Contradiction Alert: I don’t really dig horror movies, but I’m a fan of haunted houses and especially haunted attractions. So what does that mean for Hell Fest, the new horror film set a creepy amusement park that turns into a bloodbath? I don’t know, but the new red band trailer has me wanting to pull up a seat and find out.
The biggest draw for me is the talent behind the camera because I sure don’t recognize anybody other than Candyman himself Tony Todd in front of it. Most attractive of all is co-writer Blair Butler, who video game nerds will remember from her many hosting gigs on G4’s X-Play and Attack of the Show. She co-wrote the script with Leatherface writer Seth M. Sherwood, with Gregor Plotkin of Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension behind the camera. Lots of bonafides there, I think.
Here’s the synopsis: A masked serial killer turns a horror themed amusement park into his own personal playground, terrorizing a group of friends while the rest of the patrons believe that it is all part of the show. College student Natalie is visiting her childhood best friend Brooke and her roommate Taylor. 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.
Hell Fest hits theaters on October 28th, just in time for when you return from that haunted cornfield maze on Halloween.
