The Place For The Latest Movie Reviews
Cast: Kane Hodder, R.A. Mihailoff, Bill Moseley, Don Shanks, Shanna Forrestall, Malcolm Danare, Amy Brassette, Dane Rhodes, Brea Grant
Five horror icons ditch an unprofitable autograph signing convention to earn some extra cash haunting an RV park, but find themselves being haunted instead.
"Smothered" tells the story of five horror icons who decide to leave a convention because there is no one coming to their tables. Instead they agree to a thousand dollars each to haunt a RV park for a woman named Agnes and her Daughter DD. It seems like an easy way to make some money until some "accidents" begin and one by one the group finds themselves down an icon.
I was looking forward to checking this one out, after all, who wouldn't love a horror/comedy with Kane Hodder, Bill Moseley, Malcom Danare, Don Shanks and R.A. Mihailoff in it? All the icons play themselves in the film except for a few twists which I will not talk about here. They all play off each other perfectly and the jokes between them and their movie characters are hilarious.
The story is told in a non-linear fashion which might confuse some viewers early on but as the film moves a long it wasn't so much a big deal. I though the time line changes made the story more interesting but I am sure some may struggle with it a little. That being said I loved the film, seeing all these horror legends in one movie together is a horror fan's wet dream. My favorite had to be Mihailoff, his character had by cracking up. "Smothered" provides a solid story to follow and laces it with one joke after another. And then there are the horror elements, I wouldn't say this is scary but some of the "accidents" are gruesome and the particle effects used in the film were all fantastic.
The film looks and sound much better than it's budget might suggest which is a credit to Writer/Director, John Schneider and his entire crew. Yes, that is the "Dukes of Hazzard" and "Smallville" John Schneider. Back in 2013 he created John Schneider Studios with "Smothered" being his first film. John is no stranger to film making, he has been behind the camera before but this seems to be a real passion of his with several other films already lined up. John's direction is flawless and he keeps the film moving at a fast pace and his writing is clever as well as funny. I certainly look forward to seeing what he has coming out next.
I really had a fun time watching "Smothered" and it was a joy seeing all these terrific icons in one place, I for one would definitely welcome a sequel if John ever wanted to revisit the story again. Laughs, gore, suspense and a few twists along the way makes "Smothered" a real gem to look out for. The film will be released in February 2016, after which I see it gaining a cult following with strong word of mouth. I recommend visiting the film's Facebook page HERE to find out when and where you might be able to see the film.
Released by John Schneider Studios
**** Out Of *****