Murdercise

I thought we stopped making nonsense like this in the eighties.

Murdercise seems to have been made in backlots and unused offices by wannabe porn stars playing dress up and pretend.

Everything, and I do mean everything is awful.

The acting, awful. The direction, awful. The plot, awful. It seems very much like a film made during covid and that is not a compliment.

I usually don't like to give one star ratings to movies anymore because it takes a lot of effort to get an indie film made these days. But in this case, I will make an exception. It has a depressingly cheap and sleazy feel to the whole thing.

Apparently this film is loosely based around and paying homage to those fitness, gym horror/slasher comedy films such as Killer Workout and Death Spa. Given the premise, the story is essentially the same but for the newer generation. Once the story begins we are introduced to the characters and as it plays along, we see how the first kill occurs (the audience knows the killer but the characters are oblivious).

Nothing quite funny in this film but it's enjoyable to a degree. It is of course predictable and does include several mandatory skin scenes. The film goes downhill once the cops arrive at the scene. Trying a little to be funny which falls flat. From there scenes just occur to pass time as the inevitable turn of a full slasher occurs.

No date is given but the setting is obviously the wonderful 1980's. Within the first minute or so a busty babe has stripped off and is taking a shower, a few seconds later and she is murdered. The main plot has a group of attractive young women shooting a fitness video in a studio (on tape, naturally), our main girl Phoebe is all innocent but sleazy director Gino and his cameraman want more sex than exercise. "All those girls out there are strippers, perverts and communists!" exclaims Phoebe before she loses the plot and turns into a killer. But she's not alone, oh no - for good measure a pair of fake cops with a taste for sex and murder are thrown into the mix for (very) good measure. The slasher movie "Killer Workout" aka "Aerobicide" (1987) springs to mind. Murdercide, with its blue/purple lighting, mist machine, Walkman, sweatbands and VHS tapes etc is a very good homage to the 1980's. The budget was obviously low, some of the acting is "bad" but I'm sure that was intentional and some of the kills are pretty gory. The best one has a man have his head chainsawed in half. I went into this not expecting much but I'm pleased to say that I enjoyed it, pretty good fun and a movie that I'd probably want to watch again. Catchy soundtrack too.

I mean, this is bad. It is lovely, but it is just a homage to 80s slashers in the most terrible way.

It raised $50k or something on crowdfunding platforms, with cameos from some patrons.

The characters are obviously one-dimensional, the plot ludicrous, the soundtrack a lovely 80's tribute with no 80s songs, and on and on it goes.

Some of the actresses are over-acting in the best possible way, and it is certainly charming, but let's not pretend this is a cinematic masterpiece. It is what it is. It does what it is supposed to do, but it cannot escape what it is.

If you liked 80s slashers, especially the low-budget ones, this is for you. For anyone else - you could spend your time more wisely.

Yeah so it's not gonna ever go mainstream...so YAY!!! A fun movie made by independent art makers. A fun watch and made with love. Big fan and thoroughly enjoyed this whole thing! Yay A&P Films for keeping indie art alive. I ordered the DVD and seriously enjoyed it. I encourage at least a watch. Indie art doesn't cost 100 million dollars and it shouldn't. ITS funny and sexy and was made to entertain indie fans. Gorgeous people in this...all the exercise ladies and drew maverick and Josh parks made me cheer extra. I wish this played in my area so happy to have gotten to get the DVD. Seriously...in the vein of troma ...this is epic.