Blood Oath (2007)

Sorry, this movie sucks

Good concept, poorly executed.

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

BLOOD OATH is a shot on video indie slasher flick that was put out by Troma, and that comes as no surprise given the poor quality of the production. The cliched story has a bunch of friends heading off into the woods for a bit of fun, to find only death awaiting them instead. There are small roles for scream queens Tina Krause and Tiffany Shepis, but this is generally devoid of interest. A bit of titillation and a bit of gore are the only draws here.

Four friends venture into the remote deep forest to check out an old cabin. Naturally, the quartet run afoul of a vicious disfigured mad woman (a frightening portrayal by Patrick Holt) who doesn't take kindly to strangers poking around her neck of the woods. A familiar story for sure, but fortunately director David Buchert relates the enjoyable plot at a steady pace, makes good use of the secluded sylvan setting, pours on the in-your-face graphic gore with unapologetic aplomb, creates and sustains a suitably creepy atmosphere, generates a substantial amount of tension in the nerve-wracking last third, and even tosses in a few tasty naked boobies for good measure. The acceptable acting from the competent no-name cast rates as another definite plus, with solid work by Natalie Hart as the sweet Lisa, Roger Horn as the likable Charlie, Jamie Reynolds as the easygoing Kevin, and Katie Vaughan as the spunky Beverly. The startling outbursts of savage violence pack a really nasty punch. Popping up in nifty bits are Tiffany Shepis as the sassy Janet and Tina Krause as flaky college student Jennifer. William Sherry Jr.'s dynamic shuddery score hits the skin-crawling ooga-booga spot. Matthew Dyer's rough'n'grainy cinematography gives the picture an appropriately grungy look. A fun fright flick.

I should have known this would be bad. It had Tiffany Sherpis and Tina Krause listed on the DVD cover, but when the opening credits rolled, it said special appearances. I suspected we may not see much of either and have to put up with the regular non actors.This is director David Buchert's sophomore effort. I have no evidence anyone saw his first film, and I imagine very few have seen this by-the- book slasher-in-the-woods story. One this for sure, Buchert should be doing cinematography. There was some very interesting camera work here.There was blood, of course, lots of it. And, screaming, lots and lots of screaming. The best thing about this film is that the promised sequel didn't come.

I suspect that director David Buchert has carefully studied and absorbed the influences of some of the best horror genre movies in recent years which include the tags urban myth, cabin, students and woodland and then neatly utilised them in this film.He is to be commended on this approach which I would liken to the way in which some of the most successful musicians and bands take on board the music of past masters when moulding their own distinctive style.Being a first time director has to face the familiar hurdle of financial budget restrictions which limits the scope for enlisting the number of experienced actors to appear in the project as well as locations and sets. It is necessary to find the right blend between experience and newcomers to the camera and I applaud the way in which he has made a solid base for the film by obtaining the services of Tiffany Shepis and Tina Krause. These two very talented young ladies have made numerous films within the horror genre and even though their appearances are brief ones in the early stages of the film they depart having firmly anchored the film on firm foundations upon which the inexperienced cast members can build during the rest of the film. Both these actresses put their previous screen experience to good use during their dramatic elimination process at the hands of the lurking individual who is destined to provide problems for the rest of the cast in the remaining scenes.Among the other cast members there is certainly one standout performance by Natalie Hart. She appears to be confident and competent young actress in what develops into the leading role. I was rather surprised on checking her page on IMDb that she does not appear to have any further films to her credit after this one as she seems to demonstrate a talent which should have been developed further.The filming conducted in the outdoor woodland locations are well done and there appears to be full and effective use of available surroundings. The bright daylight outdoor scenes contrasted well with the darker indoor shots, eg within the cabin, with both contributing to the creation of the desired atmosphere.