The Barn

I get what they were trying to do here. It's the same kind of retro nostalgia that actually works in Stranger Things. Clever marketing and a good cover, but the film doesn't quite stand up to the hype. A good effort which needed a bigger budget.

So the movie is pretty cheesy and campy, but that was also clearly the intent. I thought it was hilarious.

This is a pretty decent indie film. It was fun and ridiculous all behind the back drop of an 80's retro storyline (complete with a 80's glam band score.) I won't give any spoilers away but this is an enjoyable Halloween movie that doesn't take itself too seriously.

THE BARN is a supernatural / neo-slasher horror film, done in a 1980s homage style. It's about a trio of killer spooks: a scarecrow, a miner, and a pumpkin headed ghoul, that haunt the titular structure, awaiting those who dare to trespass on Halloween Night. As luck would have it, a group of teens decide to enter the forbidden farm, resulting in grisly death.

While the story is pretty bare-bones, and the acting and dialogue are a bit clunky, this only adds to the overall charm. Is it a perfect masterpiece? No, but it is worth a watch on a crisp, Halloween evening.

Gorehounds will be in the stratosphere over the gushy practical effects! They really kick into high gear during the "Harvest Hootenanny" sequence, and continue from there.

For those who appreciate and enjoy low-budget horror films...

I really wanted to like this movie more...

I've been eyeing this for sometime while it was being crowdfunded on indiegogo. Finally got a chance to watch and was very disappointed. Here are my issues.

My biggest draw to the film was that it was hyped on being a perfect 80s throwback to the VHS era of slashers. They do an OK job with the music, but I wasn't convinced with the film actually taking place in the 80s. The actors just look like modern kids going to an 80s party and they picked out 80s clothes as best as they could from a thrift store. The film itself has cheesy 80s filters that do not not feel genuine.

The practical effects were ehhh. Obviously done on an extremely low budget. Mix of practical and digital that reminds me of movies like Thankskilling. Appreciate the effort though.

Acting was pretty flat and I didn't care for any of the characters. Again super low budget. Even has a cameo with Linnea Quigley who's a seasoned scream queen, but you would have guessed this was her first time on screen.

The story, to be fair has some cool concepts, but gets drawn out way too long. I honestly think I would have been way more excepting of The Barn if it was just a quick short film or part of an anthology.

The only reason I gave this 2 stars was for the movie artwork and merchandise they put out. The art is awesome and alludes to a well polished/stylized film. It is enough to make you want to watch it, but that's about where it ends unfortunately.

To wrap... this is more than just low budget, it's DIY. Many of the other reviews seem like they are connected to the film and are obviously biased. If you are OK with DIY then you may be able to look past a lot of it's flaws, but be warned there are many.