April Fool's Day

--Reviewed by Lindy Loo

Plotline: A college student named Muffy invites a group of her college friends to her parents' summer house for a weekend of debauchery and fun. In true April Fool's tradition, some of the guys begin to pull pranks on each other before they even get to the island. But Muffy outdoes them all with the menagerie of pranks she's set up in her home. Very quickly though, the pranks begin to unravel and start to go awry as the students begin disappearing, only to turn up dead.

Scariness factor: Scary in that 1980s, Flock of Seagulls kind of way. Entertainingly mild scariness, but nothing that'll get caught in your throat.

Gross-Out Factor: Very minimal--blood, dead bodies, etc.

Complaints: I really have very few. There were a lot of inconsistencies and a frequent lack of logic in this movie, but it was tolerable seeing as it was entertaining despite that fact...

High Points: This movie was way too much fun. I don't know if I just was in the mood for a goofbally 1980s horror flick or what, but I enjoyed it immensely. It is in the true spirit of 1980s horror movies--relaxed and silly and with a sense of humor. The acting is surprisingly good for a 1980s horror flick. The characters are fun and amusing. It has a dirty and irreverent sense of humor. I read the book when I was younger (don't ask me--I'm not sure if the book was based on the movie or vice versa) so I knew the ending, but it was still fun leading up to that. It made me laugh quite a bit. The scares were kinda campy and very 1980s'-ish, but I like 1980s-horror, so it was a good time. It most certainly was one of the more entertaining horror flicks I've seen in a while.



Overall: This is a good entertaining slasher-film, and I'm glad I held onto it for an extra day to watch it (despite the fact that it got me a late-fee at the library). If you're a fan of 1980s horror, this is a definite must-see. It is not nearly as creative as, say, A Nightmare on Elm Street, but it will definitely keep you entertained for 88 minutes, no doubt.

Grade: B+