults an old lady in the audience. Unbeknownst to the singers, she has gypsy inclinations and, as gypsies are apt to do in horror movies, she puts a curse on them that traps them on the island doing their schtick show for all eternity...until they can trick four new people into taking their place.

Fast-forward to the present day, and clean-cut college kid Jack is pledging the Zeta Alpha Rho (ZAP) fraternity, concealing both his geekiness and his homosexuality from his meat-headed, homophobic frat brothers. He and his fellow pledges are sent to spend the night at Riverpark Island as part of the annual "Hell Night" hazing.

As the night goes on, it becomes apparent that the ghosts of the barbershop quartet are the least of their problems; a maniac dressed as a clown is running around stabbing everyone in sight.

Who could the killer be? Jack's unbalanced roommate, who's upset that ZAP didn't accept him as a pledge? Or maybe it's frat president Tommy's girlfriend, who's jealous of the time he spends with his boys instead of her? Or could it be the dean of students, who's fed up with the fraternity's shenanigans? Or perhaps it's former ZAP pledge Johnny Brooklyn, who just recently escaped from a mental hospital, where he'd been since going crazy from a previous Hell Night hazing? Or could it be former med student Felix Brown, who similarly went crazy due to...well, does it really matter?

As you can see, there's no shortage of suspects (and red herrings) in Fraternity Massacre at Hell Island, as useless plot elements pile up on one another, several introduced and then abandoned altogether. The film, however, is so manic and lighthearted that you can't take it seriously enough to dissect its story structure. The acting is amateurish, to be sure, but it's a notch above most genre films with this sort of budget, and the cast maintains a comedy troupe-like energy that's admirable and endearing. There are some genuinely funny moments (especially the hilarious epilogue), but the humor is generally hit-or-miss, as epitomized by a scene that has the gall to drag out the old "I've fallen and I can't get up" punchline.

Those of you expecting any level of genuine horror in the movie will be sorely disappointed. Comedy is the dominant tone here, and the kills are virtually bloodless, so the title is probably a bit overstated. Still, its all-male "frat" spin on "sorority" slashers (Sorority Row, Black Christmas, etc.) is a refreshing twist, and the "out and proud" message is appreciated, if perfunctory.

The DVD

No special features.

Movie: C
DVD: F



Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the studio. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.