The last horror movie

Smooth talking serial killer and amateur film-maker Max Parry has made a fly-on-the-wall documentary about murder. By copying his movie onto a rental tape at his local video shop, he gets people to unwittingly start watching his opus, in which he delivers a snuff showcase of his greatest 'hits', whilst glibly commenting about the nature of killing.

Despite borrowing heavily from Belgian movie 'Man Bites Dog', the classic 'Henry: Portrait of a Seial Killer' and 'American Psycho', and ending with a gimmick which is reminiscent of Japanese ghost movie Ringu, director Julian Richards manages to deliver a grisly film that succeeds in being genuinely disturbing. The catalogue of stabbings, beatings and strangulations are filmed with a gritty authenticity that will shock all but the most desensitised; but despite all of the nastiness, there is a knowing sense of ridiculousness which will appeal to those with a very dark sense of humour. Kevin Howarth's Max is both chilling yet comic; he claims to be sane, and talks intelligently about his project and his reasons for killing, yet he is clearly a few sandwiches short of a picnic. At times he is logical, calm and collected whilst going about his business, but we see just enough glimpses of his completely wacko side to know that he is far from 'mentally balanced'.

A sharp script, impressive hand-held video work and some gruesome effects (try watching the burning scene without wincing) add to the realism of the film. The Last Horror Movie is a brave plunge into the dark world of an unhinged individual. Unashamedly violent and unflinchingly graphic, it is not a movie for the easily offended.