For the past several months, three films have had their names connected with bringing independent horror to the masses. These reportedly "groundbreaking" films and filmmakers are supposedly going to disassemble the sad state of modern horror that seems to revolve around the now gluttonous "Saw" franchise. Hopefully, the forthcoming "Black Sheep" and "Hatchet" will be able to do it alone, because "Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon" isn't up to the task. How can anyone expect much of a film that simply treads over ground broken more than a decade ago?
Much like the popular Christopher Guest comedies, "Behind the Mask" is a fake documentary that puts a comedic spin on its topic. But there are two main differences between "Mask" and one of Guest's hilarious films like "Best in Show." The first is that "Behind the Mask" takes place in a reality where horror franchise icons like Jason Voorhees, Freddy Kruger, and Michael Myers actually exist. Their crimes that occurred at Crystal Lake, on Elm Street, or in the town of Haddonfield weren't the fabric of cinematic legend but real-ife tragedies. And, two, no matter how hard it tries, "Behind the Mask" just isn't funny. Either way, Leslie Vernon (Nathan Baesel), a new slasher icon, is ready to stake out a name for himself, and in an effort to boost his popularity, he's gotten himself a film crew to document his bloody arrival.
"Behind the Mask" is a completely underwhelming experience for genre fans with a few all-night horror marathons under their belts. The film wastes no time in showcasing its naïveté and exposes its annoyingly clumsy nature within the first few minutes. The filmmakers put little effort into making you believe that slashers like Leatherface and the rest actually exist. Rather than build any actual tension or create plot-propelling moments about this rather unique take on horror history, director Scott Glosserman takes the easy route. He simply shoots footage of Kane Hodder (one of the many men to don Jason's trademark hockey mask) taking out the garbage on a suburban street that is supposedly named Elm. This inability to create a real atmosphere where even a droplet of fear can exist is extended the first time you meet the lanky killer himself.
All of the aforementioned killers are either hulking brutes that could swing you by your leg into the house across the street (Jason, Myers), disfigured butchers (Freddy) or both (Leatherface). Leslie Vernon (Nathan Baesel), on the other hand, is a wiry, pleasant-looking, funny guy who looks more like a young Jim Carrey than a psycho killer. It's a long time until you actually see Vernon in costume and that alone makes the mere idea of this goofy guy being a hard-core killer one of the many unintentionally funny traits of "Behind the Mask."
The film becomes even harder to swallow when Leslie and the crew have dinner with one of Vernon's "co-workers." Eugene (Scott Wilson) is a retired slasher who has taken Leslie under his wing as a mentor of sorts. While the film is chock-full of many silly moments that will have most dedicated horror fans groaning with displeasure, the scenes with Doug and his wife Jamie are the hardest to swallow. Killers from horror movies work under a blanket of anonymity, their seclusion from the public one of their defining traits. So having them discuss their "trade" in front of a camera securing their image and recollections for all eternity takes viewers completely out of the film, and sadly "Behind the Mask" refuses ever to invite them back in.
Much like the popular Christopher Guest comedies, "Behind the Mask" is a fake documentary that puts a comedic spin on its topic. But there are two main differences between "Mask" and one of Guest's hilarious films like "Best in Show." The first is that "Behind the Mask" takes place in a reality where horror franchise icons like Jason Voorhees, Freddy Kruger, and Michael Myers actually exist. Their crimes that occurred at Crystal Lake, on Elm Street, or in the town of Haddonfield weren't the fabric of cinematic legend but real-ife tragedies. And, two, no matter how hard it tries, "Behind the Mask" just isn't funny. Either way, Leslie Vernon (Nathan Baesel), a new slasher icon, is ready to stake out a name for himself, and in an effort to boost his popularity, he's gotten himself a film crew to document his bloody arrival.
"Behind the Mask" is a completely underwhelming experience for genre fans with a few all-night horror marathons under their belts. The film wastes no time in showcasing its naïveté and exposes its annoyingly clumsy nature within the first few minutes. The filmmakers put little effort into making you believe that slashers like Leatherface and the rest actually exist. Rather than build any actual tension or create plot-propelling moments about this rather unique take on horror history, director Scott Glosserman takes the easy route. He simply shoots footage of Kane Hodder (one of the many men to don Jason's trademark hockey mask) taking out the garbage on a suburban street that is supposedly named Elm. This inability to create a real atmosphere where even a droplet of fear can exist is extended the first time you meet the lanky killer himself.
All of the aforementioned killers are either hulking brutes that could swing you by your leg into the house across the street (Jason, Myers), disfigured butchers (Freddy) or both (Leatherface). Leslie Vernon (Nathan Baesel), on the other hand, is a wiry, pleasant-looking, funny guy who looks more like a young Jim Carrey than a psycho killer. It's a long time until you actually see Vernon in costume and that alone makes the mere idea of this goofy guy being a hard-core killer one of the many unintentionally funny traits of "Behind the Mask."
The film becomes even harder to swallow when Leslie and the crew have dinner with one of Vernon's "co-workers." Eugene (Scott Wilson) is a retired slasher who has taken Leslie under his wing as a mentor of sorts. While the film is chock-full of many silly moments that will have most dedicated horror fans groaning with displeasure, the scenes with Doug and his wife Jamie are the hardest to swallow. Killers from horror movies work under a blanket of anonymity, their seclusion from the public one of their defining traits. So having them discuss their "trade" in front of a camera securing their image and recollections for all eternity takes viewers completely out of the film, and sadly "Behind the Mask" refuses ever to invite them back in.
For the past several months, three films have had their names connected with bringing independent horror to the masses. These reportedly "groundbreaking" films and filmmakers are supposedly going to disassemble the sad state of modern horror that seems to revolve around the now gluttonous "Saw" franchise. Hopefully, the forthcoming "Black Sheep" and "Hatchet" will be able to do it alone, because "Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon" isn't up to the task. How can anyone expect much of a film that simply treads over ground broken more than a decade ago?
Much like the popular Christopher Guest comedies, "Behind the Mask" is a fake documentary that puts a comedic spin on its topic. But there are two main differences between "Mask" and one of Guest's hilarious films like "Best in Show." The first is that "Behind the Mask" takes place in a reality where horror franchise icons like Jason Voorhees, Freddy Kruger, and Michael Myers actually exist. Their crimes that occurred at Crystal Lake, on Elm Street, or in the town of Haddonfield weren't the fabric of cinematic legend but real-ife tragedies. And, two, no matter how hard it tries, "Behind the Mask" just isn't funny. Either way, Leslie Vernon (Nathan Baesel), a new slasher icon, is ready to stake out a name for himself, and in an effort to boost his popularity, he's gotten himself a film crew to document his bloody arrival.
"Behind the Mask" is a completely underwhelming experience for genre fans with a few all-night horror marathons under their belts. The film wastes no time in showcasing its naïveté and exposes its annoyingly clumsy nature within the first few minutes. The filmmakers put little effort into making you believe that slashers like Leatherface and the rest actually exist. Rather than build any actual tension or create plot-propelling moments about this rather unique take on horror history, director Scott Glosserman takes the easy route. He simply shoots footage of Kane Hodder (one of the many men to don Jason's trademark hockey mask) taking out the garbage on a suburban street that is supposedly named Elm. This inability to create a real atmosphere where even a droplet of fear can exist is extended the first time you meet the lanky killer himself.
All of the aforementioned killers are either hulking brutes that could swing you by your leg into the house across the street (Jason, Myers), disfigured butchers (Freddy) or both (Leatherface). Leslie Vernon (Nathan Baesel), on the other hand, is a wiry, pleasant-looking, funny guy who looks more like a young Jim Carrey than a psycho killer. It's a long time until you actually see Vernon in costume and that alone makes the mere idea of this goofy guy being a hard-core killer one of the many unintentionally funny traits of "Behind the Mask."
The film becomes even harder to swallow when Leslie and the crew have dinner with one of Vernon's "co-workers." Eugene (Scott Wilson) is a retired slasher who has taken Leslie under his wing as a mentor of sorts. While the film is chock-full of many silly moments that will have most dedicated horror fans groaning with displeasure, the scenes with Doug and his wife Jamie are the hardest to swallow. Killers from horror movies work under a blanket of anonymity, their seclusion from the public one of their defining traits. So having them discuss their "trade" in front of a camera securing their image and recollections for all eternity takes viewers completely out of the film, and sadly "Behind the Mask" refuses ever to invite them back in.
Much like the popular Christopher Guest comedies, "Behind the Mask" is a fake documentary that puts a comedic spin on its topic. But there are two main differences between "Mask" and one of Guest's hilarious films like "Best in Show." The first is that "Behind the Mask" takes place in a reality where horror franchise icons like Jason Voorhees, Freddy Kruger, and Michael Myers actually exist. Their crimes that occurred at Crystal Lake, on Elm Street, or in the town of Haddonfield weren't the fabric of cinematic legend but real-ife tragedies. And, two, no matter how hard it tries, "Behind the Mask" just isn't funny. Either way, Leslie Vernon (Nathan Baesel), a new slasher icon, is ready to stake out a name for himself, and in an effort to boost his popularity, he's gotten himself a film crew to document his bloody arrival.
"Behind the Mask" is a completely underwhelming experience for genre fans with a few all-night horror marathons under their belts. The film wastes no time in showcasing its naïveté and exposes its annoyingly clumsy nature within the first few minutes. The filmmakers put little effort into making you believe that slashers like Leatherface and the rest actually exist. Rather than build any actual tension or create plot-propelling moments about this rather unique take on horror history, director Scott Glosserman takes the easy route. He simply shoots footage of Kane Hodder (one of the many men to don Jason's trademark hockey mask) taking out the garbage on a suburban street that is supposedly named Elm. This inability to create a real atmosphere where even a droplet of fear can exist is extended the first time you meet the lanky killer himself.
All of the aforementioned killers are either hulking brutes that could swing you by your leg into the house across the street (Jason, Myers), disfigured butchers (Freddy) or both (Leatherface). Leslie Vernon (Nathan Baesel), on the other hand, is a wiry, pleasant-looking, funny guy who looks more like a young Jim Carrey than a psycho killer. It's a long time until you actually see Vernon in costume and that alone makes the mere idea of this goofy guy being a hard-core killer one of the many unintentionally funny traits of "Behind the Mask."
The film becomes even harder to swallow when Leslie and the crew have dinner with one of Vernon's "co-workers." Eugene (Scott Wilson) is a retired slasher who has taken Leslie under his wing as a mentor of sorts. While the film is chock-full of many silly moments that will have most dedicated horror fans groaning with displeasure, the scenes with Doug and his wife Jamie are the hardest to swallow. Killers from horror movies work under a blanket of anonymity, their seclusion from the public one of their defining traits. So having them discuss their "trade" in front of a camera securing their image and recollections for all eternity takes viewers completely out of the film, and sadly "Behind the Mask" refuses ever to invite them back in.
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