Final Exam (1981)

Slashers have it easy. Their target audience are among the most forgiving when it comes to actual quality and will take enthusiasm over competence into consideration more so than "real" film lovers. "Final Exam" goes for the "Halloween" (1978) vibe (a low-key piano piece is a dead give away as to inspiration) in that it is light on blood and gore and goes for honest scares and mood. Too bad it's also light on scares but the mood is above average. There's also a novelty in that the killer is clearly seen, never speaks and has no motivation known to the audience. But then one character clearly states that most killers have no motivation and that, in itself, is quite scary. The film has pretty decent actors, most of whom have never been heard from again, and the characters do have some personality. The biggest gripe the film has received is in it's very slow build-up. It's true that "Final Exam" takes it's sweet time until actual mayhem takes place but it goes by pleasantly enough. Photography and lighting is fine and, as said, the film has a certain mood that's undeniable. It's a mood that seems was only attainable in late 70's and early 80's and distinguishes these slashers. "Final Exam", for me, gets better with repeat viewings and it comes recommended; for slasher film fans. But make no mistake; this isn't the cream of the crop but enthusiasts should enjoy it.

I didn't have high hopes for this one. I didn't see any big names in the cast either. I was proved right.The characters are highly clichéd. Having seen a few slashers recently I was not that satisfied with the clichéd characters which you can predict from the beginning. The dialogue is tired and unimaginative. But maybe there is one thing that separates it from some other slashers. The killer is revealed in the beginning itself and there is no whodunit structure to the movie. So there are no over the top twists or strange reasoning for the murders. In fact there is no reason at all, just some random guy doing these things for the audience entertainment I guess.The shooting scene was done pretty well. I admit I was impressed with the scene, a pretty unexpected one in an 80s slasher. Frankly that was the only memorable scene in the movie, otherwise it doesn't really make an impact. I liked "the boy who cried wolf" touch in the end as well.There is maybe one scene of nudity, maybe they could have amped up the sleaze, at least that could raise the rating a bit. The kill count is pretty big, maybe he has wiped out most of the people there (at least the ones who were available).Altogether an average slasher which I would not watch twice.5/10

"Final Exam" admittedly will likely engender mostly personal reactions; you'll either appreciate what writer / director Jimmy Huston is doing or you won't. His entry in the original slasher movie cycle is more in the "Halloween" mode than the "Friday the 13th" mode, meaning little in the way of nudity and gore, so if those are elements that you crave, you won't receive much to whet your appetite. The story takes place on a college campus where a brutal psychopath (Timothy L. Raynor) starts eliminating the student bodies. However, despite an opening murder set piece (Huston does know that this kind of thing often does need to start with a bang), nobody else gets killed for almost another 50 minutes. The first hour consists mainly of setting up characters and in fact comes off more as campus comedy, with the usual assortment of infantile, obnoxious frat boys, the principal one being the aptly named "Wildman" (Ralph Brown), a man so cool he's put his name on both sides of his shirt. Appealing Cecile Bagdadi is the even keeled lead female, and Joel S. Rice is the memorable "Radish", certainly a prototype for the Randy character in the "Scream" movies if ever there was one, who's meant to be a likable type of nerd, and Rice is engaging in the role, yet the guy does have quite a healthy fascination with true crime and even professes admiration for real life sniper Charles Whitman in class! One of Radish's admonitions is that "people are killed every day for no reason at all", and Raynor's killer is walking proof of this, as his character has no back story, no personality, and nothing in the way of an obvious motivation. While admittedly the movie is rough going for a while, the characters and performances make it palatable enough; other principal cast members include sexy DeAnna Robbins (who provides for us what little nudity there is) and Sherry Willis-Burch as the rather dim Janet. The best stuff is saved for the last 15 minutes or so, as Courtney runs for her life in an almost completely deserted campus. While not among the best of its kind, it's still not as bad as some fans of the genre will assert, although, once again, it may just come down to personal taste. Six out of 10.

This isn't your typical slasher. It contains some pretty amusing character development, and unintentionally hilarious quotable lines. Watch for a young Tom Cruise as an extra in the classroom scene in the beginning.Highlights from the killer include kicking a victim in the balls, using the dumbwaiter(sp)/conveyor belt as an elevator, and catching an arrow out of the air and stabbing the person who shot it at him with it.Don't expect a Kubrick here, but it's a real gem hidden among a genre of garbage. Wildman, Radish, Frat Stud Gary, you live on in our hearts. The lack of a motive from the killer makes the film even better. Also, the terrorist frat prank is a brilliant touch.