The last few years have proven that the slasher genre has been blossoming with promise. FromScreamtoTerrifier 2, the slasher genre has shown that it is more resilient than ever. While it’s not surprising one of the bloodiest sub-genres has made a confident resurgence, the genre throughout the years has evolved into something more than just the typical masked killer and final girl doing their last dance. While films likeSawandHostelhave opened the doors to more elevated concepts in slashers and other genres,it’s nice to return to more traditionally-styledslashers that pay homage to the ones that came before.
When one dives into the realm of unfiltered horrors, such as traditional slashers, one will find film gems such as Craig Singer’s After Dark Horrorfest film,Dark Ride. An experience by the title that looks like it doesn’t have much to offer and nostalgically clings on to the tropes of the treasures that came before it,Dark Rideexceeds those expectations by staying true to the genre kings that put it on the map.
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While the majority of recent years have been spent working to improve the slasher genre, underappreciated cult classics likeDark Ridehave spent that time attempting to resurrect the genre’s prosperous past. A film about an Asbury Park dark ride that has been closed for some time due to the murder of two twins and fourteen others, the attraction finally reopens for the murderouspresence to give the ride one final deadly spin. Steve (David Clayton Rogers), Bill (Patrick Renna), Cathy (Jamie-Lynn Sigler), Liz (Jennifer Tisdale), Jen (Andrea Bogart), and Jim (Alex Solowitz) are college students who go on a road trip. They decide to stop at the old dark attraction on their way. After spending some time alone in the dark ride at night, things take a turn for the worse, making it a vacation no one will ever forget.Dark Ride, an 80s concept lifted from the pages of classics likeFriday the 13th, takes horror in a themed location to chilling yesteryear heights.
Dark Rideis an experience that doesn’t reinvent the slasher genre, and for those reasons, its easy to put aside films likeDark Ridebecause much of it has been done and seen before, but theallure lies with that it’s unpretentiousin its approach to the genre. It does not attempt to conjure up a different formula to make viewers pay attention and is firmly content in the era from which it derives its charm. While the film contains famous talents such as Jaime Lynn Sigler, Patrick Renna, and Alex Solowitz, the film does not dwell on such accolades to keep viewers interested in what its story has to offer.
The acting is so nostalgically kept in tune with its characters that Cathy (Jaime Lynn Sigler), Bill (Patrick Renna), Jim (Alex Solowitz) stand out as performances, not for their famed notoriety at the time, but because they keep the resonance of a slasher character alive throughout the experience. What’s more, for all the wistful indulgence this film provides, there are no glaring nods or ties to traditional horror flicks that would make a title like this standout. While Patrick Renna plays the quintessential film geek, his quotes to movie references fall within the bounds of intellectually sound film choices, which not onlyshow subtle commitment to retaining its dramaticand otherworldly charm but in its ability for the characters to keep viewers invested in the space he has created for such magic to happen.Dark Ridefollows this philosophy throughout the film, and while there are subtle parallels to its predecessors, it remains an original concept with the traditional slasher horror fan in mind.
It is evident thatDark Ridetakes pride in the elements that it falls under, but replicates this energy by delivering what traditional slasher horror fans crave without it being so over the top. Singer knows this and is unapologetic about how it’s delivered. There will always be a healthy appetite with fans that crave the traditional slasher, and directors like Singer being all the happier to give it to them. While many films are lauded for this artistic tag, some get swept under the carpet for that reason. When people get tired of seeing the same classic slashers over and over, films like this carry on the legacy. WhileDarkrideis formulaic in the way it delivers to the slasher subgenre,the lore and its gory attention to detailfeel right at home, but it carries enough creative weight within the bloody carnage of its victims to hold its own.
Dark Ridekeeps this atmosphere maintained with its excellent use of space for a carnival attraction. A nostalgic slasher paradise for the blood-curdling cadence that unfolds, Chis Singer takes full advantage of this theme and makes sureno spot is left untouched by its red embrace. From its depiction of the dark attraction at the pinnacle of its time to how it segues into the dilapidated state of its former glory, the film performs its bloody ballet within the shell of the attraction’s demise to reclaim its tortured past.
Singer realizes that a cast like this is interesting enough to get to know but annoying enough to get rid of. Such behavior is common in the world of the classic slasher, but Singer provides enough character narrative to justify such actions. When the college kids pick up Jen during their drive to the attraction, there is enough banter between all these characters that are obnoxiously infectious that when it gets to the crux of the film where the killer Jonah (Dave Warden)delivers his final blows to his victims, Singer uses every inch of his DIY horror expertise to create a dramaturgic experience worth a horror fans time and commitment.
This is not to say that films likeDark Ridedon’t slightly unweave at points in the film within its tight web of being an homage and predictable. Most cult classics within this genre are. The characters walk a fine line between engaging and detestable, so when their elaborate prank falls apart and Jonah begins to take each one out as he sees fit,these scenes become even more interesting and engaging. By definition, slasher film characters can have the most irredeemable characters in their arsenal as long as the blood and gore are effective. Craig Singer’s plays to those tropes almost to a T and pulls them off effortlessly.
Each kill is theatrically unsettling and fitting with its eerie funhouse-style environment within the derelict dark attraction, from Steve’s body being stung up like a crimson marionette to the iconic hitchhiker Jen’s death by sex scene, it’s the most tongue-in-cheek way possible for a character to die in a traditional slasher. This film takesits time to craft out the gory detailsof this experience, making one appreciate the thought and craft behind it even if the characters were impossible to put up with up until this point. While the revelation of the trip’s progress and result tied to Jonah’s mental institution escape are fruitfully uneventful, its dedication to its craft is authentic and not forced when compared to most films in its class.
Dark Ride, as a slasher experience, makes no attempt to be darkly elaborate or to impress its viewers with polished production values. While this does not sound at all interesting on paper, so many films during the early 2000s focused on elevating the status quo when films like this embraced the traditional slasher for what it was and were impenitent in its approach. Slashers likeDark Ridewalked in the early 2000sso films likeTerrifiercould run, showing that there will always be a place for the traditional slasher in all of its glory.
