Moonstalker (1989)
19KMoonstalker (1989). 1h 32m | Not Rated
“u0026quot;Moonstalkeru0026quot; follows a group of wildlife survivalists holding a training camp session in the woods in rural Nevada. Nearby, an elderly hermit and his son, previously incarcerated in a psychiatric facility, are about to wreak havoc.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eA minor majorly low-budget effort in the slasher canon, u0026quot;Moonstalkeru0026quot; is routine in many ways, but then again, arenu0026#39;t most slashers? While it doesnu0026#39;t reinvent the wheel, the film does offer some working parts that make it very enjoyable: The murky nighttime cinematography, the snowy mountain terrain, and a fair number of inventive murder sequences (with varying degrees of special effects) are notable strengths.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThere are a lot of characters in this film, which at times leaves it feeling unfocused and jumbled, but most are introduced for the simple purpose of being dispatched that itu0026#39;s not a significant detraction. The filmu0026#39;s villain, Bernie, is perhaps the most unique thing that u0026quot;Moonstalkeru0026quot; has to offer; he is first introduced in a bizarre ghostlike straightjacket before breaking free and impersonating one of the expected campers, donning sunglasses and a cowboy hat. His image and the way he is filmed (his face just bathed in enough shadow to keep his features obscured) adds a certain menace and variation from the typical masked killer we see in these films. The film also plays up the common theme of rural poverty coming up against city slickers in the woods, which is integrated here in a subtle and interesting way.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWhile the hacking and slashing begins almost from the start, the last half-hour of u0026quot;Moonstalkeru0026quot; is where it goes into a fever pitch that is quite a bit of fun, and features one of the more memorable multi-corpse set pieces of any u0026#39;80s slasher film in memory. Though far from a masterwork, u0026quot;Moonstalkeru0026quot; is a decently-made shoestring slasher. The sum of its working parts may not constitute a highbrow experience, but the working parts themselves are rather solid given the filmu0026#39;s regional origins. 7/10.”
