Reeker Review

Movie: Reeker Year: 2005 Studio: Primal Pictures Director: Dave Payne Language: English Length: 87 Minutes Sub-Genre: Thriller, Supernatural

Plot: A group of strangers finds common ground in a remote desert town when they realize they’re being hunted by a foul-smelling enemy. But can they stay alive long enough to neutralize the rotting killer who’s mucking up the air around them? Devon Gummersall ("My So-Called Life"), Eric Mabius ("Ugly Betty") and veteran character actor Michael Ironside (Top Gun, Total Recall) co-star in this tongue-in-cheek horror romp from writer-director Dave Payne.

Review: You immediately get jutted into Reeker from the get-go. A family traveling cross-country hits a deer, and when they stop to get out, their friendly pet gets demolished, and the husband loses half of his face. The brutal parts happened off-screen but it left you wondering what in the world was happening.

After the opening, you must be patient as no more on-screen turmoil happens for another 35 minutes. You meet 5 friends who are traveling on the same road going to Area 52 for a rave. On their way there the ground shakes and all other cars and people vanish. They get held up in a sleazy motel when this supernatural being starts hunting them down.

Blood is minimal but their was one extremely terrifying scene when one of the teenage girls gets locked in an outhouse when the Reeker comes to take her life. The other kills were pretty bland with the score pumping up the decibels, but failing at all jump scares.

When you find out what the madness is behind the story, it actually was a decent payoff. I was engaged in this film, but it just didn’t have enough bite to garner a better than an average rating. Don’t seek it out, but if you’re walking down a Blockbuster or a local rental shop aisle, pick it up for a night, it’s worth a one-time viewing.

Final note; there is a sequel to this titled “No Man’s Land: The Rise Of Reeker” that was released in 2008 on both DVD and BluRay. Suffice it to say, Reeker, didn’t affect me enough to even search out part 2. It’s a forgettable movie but one that possibly the supernatural crowd could be into, just don’t expect anything too scary.

Reviewer: BillChete Date: 12/24/2011 Rating: 5/10 Recommendation: Rental

Trailer: Watch DVD: Best Buy BluRay: N/A Social Media: Wikipedia