Invitation

A group of college-aged guys and girls get together for a reunion at a secluded house by a lake. When they get there, they're greeted by an over acting bald giant (who walks like he's had a wedgie for the past five years) The clichéd old bat shows up to warn them to leave at once, this goes ignored as the groups splits up and starts rambling about marriages and drinking and novelty songs. Midnight swimming in a sauna masquerading as a lake leads to murder by a babe wearing weird contact lenses, as creepy little kids turn up and start scaring them, and eventually causing their gruesome demise, possibly all as payback for a tragedy in their past many years earlier, it's never really explained. Along the way, their are numerous references to earlier and better horrors: the aforementioned old crone is planted in the ground and run over with a mulcher, a la Motel Hell, immediately followed by a reference to Friday the 13th part 2, etc. The variable effects run the gamut from being eerie (some of the photography and settings in the woods at night, and the music score) to merely cheap shocks (seizure-inducing strobe lights, Marilyn Manson contact lenses, and fog machines working overtime indoors and out)

There might actually have been something here, had the movie not been made on poverty row, and maybe with a tighter pacing at the end, it could have been a fun little B movie. But what we're left with is a mish mash of ideas and variable effects, mostly filmed though wide angle lens causing considerable distortion, intermingled with eye candy in sexy, short little Tricia Lyn Scott (as the rather smug Violet) and Tiffany Shepis lookalike Ryann Davey (as Melina). It's really not that bad, but it's nothing to recommend either, it could have been a lot more fun.

INVITATION is a low-low-budget horror film. It looks cheap, with that shot-on-video "soap opera" appearance. Despite its obvious limitations, it's semi-creepy, mysterious, and entertaining enough for a viewing.

The rural lodge setting with its bizarre caretaker and potential victims is nice and compact.

The one complaint would be the length of this movie. It could easily lose about 15-20 minutes and be much tighter and effective...

The first half is entirely pointless filler-fluff. None cares. All the ghost-stuff is in the second half, and you won't miss a beat if you skip the first. Taking only the remaining part., I'd even call it 5/10.

Also: EPILEPSY WARNING.for the first and last 5 minutes!

Dimestore supernatural "revenge" flick that rips off The Shining, Stir Of Echoes, Blair Witch 2 and Sleepaway Camp 3. Even though Invitation was shot on video, but editing and sound effects are extremely well done. I guess that is where all the money went ... Oh yeah ... what else has this film to offer? There's some brief nudity but not much gore. Acting is kind of lame but not really bad enough to make fun of. You also get one or two attempts of a jump scare and one death scene that stands out (more or less), which was stolen from Sleepaway Camp 3.

A little more entertaining cheese and blood and Invitation would have been much more fun to watch.

it could have had a better story. it could have had a better director. it could have had better actors. it could have had a point of being made it could have actual be interesting... i gave it two stars because I'm sure they meant well. i don't think they intended to make crap. blame the budget and the filmographer blame the production company.but from first frame you automatic regret spending your dollar plus tax you paid for this dollar bin trash. but remember why you never buy movies you never heard of especially ones that don't have scenes from the movie on the back of the case...don't waste your dollar buy a whopper Jr. it'll be more satisfying.