Slasher House (2012) User Reviews

Red and green should never be seen, and neither should Slasher House unless you enjoy Z-grade horror.

[BA_Harrison · 3/10 · 18 March 2015]

A naked chick, Red (Eleanor James), wakes up in a locked cell with no recollection of how she got there or who she is. When her cell door is electronically unlocked, she finds post-it notes instructing her what to do. She is not at all perturbed by the fact that everything is green with just an occasional splash of red. She puts on a dress, finds a weapon inside a fridge, and wanders around a bit until she discovers someone else locked in a cell: a young man called Nathan (Adam Dillon). Everything is still green and red.

While Red is trying to free Nathan, a homicidal clown called Cleaver (Andrew M. Greenwood) makes an appearance and the pair are forced to defend themselves. Cleaver is just the first of several psychos to be released over a period of time. Why are they there, who is controlling the 'game', and who will make it out alive? These questions and more will be answered by the end of the film, although why everything is green and red remains a mystery.

With such a generic title, I wasn't expecting much from Slasher House other than a whole lot of gore; sadly, it didn't even deliver much of that. What we do get is a badly written, poorly acted mess that only displays a modicum of innovation in it's closing moments, when it builds a mythos around the central character that proves rather intriguing. The remainder of the film is dull and derivative, the film's opening being little bit Cube and a little bit Saw, but with none of either film's scares or tension, while the stark colour scheme is straight out of an Argento film, but rather than being used sparingly and with consideration, the effect is clumsily splashed over virtually every scene and soon becomes extremely irritating (while ruining what gore there is).

And call me pedantic, but I also have a problem with the scene where one of the killers is pushed into an electric chair and fried with the throw of a switch: in a real electrocution, the whole chair isn't carrying the current-the process requires the application of moist electrodes to the head (via a metal skullcap) and the leg.

Uhhhh... What did they just say?

[eirwen-42548 · 4/10 · 29 November 2020]

This isn't the worst low budget horror movie I've ever seen.

While not the most original movie idea, the plot idea wasn't terrible. Though I will say I saw "The Hollower" before this movie, not aware it was part of a franchise, and that having seen that "prequel" made some of the storyline more coherent.

Even the strange lighting and comic book style villains wasn't what makes this film a 4 on my movie scale.

No, what kills this film is the horrible audio quality, especially during the dialogue. This film may have had the worst audio of any low budget horror film I've seen, and I've watched a LOT of low budget horror.

This film ended up as a 4 from me because I don't have a ranking for epic production failure ruining a movie... it might have gotten a 6 or 7 had I been able to hear the audio.

Note: Stars are given based on my personal enjoyment of the film and plot.

My Normal criteria for giving 4 stars.

4 - Disappointing. Started out alright but the plot failed or became incoherent somewhere along the way. Production could be anywhere from terrible to decent.

Use me

[nogodnomasters · 4/10 · 29 April 2018]

Red (Eleanor James) awakens naked in a prison cell with a three note piano playing as a soundtrack and the film quickly goes down hill from there. She discovers other prisoners behind locked cell doors with timed lock releases. She teams up with dweeb Nathan as they try to avoid and battle the other serial killer inmates.

This is a film for those who can't get enough of these "Where am I and why am I here" mystery film. This wasn't the worst of the lot with a clown, anime girl, and slashers, but the dialogue needed zip and the quick background scenes were amateur.

Guide: F-bomb, nudity, plenty of blood.

Micro budget British horror doesn't add up to much

[Leofwine_draca · 3/10 · 10 March 2017]

SLASHER HOUSE is a micro budget British horror film with a surrealistic edge. It was made by MJ Dixon, a force to be reckoned with in regards to British independent horror cinema, and it stars the distinctive Eleanor James who wakes up naked in a prison house and soon discovers she's in the middle of a never-ending nightmare.

You see, this building just so happens to be home to a number of serial killers, all of whom quickly set their sights on here. What plays out is regularly gruesome but altogether low budget, with a lack of realism in the action bits which hurts it quite a bit. A lot of pressure is heaped on to James' shoulders but she acquits herself well with her role here. It's a very arty film and the green look of the building makes it quite distinctive on a visual level, although it doesn't really add up to all that much.

Watchable movie, nothing outstanding about it..

[DBLurker · 5/10 · 18 June 2013]

After watching this movie I was going to give it 3/10 but I read around the net and learned that the movie was made with a budget of like 5000 (ukrains?) bucks. Interesting.

So, keeping that in mind I should mention few things..

==== Pros ====

• Despite the low budget, I must say that they did a impressive job with the whole look of the characters and the set. I suspect that the green tint also helps in hiding a lot of "cheapness" by giving it a stylish look.

• Acting is.. average. The protagonist is certainly beautiful and can act (but not very good at it..) and she does emotions quite well. The criminals she was trapped with, they did the job well (except for one guy who starts operating.. he was just comically bad).

• Good intros for the criminals as they are released from their cells, one of them (the most dangerous of them all) was definitely well done.

• Good music. Not great but was good enough, though too loud during dialogs for some reason.

==== Cons ====

• Acting overall was just bad. But I guess for the budget it was pretty good. Honestly, it didn't bother me that much.

• The "cuts" introducing the characters are good but oddly placed.

• Storyline, especially after the twist, turned stupid really fast.

• I still find it hard to take the protagonist seriously. Most of her kills seem accidental or so "girly" that the enemies just shake it off and keep moving.. until the script tells them to die.

I am guessing that her inspiration came from Uma's Bride from Kill Bill, but yeah, not very convincing.

=============

In the end. I didn't hate the movie, but didn't really like it as well. It is a good movie if you have nothing else to watch. It's watchable and entertaining here and there. Also, 5000 budget is impressive. Movie was shot well for that budget (and like I said, set pieces and characters are well done).

Decent low budget movie.

[anthonychess · 4/10 · 17 May 2024]

Slasher house was a fairly decent British low budget horror movie. It's an indie horror movie and I'm guessing the director MJ Dixon is somehow linked to the alternative scene as a lot of the characters had an alternative/ metalhead look to them. I'd never seen Eleanor James before, who played the main character, but on further research she seems to have parts in other horror movies too. Some of the characters were quite cool, including Cleaver, Thorn and the Demon. Slasher House isn't the worst low budget horror movie I've ever seen, but it wasn't the best either. The storyline was quite good but could have been made into a better movie with a bigger budget. The acting wasn't great and the accents didn't really go with the characters. There's some nudity, some decent gore and some cool back stories on the characters. I don't want to give too much away but it's worth a watch. I'll give this one 4/10 and I'll be looking out for more MJ Dixon movies in the future. I would have given lower but for the budget I think they've done a good job.

Fast paced gorefest but always fun

[dionnewray-98669 · 8/10 · 24 March 2019]

I caught this film at an indie foreign horror fest in Baton Rouge. It sounded to be honest like something that I may not enjoy but in the end I was pleasantly surprised. The two leads are strong and the fast pace really kept me on the edge of my seat.

a house full of serial killers

[trashgang · 6/10 · 8 January 2014]

I watched this flick only for one reason, Eleanor James. Seen her in a few flicks somehow I liked her performances. And here in Slasher House she's doing the best she can give. But acting doesn't make a movie, the script has to be good too and I must say that this was a strange flick. Can't say it's really a horror although it do has 4 killers but nothing is really explained.

I can understand that a lot of geeks will turn this off because the way it was shot do gave it a cartoonish look. The red and green (Argento anyone) are the main colors here. It's only at the end that it has it natural colors. And even I had my doubts to turn it off sometimes but I didn't because it's so weird. Just watch the opening sequence were Eleanor is butt naked and still nothing is revealed. Her naughty bits are always covered by something, a balloon for example. She do walks around naked for 5 or more minutes. From then on the movie starts going but the first 20 minutes are the most boring ones with a lot of talking. But after a while the first killers do enter. And they are not normal looking guys, it's here that the cartoon characters do come in. Just look at the end, the Russia part.

The problem that I had with this flick was with the sound, the conversations weren't always good to hear. But the score used did remind you of the old slashers.

Strange flick, weird story.

Gore 1/5 Nudity 0,5/5 Effects 2/5 Story 2,5/5 Comedy 0/5

Huge Scope on a Low Budget

[whittakerben · 8/10 · 3 March 2017]

I'm not really a fan of slasher films to begin with but when it comes to independent horror filmmakers you can always see the true passion come through even on a low budget. Slasher House is no different and it's clear the director knows his slasher films and what fans of the genre want to see. I'm really surprised how much I liked this film as I was not expecting it to be as good as it is. What starts as a mystery of a girl waking up on what looks like an abandoned prison turns into an expansive mythology of horror with different types of horror movie killers all hunting the lead actress. There are knife wielding slashers, creepy clowns and crazy psychopaths all out to get here and a few good twists along the way. The action is well staged and although it looks like it was filmed on a DSLR the creative choice of lighting and editing elevates the film above its low budget roots. Im sure you can pick this film up pretty cheap now so if you see it I would really recommend buying it. The director has also made a few spin off films and it seems like all the characters have their own connected universe so it will be interesting to see where things go.

My Review Of "Slasher House" 2012

[ASouthernHorrorFan · 7/10 · 30 January 2013]

"Slasher House" is an Independent film from Mycho Entertainment. Directed by MJ Dixon and produced on a budget of only 5,000 dollars the film is a very creative and stylized film that focuses on strong psychotic personalities that collide. A young woman awakens in a dilapidated institutional facility with a bizarre cast of characters and limited understanding of the tense orchestrated construct of her ordeal. The cast for this film that has been in the works since 2010 and final completion arriving in 2012 are Eleanor James, Adam Williams, Andrew M Greenwood, Wellington Grosvenor, Alex Grimshaw and featuring the voice of Blaze Bayley. I was given the opportunity to screen this film which quite frankly is a project that I have been keeping tabs on over the past couple of years mostly because of the vibrant promo artwork and curious story line.

In this film which begins in an almost abstract art-house meets cinema verite style the first thing that drew me in was the use of a singular color shown in almost Argento celebratory fashion against a monochromatic harshness of fluorescent lighting. The visual approach of this creates a cold desolate atmosphere that seems to dance with near graphic novel vibrancy. It held my attention with it's shear uniqueness in artist prominence even as the slow emotionless beginning of the film gave me concern. That is not really a complaint against the film because I have learned when watching films that have a definite almost avant- garde technique that there is a process unfolding. A steady and strong build to some fevered pitch that will climax proudly before a brisk and dead stop. It is something that is both beautiful and beloved in genre film making that mirrors playhouse and expressionist artistry around the world. Almost symphonic, okay before I sound like a psychotic let me get to the point of that long descriptive. "Slasher House" at times holds this ability beautifully and at other times tends to loose control during the crescendo to the climactic end. The parts that caused my mind to loosen the grip the film had where mostly during the steady dramatic interaction of the characters at the beginning of the film which seemed a bit cold but however harsh that may sound the part that works about this film is the fine dance between graphic action and character backstory sequences that are revealed in near grindhouse tribulation. If my comments seemed confusing I do apologize but I try to stay open and spoiler free in talking about movies and always approach my opinion based on the artist's intend and direction and not on some preconceived notion that a set standard of expectations govern what makes a film work based on genre.

Here is the cut and dry truth of "Slasher House" and it's blended genre styles. It has moments that make you want to turn off and if your looking for some major gore rich action packed spectacle then the film will disappoint you. If however you are a patient fan of Indie horror then you will be pleasantly surprised by cast of characters thrown into this creative story and the true character study perspective that calls your attention in anticipation of the final moments of the character interactions. Yes it is artistic and very experimental in vision playing with elements of gore, exploitation and grindhouse against atmospheric industrial art-house moments which when it works it works well and when it doesn't, you feel it. There is blood and gore and action and all those things at play in the film when required which satisfies the core of the story which is horror. The ending left me with a bit more questioning as to the continuity of story's major objective but I enjoyed the strange and steady storytelling that unfolds in "Slasher House" and I appreciated that the main focus was not specifically set on the blood gore or torture of lives here. The film won't be for everyone where horror fans are concerned but as a Indie film fan that likes the elements of avant-garde I enjoyed this movie.

Wow,Quite a collection of evil peoples in one spot !

[guestar57 · 8/10 · 26 June 2014]

This is a pretty wild ride of a scare flick.

For one thing,Why isn't Eleanor James in more or bigger flicks…Look up the titles : Backslasher,Bordello Death Tales,Was that her in CAM GIRL? ! Four serial killers and a babe: Well-We have CLEAVER the clown,CORBEN(Richard?),NATHAN(goblin) and THORN-The doom bringer ? CLEAVER,Like the others has a back story and it reeks in crimson and CORBEN reminds me of THE LACKEY,But bloodier and NATHAN has a GOBLIN/TROLL 2 alter ego that is amazing to watch take him over for the kills and THORN ….we found out is a franchise character who has a prequel in his future or something similar.

The set is wonderful and obviously was Used at one time,make-up and effects RAWKED and the sound bothered me—Kept adjusting and then a kill will scare us and sound went down,Back and forth with the remote.

Enjoyable Brit-Flick

[IsaacLawrenceFilms · 7/10 · 27 March 2021]

I had fun with 'Slasher House'. By no means a perfect film, it's an enjoyable British mashup of various slasher tropes and homages. The budget is clearly low, but you can tell the director's passionate and is determined to make the best with what he has. The film looks really good for what it is. The green and red lighting and colour pallette seen in other slasher flicks like 'Saw' and 'The Collector' adds a really visceral feel to the dilapidated blood-soaked walls. They succeeded in building an unsettling atmosphere with their cinematography and setting. I love the look of our leading lady too. Her bright red hair, lipstick and dress really help to distinguish her from other female slasher protagonists and give her a memorable look.

The gore and make-up effects prove well-done and there's enough camera trickery and skill to hide any low budget flaws without resorting to shaky-cam.

The overall idea of the film is very fun: a amnesiac girl trapped in a place full of violent serial killers. Right there, is how you build immediate tension and all our killers did a fantastic job of bringing a real sense of peril to the situation.

The film falls a little short for me around the third act, becoming too focused on flashback sequences used for exposition. They lasted too long and somewhat hurt the pace of the film. I feel like the better option would have been to use the flashback sequences sparingly over the course of the entire film rather than squeezing them all in towards the end.

There's also some romance that feels rather out-of-place. You could argue it becomes necessary in the third act, but I don't think it was - the same thing could have happened without romance needing to be involved.

Overall, if you're a slasher fan or like shoe-string budget films, I'd recommend you check this one out. Again, it's not perfect, but it is a fun nod to the genre and I think you'll appreciate it - just keep in mind that it is very low budget and the cameras used and special effects are not million-dollar-movie style. However, if you're not a slasher fan, this one will probably not be for you - it's clearly made by fans, for fans.