I've seen a similar sort of thing done where it was the carnival-folk themselves who were murderers, and I have seen that thing done, a lot. So it was quite a nice surprise to see it just be a single dude who rocks up to somebody else's Halloween Horror Nights-type deal and start wreckin' the place. From the outset I thought I was going to hate all the character's interactions, and don't get me wrong, these kids won't be taking home Oscars any time soon, but I did actually find myself quite taken with them before the end.
Final rating:★★★ - I liked it. Would personally recommend you give it a go.
Wuchak
Jan 20, 2019
6/10
Traditional slasher at a carnival
Three college-age couples go to a horror theme park near Cincinnati during the Halloween season, but the scary fun turns to actual horror when they discern that a real murderer is on the loose at the amusement park.
"Hell Fest" (2018) is a traditional slasher that takes advantage of the carnival setting, reminiscent of “The Funhouse” from 37 years earlier, as well as the long amusement park sequence in “Urban Legends: Final Cut.” While I like “The Funhouse” and think it’s superior to this, it was criticized for the (supposed) “Boring, long wait before anything of interest happens.” Maybe this explains why this flick cuts to the chase and gets the teens to the festival almost immediately.
This of course makes for a one-dimensional setting (the carnival at night), but I appreciate the colorful carnival sets and the story does become interesting when the protagonist witnesses the first slaying, which the others convince her is part of the act. Speaking of the protagonist, Amy Forsyth works well as the attractive main character, Natalie.
To be expected, there are some gory bits, but don’t anticipate nudity. The creators commendably sneered at that particular “staple.”
Tony Todd, known for the role of Mr. Bludworth in the “Final Destination” series, is featured in a notable bit part.
The film runs 1 hour, 28 minutes, and was shot just northwest of Atlanta at Six Flags White Water. Most of the decorations used were borrowed from the Six Flags’ Fright Fest decorations.
GRADE: B-
