Morbid (2013).

Indie slasher movies are becoming more commonplace, but when they are this good, I certainly won't be complaining! Chuck Conroy, who runs horror website Zombies don't Run, has crafted a neat little throwback slasher movie about a masked serial killer on the loose in a small town. The locals of the town, and even the police force seem to be more interested in the fact that the high school football team are going to be playing the biggest game of the season, and that their star quarterback is going to break a record.

Made for an approximate $500, the movie may not look like much, but it is surprisingly involving and is a fun and nasty ride. It is also incredibly self referential, and the script is humorous and well written, with many pop culture references that will have most viewers grinning from ear to ear. The opening, where two horror fans discuss and criticize techniques used in old slasher movies, while the same techniques are being used in this movie, certainly had me smiling along with the fun being poked at the slasher genre in such a loving way.

The characters are rather typical of the slasher genre, but there is nothing wrong with that. The character development is minimal, but again, this is a slasher movie, and that is one sub genre where character development isn't usually used at all. It certainly didn't bother me at all.

The blood and gore in Morbid is plentiful, and although it looks rather cheap, it adds to the grindhouse feel of the movie. Heads are crushed, eyeballs are popped from their sockets, people get decapitateds and there is even a penis mutilation, and they all add up to some fun deaths in the film. Admittedly, horror movies don't need gore to be great. But in my opinion, I feel it certainly enhanced Morbid, especially as the second act seemed to drag on a little, but hey, that's just a miniscule niggle.

Chuck Conroy certainly has potential, and I for one am excited to see what he will come up with next. Morbid is a great debut movie, and while it does feel a little overlong in places, the blood shed and self referential humor make this a cracking watch. Give it a go, and excuse it's small budget, because this movie has heart, and is obviously made by people who have a great amount of love for the horror genre.

Darkest regards......Dani.