Prom Night

Synopsis

Its prom time again and for Donna (Britney Snow, Hairspray II) it is a very special day because three years prior her entire family was murdered by a disturbed teacher who was obsessed with her. The prom is a great opportunity for Donna to be normal and enjoy this last blast with her closest friends. Unfortunately, the killer escapes from the psychiatric hospital where he has been incarcerated and is on his way to get his hands on his life’s obsession—Donna. Question is, will he?

Review

Screams, pretty girls, jocky guys, a psycho, and one very large KNIFE are the typical components for a teenage horror flick. This movie Prom Night is a remake of the 1980 Prom Night thriller. You know this is old because Jamie Lee Curtis (Original Halloween) was the star and Pac-Man was a hot new video game. I didn’t see the first one, so I can’t compare. The 2008 version is a perfect suspenseful movie and a good scare level if I was, let’s say, 14 years old. This movie will do okay definitely amongst the youth. To call it a horror film, mmmm I don’t know. I have felt the same tension and intensity from prime time television. The trailer did do a great job at enticing me. I can’t lie. Don’t laugh at me. I really wanted to see this movie because of the trailer. I can’t say I was fulfilled. The ending let me down. Especially because I just can’t believe what some of the dumb dumbs did. I won’t spoil it for you, but I will give you a little peek.

Donna Keppel (Britney Snow) is your typical cute all American girl, except for her tormented past. Three years prior a deranged teacher, Richard Fenton (Johnathon Schaech, Angels Fall) becomes obsessed with her and he doesn’t let anything get in his way of being with his lady love. So, he kills her entire family and gets locked up in a psychiatric hospital. I don’t know about you, but if Donna’s situation was mine, I would be the one in the straight jackets and padded room. All I would hear is, “time for your shock treatment.” Oh Haayleezz nah.

Anyhoo, it’s prom time and Donna is excited to be with her best friends until Richard breaks out, high-steps it to Donna’s town and busts her groove like a jilted lover. It’s on from here. Richard gets to killing and acting a fool. Meanwhile, Detective Winn (Idris Elba, This Christmas), who was part of this entire nightmarish case from the get go, is told too many days too late that Richard has check out of Nutty Pines. And for him to be a trained detective every move he practically makes is a mis-step. He was a FOOL!

Britney is a good and believable actress. I could feel how frightened she was in certain scenes. She made me feel anxious right along with her. I thought the director Nelson McCormick did an excellent job at pacing Richard’s kills. He sat, waited, and pounced when the time was right like Mufasa. And he was hungry for his girl Donna. The movie wasn’t overly gory either. The killings were heard but, not really shown. This was a nice touch because you had to use your other senses. This technique reminded me of an old black white horror film that would be on when my dad was up late at night after working a 12 hour shift. I would go into the T.V. room and catch a few scenes and would end up being real scared. 

Prom Night has your typical stock characters which we really don’t care about and luckliy always get killed first. Then the heat gets turned up on someone we may care a little bit about. Then the knob turns some more to up the temperature and blahh blahhh blahh blahh blahhhh. Bam…movies over after everyone and their uncle and aunt does STUPID things that a typical person wouldn’t dream of doing. One being, going to sleep. There you have it—Prom Night. Go on, see at your own risk if you are over 17. I did.

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