Carnage Park

Vivian Fontaine (Ashley Bell) has been taken captive by a bank robber. The situation is a mess. The other robber is dead. They drive onto private property. The owner is militarized hermit Wyatt Moss (Pat Healy). Vivian is passed from one captor to the next. Wyatt's brother Sheriff Moss (Alan Ruck) comes to investigate.

This is a small violent indie. It reminds me of those 70's and 80's exploitation fare. I like this for two reasons, Ashley Bell and the twist with Vivian. I really wish that they do more with the Vivian twist. There is still room to grow that plot. This is simple fun although it could have been more.

'Carnage Park' starts out a very different film to the one it finishes as. It starts out trying to be overly stylish with slow-motion shots, flashbacks, over the top characters and music blaring over the top of scenes. All things you'd commonly see in Quentin Tarantino films, the only difference is that he has the ability to pull them off. So the film wasn't off to a great start. I've scene directors attempt to replicate his style before, usually for the entire duration of a film, and it is simply unbearable. Luckily for 'Carnage Park' it gives up on that pretty quickly and settles into a fun little film.

I think the element of using a sniper as the killer in films is under utilised in Hollywood films. It really is a creepy little device. You can never be entirely comfortable (or at all for that matter) when there is a sniper around. You are simply there one moment, gone the next. There's a bit of a 'The Hill Have Eyes' feel to this one, only with a slightly more realistic villain. Every scene is intense and a lot of them would fit nicely into any modern horror film. There's actually a lot to like here and if people push through the first 15 minutes or so I think they'll find they're quite enjoying themselves.

It's a indie crime/horror film about the sniper and the girl trying to escape, or kill him. I really liked it a lot! It has excellent editing, brilliant cinematography, nice story, good performances. The Last Exorcism's Ashley Bell is supposed to be annoying from it, but I actually think she gave a superb performance. While the first hour was entertaining, but I didn't really enjoy the last 25 minutes because mine scene was so darkly filmed and should have been shorter. But again, it has a fine story. If you are a fan of Tarantino/Rob Zombie films, then you will for sure enjoy it (well, maybe except the last 25 minutes). This movie don't deserves a low rating, I think it's actually such a fantastic film and totally underrated. Just entertaining and enjoyable movie!

8/10.

Tries very hard to be something,it is not... the only good thing about this film is a great performance by the actress,who was also in The Last Exorcism ...the rest is very boring........

I loved the '70s vibe, the old cars and style, with the sepia cinematography that doesn't always add to a film, but was amazing the way it was used here. After awhile though, it deteriorated into nothing but 'special effects' with muffled, crazy weirdness over loudspeakers that wasn't scary, then it became too dark to see anything (maybe it would be better viewed at night.) I heard a random possible gunshot here and there, but honestly I was bored through to the end. The first half was interesting, but the second was a big fat zero. I gave stars for the cinematography and the acting, which was excellent, for the first half, but ultimately, the film was a big fat disappointment. Seemed to try too hard at being "artsy" and that left a plot that fell flat, especially since it was based on a true story. I love desert horror/ thriller movies, usually. The 'Reeker' films were much more interesting to me, because they saw the plot through to the end. I'd give a sequel a chance, just in case there was a more engaging and complete plot, but would go in with low expectations.