I'm a metalhead; I've also always been especially fascinated by the Satanic Panic that peaked in the 80s. For these reasons, I thoroughly enjoyed watching this film. That being said, I can appreciate why someone who isn't as enthralled by both or either of these things could find this film lackluster at certain points.
Personally? I absolutely loved how this film flipped the idea of the Satanic Panic on its head: it's not the metalheads who should be feared, rather it's the hypocritical yet socially revered bible-thumpers. With the number of films I've watched based around the idea of satanic ritual sacrifice (sAtaNiSt = SaDIsT), this was refreshing. (The hysteria around satanism is hilarious given that the unbiased statistics of ritual abuse found in the Catholic and Christian church FAR outweigh any numbers regarding satanic cults--I digress. Clearly this movie caused me to geek out big time).
One of the most glaring critiques I've read of this film comes from metal elitists (who sadly craft a horrible image of metalheads for the general public): 'the chicks aren't even into metal. All they say is surface level.' These 'critics' clearly missed the entire point of the film. Two of the main female leads are SUPPOSED to be posers. The girl who remembered the exact date of her first concert? A detail like that is purposefully logistical, because her character is playing the ROLE of a metalhead. It is SUPPOSED to be obviously surface-level. The only female lead who is actually into metal is the one who saves the victims from being murdered by the posers (a detail I also thoroughly enjoyed).
All in all, I'd recommend reading up on some history of the Satanic Panic before watching this film; it's a fun watch, but it's a compelling watch once you can understand that it is a fiery cultural critique.
(I definitely geeked out at the Heavy Metal Parking Lot nod, too).
Personally? I absolutely loved how this film flipped the idea of the Satanic Panic on its head: it's not the metalheads who should be feared, rather it's the hypocritical yet socially revered bible-thumpers. With the number of films I've watched based around the idea of satanic ritual sacrifice (sAtaNiSt = SaDIsT), this was refreshing. (The hysteria around satanism is hilarious given that the unbiased statistics of ritual abuse found in the Catholic and Christian church FAR outweigh any numbers regarding satanic cults--I digress. Clearly this movie caused me to geek out big time).
One of the most glaring critiques I've read of this film comes from metal elitists (who sadly craft a horrible image of metalheads for the general public): 'the chicks aren't even into metal. All they say is surface level.' These 'critics' clearly missed the entire point of the film. Two of the main female leads are SUPPOSED to be posers. The girl who remembered the exact date of her first concert? A detail like that is purposefully logistical, because her character is playing the ROLE of a metalhead. It is SUPPOSED to be obviously surface-level. The only female lead who is actually into metal is the one who saves the victims from being murdered by the posers (a detail I also thoroughly enjoyed).
All in all, I'd recommend reading up on some history of the Satanic Panic before watching this film; it's a fun watch, but it's a compelling watch once you can understand that it is a fiery cultural critique.
(I definitely geeked out at the Heavy Metal Parking Lot nod, too).