Killer Book Club (2023) User Reviews

Enjoyable but too many plot holes

[gabrielbucci · 5/10 · 25 August 2023]

When I first saw this was released on Netflix, I said:"Finally a good horror/splatter movie on this joke of a platform!" Was I right? Ehhhh kind of. The movie was enjoyable for those who are into splatter movies: bloody scenes, the tension, the suspense of not knowing who the clown killer was. The main problem is that the characters didn't have a storyline, they were stereotyped adolescents whose story, past or character was never mentioned. Many errors and plot holes: the second killer, declared that Virginia was just a fictional name and that her name was Alicia. But how could that be possibly be real since she was friends with the other characters? And how is this possible since the protagonist asked Virginia's mom if she slept in her house? I'm still wondering how 2 of the characters died since they gave no explanation why or how they were killed. And what happened at the end? Was it just a vivid dream or what?

Anyhow, the actors were good but the whole plot was average, but still a bit enjoyable. Would I watch it again? Probably not.

Another Netflix dud

[Stevieboy666 · 4/10 · 28 August 2023]

After a sleazy college professor sexually assaults a female student called Angela she and seven of her horror loving friends get revenge by dressing up in clown costumes and giving the guy a fright in the night. Only the pranks goes wrong and the Prof falls to his death. His death is put down as suicide but afterwards one by one the group are murdered by The Mad Clown! Just think the "Scream" movies, parts 5 and 6 in particular, swap Ghostface for a clown and make it in Spain and this is pretty much the end result, only this is worse than any of the Scream movies (and I hated part 6!). Angela is played by Veki Velilla, a remarkably unattractive lead, some of the men in the cast are prettier than her (though I am sure the make up team were tasked with making her look so dowdy). There are plenty of kills, some are alright, others feature very obvious and cheap looking CGI. Some scenes manage a degree of tension but not a lot, and I don'r recall one good jump scare. Nothing original here (apart from being in Spanish perhaps), and the final scene is groan inducing. Will there be a sequel? Hopefully not! I only watch Netflix when I house sit, overall I am not impressed by the quality of films that they release and this is yet another disappointing example.

Scream meets I know what you did last summer

[Nadia_22 · 5/10 · 7 January 2024]

I expected a lot more from this movie , from the first few minutes I thought wow this looks a lot like "I know what you did last summer" and it continuously got more and more like "I know what you did last summer" just with phones and computers. Eventually it turned into scream movie or any other slasher from the 90's early 00's and it wouldn't be a huge problem if it wasn't too predictable , I just knew what's gonna happen and the fake blood was also very annoying.

It's a watchable movie if you really don't have much to do or don't know what to watch otherwise I'd say skip it if you're expecting something big or want to watch an unforgettable movie because you'll probably forget you watched this one after a few days or so..

Just worse Scream

[eternalplayer-11791 · 3/10 · 27 August 2023]

The premise of 'I know what you did last summer' but with every other story beat taken from 'Scream'.

Scream subverted the classic slasher movies of the 90s. This movie leans more into the literary world but doesn't capitalise on it. Doesn't help that the caracters are just generally obnoxious. They mentioned the killer clown phenomenon but didn't explore it beyond the mere mention of it, it could've leaned into the mass hysteria aspect of it more. I'm really disappointed since spanish indie movie makers tend to have a better grasp on what makes horror good.

Just watch Scream instead it hold up better.

Spaniard Gen Z Scream's

[danielcereto · 3/10 · 28 August 2023]

I am a big fan of slashers so I don't like to criticize any of them if they try to create something different, original or a good interpretation of the usual script. This movie fails on everything. It is a bad copy of movies like I know what you did last summer or Scream.

First, acting is bad. I didn't root for any of the characters. Second, the script is predictable and forgettable. To add, there are several important scenes that are not explained. Third, it is fair to say Fx's are quite good, but are not enough to save this one.

So, if you love great slashers Skip this one. Go and watch The Faculty, original Scream, or I know what you did last summer.

It doesn't deserve your time!

[romatomash · 2/10 · 25 August 2023]

The movie tries to pretend to be a "Spanish version" of Scream but it does not work.

The characters are so corny and not interesting, that you are just waiting when every one of them is killed.

There is no atmosphere there that could hold your attention, despite all the flaws in the movie.

The script tries to copy the original Scream step by step.

Acting is so terrible, that you think that every one of these Spanish actors is an amateur who was accidentally invited to the set.

And the ending is,,,one of the worst endings in slashers. So, instead of this, it's better to rewatch the whole Scream trilogy.

Combination of Scream & I know what you did last summer

[sleemice · 1/10 · 27 August 2023]

Except that they are in a book club absolutely none of the material in this movie is original. If you've watched the original Scream and I know what you did last summer movis then you know exactly what's going to happen in the entire movie. You'll know who dies and even who the villain is at the end . I think movie makers whould now be forced to write the movies they copied as part of the credits/ info. Isn't that what happens in the music industry? If you copy an artist's lyrics/ music you should either get permission from them but also acknowledge it in your credits. Shame on the writer for trying to pass this off as their own original material and shame on netflix for giving us bad movies like this and yet cancelling original content like ''I'm not ok with this''.

I still know what you SCREAM last summer

[movilsergio · 1/10 · 26 August 2023]

It tries to start as a "who done it" with your club of stereotypical characters.

All done in a very clumsy way.

With plans copied from the SCREAM saga.

SPOILERS NEXT Even the killer without the mask has shots and footage in which he is Billy Loomis, the hairstyle and bangs, the body posture, he copies it in everything.

Of course the murderer is "the boyfriend" of the protagonist.

Also copying SCREAM 2 and "I know what you did last summer", the other killer (yes of course they have to be two killers as in the SCREAM saga (wink wink)) is someone from the protagonist's past.

Handsome children but with zero acting skills.

And a bad direction too.

Nothing too original, but still fun

[OakieRF · 6/10 · 11 September 2023]

Kind of a Spanish-made cross between I Know What You Did Last Summer and Scream, but still fun. Yes, predictable at times, but the actors were decent, the gore was good, and it was a fun little diversion. It's ultimately a slasher film, so you're not there for massive originality as much as getting what you expect, and the movie delivers that. Only knock is that the lead girl Angela is supposed to be a sympathetic character but she does two things that make that harder for the viewer to invest in -- she steals the story that got her published and she cheats on her boyfriend. Some will find her likeable enough overall, others won't. Still, after watching some truly horrible attempts at horror on Netflix and Tubi, this one is worth a look.

Lazy af

[aliahmedashraf · 1/10 · 27 August 2023]

This movie is pretty much Scream + I Know What You Did Last Summer. It's lazy and predictable writing with no character development and a dragged out climax coupled with a hugely unnecessary ending.

• After the professor's death, why would the police not get involved? Okay so it's just ONE death and presumed suicide? Why don't they get involved after the SECOND death/disappearance? Surely all the children have families and so even if our book club members don't call the police, what about the univesity in general? Surely when you hav emultiple killings, you'd have police in the campus

• What about CCTV? We're lead to believe that people have iPhones and WhatsApp and an "influencer" but no CCTV footage anywhere?

• When you're dubbed an "influencer", surely you can leverage that to trace the killers with the help of your followers

• These kids never have homework? Or lectures to attend? Or assignments to complete? Are they living on campus during some kind of break?

• Why is it that whenever the killer appears. There is liiterally NO OTHER STUDENT OR TEACHER EVER anywhere? It's a freaking university, bro.

• When the book club members start dying, once again, the police aren't involved to interview potential suspects to establish timelines? What about when the guy is murdered outside the bar? Do they not have cameras there?

• The Emo being knocked out and not being killed just ruined the entire movie. KILL. KILL. KILL. SPARE. Wtf?

• "The clown is...." All you had to say was "It's..."

• Angela literally watches Virginia/Alicia burn to death in front of her eyes. Her survival would have been apparent. The final scene is a year later, in the space of 365 days, you had no idea that Virginia/Alicia survived?

• What was up with the ending scene? They get out of class and all of a sudden, all the other students disappear in a puff of smoke as the camera pans? Wtf. Lazy af man.

Fun, Nostalgic Slasher in a New Setting

[friiida15 · 25 August 2023]

"Killer Book Club" effortlessly transports viewers back to the golden era of '90s horror and slasher films, channeling the essence of timeless classics like Scream. If you're in the mood for a light-hearted, enjoyable watch, this film hits the mark.

Set within a bustling Spanish university, the narrative centers around a group of horror enthusiasts and literature majors. Álvaro Mel's performance is a testament to his impressive range, infusing depth into the storyline.

The film's visual elements are undeniably one of its strongest assets. The enthralling dark aesthetic immerses you completely, heightening the overall atmosphere.

With its nostalgic allure and the unique backdrop of a Spanish campus, "Killer Book Club" stands out within its genre. However, there's room for improvement in character development, which would have allowed the audience to form deeper connections.

In a nutshell, "Killer Book Club" masterfully captures the very essence of '90s horror, offering a delightful journey back in time. The Spanish setting and commendable visuals add to its appeal, although a tad more character exploration could have taken the viewing experience up a notch. Nevertheless, it delivers precisely what fans of the genre crave.

Scream wannabe

[funnycommentor · 8/10 · 23 September 2023]

First of all, when I first watched the official trailer of the movie I really liked it and I was so hyped about that movie, because it was EXACTLY JUST LIKE Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer. The plot of the movie was very interesting and similar to I Know What You Did Last Summer, however it wasn't really innovative. The storyline was kinda well-written and well-explained, even though it was very simple. The characters were very interesting, well-developed and kinda likeable. The casting was nice and their acting was descent. I have to admit, it wasn't a very scary movie and there weren't any jumpscares. The killcount of the movie was very bloody, brutal and each death scene was really good. Also, it was a very intense movie, action-filled and full of epic chase scenes. The opening scene was definitely unpredictable, very promising and I really enjoyed it. The ending scene was kinda predictable, however the ending twist wasn't very well-explained. Overall, "Killer Book Club" was an enjoyable slasher horror movie, full of epic death scenes, intense moments and I would definitely recommend it to my friends. Last but not least, I'm definitely looking forward for a sequel!

OK flick about some Not-So-Creepy Killer Klowns

[Vince_D · 6/10 · 25 August 2023]

College kids who are also aspiring writers get picked off one-by-one by some Killer Klowns in this Netflix original.

Had some good ideas, some cool kills, and at times even conjured some Wes Craven vibes, but a lot of it was predictable. The problem is when you've watched a lot of movies you can start to tell where the beats fall, and for this particular film, some of the foreshadowing was a little too on-the-nose and it kind of gave away the plot.

Also, I don't particularly find clowns scary and if one was running toward me, I'd just hold out my fist and let him run into it.

Regardless, it's an entertaining movie if you like Slasher flicks and creepy clowns.

I give it a 6 out of 10.

Big joke

[yarentekgul · 2/10 · 28 August 2023]

This movie is literally a combo of scream and I know what you did last summer. I knew that there where 2 killers, a boy and girl because it was the same in scream. It was soooo obvious that sebas was the killer because they used literally the same scenes. The bad boy who tries to make look the other guy guilty but at the end it's just the opposite. So really guys you can do better than just mixing 2 movies and copying scenes.

I mean it looked different in the beginning but when the action started you just start realising that this movie is just a mixup with the same scenes so you basically don't get scary. Well to be honest it was a big waste of time.

Killer Book Club: It's Scream, no seriously it's just Scream

[Platypuschow · 2/10 · 10 September 2023]

Plot

After being complicit in a costume joke that ends in a fatal accident and a pact of silence, a group of young people will be threatened by an anonymous writer who wants to reveal his dark secret. Their stalker threatens to post a bloody horror novel based on them on social media. Each chapter one of them will die. While distrusting each other, the group will begin a fight for survival in the middle of the university campus. Any one of them could be the next victim, or the killer.

Cast

Unfamiliar with the creator or the cast, but the young bunch are a very mixed bag of what I hope are inexperienced actors as some are positively dreadful. Leading lady Veki Velilla was the stand out performance but still nothing notable.

Verdict

I grew up in the 80's and being a horror fanatic you can probably imagine how many slashers I watched! It was the generation for them after all. It was a genre which in truth pretty much died until Scream came out and made it hip again with modern trendy music, style and an attractive young cast. Thing is, though I thought the first couple were watchable enough they were rather uninspired and certainly aimed at people who hadn't seen all those that came before them. Scream 3 and beyond, pretty offensively colour by numbers.

Killer Book Club doesn't draw influence from Scream, it full on plagiarizes it except delivers dreadful kill sequences. From the cast, to the setting to the attempted style, to the killer motivations and to the big twist which pretty much every single Scream movie has as well

If you've seen a Scream film you've already seen this and I cannot stress how little I'm exaggerating! Replace the clown with ghostface and it would be indistinguishable!

The writers should be sued and quite frankly embarrassed at how little they made an effort here.

Rants

You know a common problem with slashers is the kills, there's only so many inventive ways you can have someone stabbed or bludgeoned but some movies step outside the box and offer us something great. Then there's movies that do generic uninspired copy and paste kills and that's what we have here while sprinkled with an even worse offender...........the cutaway kills type! Bad kills and off camera kills? For shame!

Breakdown.

Neat killer appearance Unoriginal to offensive levels Piss poor cast Dreadful kills.

Doesn't even deserve being called "horror"

[lefi0 · 1/10 · 26 August 2023]

1h30m of lifetime wasted. This movie is full of cliches, uninteresting characters and boring scenes. Chase scenes are boring as well because the character's behavior could also be from a parody. Even the plot twists are boring. At no point I thought that this movie is scary at all.

This one is a typical example of movies you start watching, you wait for the action or interesting parts to happen and after 1 hour you realize that it is really that bad and you only watch the last 30m because it doesn't matter now.

Can't recommend at all. Probably only in top movies at Netflix because people also thought that it must be a good one then.

Just bland

[tobiasbesecke · 3/10 · 26 August 2023]

The Horror aspect is okay. With a big drop of in the end. And the look of the movie is most of the time not to bad.

The setting seams promising and gives you the vibe of classics like scream. But the movie fails du deliver on that promise, and ends to be a really bland and uncreative movie. Its just a compilation of old and bad cliche, executed even worse.

With characters that stupid you can't stand this movie and you want to turn it off.

After watching the movie I have to say, one of the worst movies I have seen in a long time. Wasted potential, because you get the feeling, there would have been a fun story to be told in this giant mess. Nothing original or new, but atleast something fun. But especially about the end of this movie I can't say that.

I'd say, rather watch any of the Scream movies again, than to watch this.

Generic slasher film

[gabriel_sanchez · 5/10 · 28 August 2023]

Stereotypical friends, all members of a horror book club, are sworn to protect an unfortunate secret; a deadly secret. A secret that causes their pursuit by a murderer thirsting for revenge.

"El club de los lecotres criminares (Killer Book Club, KBC)" is a slasher film with a nebulous theme. The film mentions fear of clowns, coulrophobia, but none of the stereotypical friends have such a fear; the film also permeates the idea of "stolen" stories, but neither themes feel strong enough in the film. In the end, KBC just tells a generic horror story with a serial killer who has superficial motives.

Okay teen scream

[johnspringer-95440 · 5/10 · 2 September 2023]

Spanish-language riff on Scream and other '90s meta horror takes most of its best ideas from other movies. It keeps things from getting entirely stale by tweaking the formulas a bit, although there's very little original or unexpected. Attempted jump-scares are banal and predictable. The biggest horror here is the protagonist's haircut, which is clearly the work of a disturbed sadist with an irrational vendetta. The person playing the protagonist seems like a lovely person and a fine actress, but good grief: whoever cut her hair is a deranged butcher with an intrinsic hatred of all that is decent and holy.

I know vs Scream

[gorytus-20672 · 7/10 · 16 November 2023]

Nov 2023

I have recently watched this Spanish slasher film called Killer Book Club, and the verdict is, i liked it. I assume it was dubbed but it sounded okay.

Yes it clearly borrows very heavily from both "I know what you did last summer" and "Scream", but as i am very keen on both of those film series, it makes it a definite watch for me.

I liked the killers costume and there were some very good thrilling scenes, particularly the scene in the modern looking building that looked like a giant greenhouse or something.

So if you enjoy your slashers, its worth checking out, its decent.

7 out of 10.

Good effort

[bjornrhein · 4/10 · 27 August 2023]

They have put in money and muscels in this spanish slasher, but left out ideas and charm , its actually boring to watch , and most of all, the "clown" look corky , and not because they want it , they want a creepy clown , but it didnt work out that well

If I describe this movie with one word, its annoying,,, the movie is annoying,, the acters are annoying and even the killer is annoying, you just want them all dead cause they are so annoying , the final girl are the worst and cause she will be to the end, I reached for the remote controll

Acting is more horrible than the movie, but sure , they have really tried to do a good slasher , but its just not that good and most of all I think its hard to invent the wheel twice, this movie have been 100 of times before allready, we have seen this to often.

Why is everyone so uptight about slasher films?

[lizbrush · 8/10 · 23 February 2024]

I thought that this film was really entertaining and engaging, funny and yes, there were plot holes but what is it that some viewers are expecting when they watch a modern horror film...for it to be the best written film ever? No, that's why we all love our slasher flicks isn't it? Because they aren't supposed to be hugely intelligent viewing, they are supposed to scare us and make us jump and make us laugh. Several reviews have said "derivative of scream and I know what you did last summer"...trust me, this film is nothing like either film except that people get murdered and there is a twist in the storyline. Personally, I enjoyed the storyline and the twist, and I thought the cast were very good. I'm not a native Spanish speaker but even on subs there were funny bits that made me laugh as well as parts that made me jump. I think it's a film worth watching. However, I hated to read reviews that compared it to Wes Craven's Scream because that film is, in my opinion, the best modern horror film made so far, and to I Know What You Did Last Summer, because that was a kinda scary and funny but totally different type of slasher film... this one is nothing really like either and just a pretty good watch in its own right.

Promedio, simplemente promedio

[lucyolivera · 6/10 · 15 October 2023]

El club de los lectores criminales es una película de terror española que fue estrenada por Netflix la cual trataba de ser una especie de homenaje a IT y Scream, puesto a que estos filmes fueron la inspiración para su producción. La vi por el hecho de que octubre es el mes del Halloween y por eso aproveché.

La historia comienza con Ángela que trata de escribir su próxima novela pero sufre con el bloqueo creativo, por eso le pide ayuda a su profesor Cruzado. Al principio le trata de mandar un mail, pero luego se resigna. La cosa es que al día siguiente él la llama a su sala, pero entre medio de la conversación, la abusa sexualmente y esta decide seguir sola con su escritura. Ella también es parte de un club de lectura, y eso que le dijo que no contara nada a nadie. Al final lo dice a los otros miembros del club y armaron un plan en el que le harían una broma disfrazados de payasos (puesto a que leyeron un libro que trata de eso). Durante la noche hicieron su cometido, sin embargo llegó al punto en el que Cruzado muere después de caer en algo puntiagudo (que para colmo es la espada de una estatua del Quijote, siendo una forma de decir de dónde viene esta película en nuestras caras). En consecuencia, un usuario anónimo está escribiendo una novela web que amenaza con matar a todos los miembros del club en cada capítulo. Así se embarcan en la investigación sobre quién es esta persona y si de verdad se quiere vengar de ellos. Primero matan a Virginia en una parada de colectivo, y la cosa es que nunca se encuentra el cuerpo y en vez se ve un Continuará... en algún lado (así pasa con las muertes de otros 3 miembros). De a poco se ven las muertes de otros miembros y sospechan que Nando es el responsable de hacer las matanzas, cosa que se desmiente después. Aunque algo queda claro, el usuario seguía a una tal Alicia la cual Ángela la puso como protagonista en su novela La niña del Carrión y solían ser amigas hace unos años. La investigación comienza a concluir cuando el usuario transmite una visita en vivo a una feria de libros de terror, siendo que lo presencian finalmente. Luego de un rato largo, la protagonista del film llega a la universidad porque el payaso la llama. Esta parte es un poco confusa, primero se revela que Virginia ('miembra' del club) era en realidad Alicia que se termina vengando porque la novela La niña del Carrión la ofendió por la forma en la que la retrataban y que Vir era en realidad un personaje ficticio. Después se pone peor, puesto a que otro de esos lectores, Sebas, reveló ser el verdadero asesino y que su colega solía ser su novia virtual. Por eso mataron a todos y hasta planificaron el abuso por parte del profe. Lo bueno es que al final el antagonista muere igual que su profe y la cómplice también obtuvo se merecido.

La película tiene : buena actuación, hermosos efectos especiales y música aceptable. Pero contiene dos problemas : personajes y trama. Empezando con los personajes pues decidieron usar elementos genéricos de personalidad (siendo los villanos los peores), aunque al menos Eva (miembra de los lectores), Ángela y Cruzando más o menos se salvan porque al menos intentaron destacar (y la primera me cayó bastante bien). Por último tenemos lo peor : su horrible y estereotípica trama. ¿Cómo puedo empezar? Es la típica historia en la que un payaso asesino se venga de personas que hicieron un grave cometido (en este caso, un asesinato) y los persigue con mensajes amenazadores para debilitarlos (los capítulos de la novela web). Además el momento dónde se descubren a los antagonistas me dejó un sentimiento de decepción por la falta de suspenso que tuvieron sus escenas. Se nota que la misma no es muy original, excepto por el hecho de que un club de lectura forma un rol fundamental en la misma, pero a final de cuentas termina siendo una película más del montón.

A total Waste of time (even if you speak spanish)

[ingcesarduque-41331 · 1/10 · 29 August 2023]

If you're in the mood for a cinematic catastrophe that could make even the most devoted horror enthusiast cringe, "Killer Book Club" might just be the worst option out there. This film attempts to ride the coattails of '80s and 90's slasher classics, but it ends up being a catastrophic collision of bad timing, laughable deaths, abysmal acting, and detestable characters that you can't help but loathe.

From the moment the opening credits roll, it becomes painfully clear that "Killer Book Club" is an uninspired, shameless copycat of the slashers that once captured our imaginations. But where those classics had a sense of nostalgia and genuine intrigue, "Killer Book Club" falls flat on its face, stumbling through scenes with all the grace of a three-legged horse.

The characters in this cinematic disaster are, to put it mildly, insufferable. It's almost impressive how the filmmakers managed to create a cast that you actively root against. Their motivations are murky at best, and their actions often leave you scratching your head in disbelief. Even the supposed "final girl" is so poorly developed that you'll find yourself longing for a chainsaw-wielding maniac to put her - and the audience - out of their misery.

The timing in "Killer Book Club" is so bafflingly off that you'll start to wonder if the editor fell asleep at the controls. Deaths are intended to be the movie's high points, but they're so comically fake that they would be laughable if they weren't so cringe-worthy. Each attempt at a scare falls so flat that you'll begin to question if the filmmakers have ever actually watched a horror movie.

And let's address the language factor - for those thinking that watching "Killer Book Club" in its original Spanish will salvage the experience, I regret to inform you that it won't. The movie manages to suck equally in any language, its flaws transcending linguistic boundaries.

A noteworthy mention goes to the "Clown," the killer in the film. Yes, you read that right - the "Killer" is dressed as a clown. But this clown's appearance is reminiscent of someone taking Pennywise's costume and dunking it in a vat of black dye. The mask worn by this so-called killer is a mockery in itself, resembling something closer to a meme you might have come across featuring Bill Hader.

If you're looking for a Spanish horror film that strikes the perfect balance between humor and scares, allow me to steer you far away from "Killer Book Club." Instead, check out "El día de la bestia" or "The Day of the Beast" directed by Alex de la Iglesia. This gem of a film manages to be funny, scary, and ridiculously successful in all of them. And the best part? It's available for free on Tubi, a streaming platform that won't disappoint. Save yourself the agony of "Killer Book Club" and opt for a movie that's actually worth your time.

In conclusion, "Killer Book Club" is a train wreck of epic proportions. From its poorly timed scares to its laughable deaths and atrocious characters, there's little to redeem this cinematic disaster. Do yourself a favor and choose quality over catastrophe.

About This movie

[azamansari-69403 · 1/10 · 24 September 2023]

The movie is worst because of the characters they are there's not any thrill in watching this movie because from the beginning you know he is the killer or you get an idea even though the leading girl character is Dumb as hell she didn't even think for a second before cheating on his boyfriend or being intimate with someone else this movie is a garbage and I don't want to give it a 1 start rating if possible this is the worst movie I have ever seen. If you are a person who likes horror movies then please don't go for this one because there's is nothing scary in this movie even though the clown isn't much horror they can make the clown look much scary then they did. Not recommended ❌❌❌❌