One of the frustrations for slasher fans has always been the paucity of gore, as the early 1980s ones were censored, and the 90s revival avoided it. Here it is poured on generously, with Jenkins and Kiewe giving thanks at the end to Tom Savini and his school of makeup effects. The practical gore is a revelation, churning up the revulsion that should accompany a killing spree of children. Despite my past as a seasoned gorehound, I found myself jumping in reaction several times at the ferocity of the splatter. People are not just stabbed and fall down. They are mutilated and turned into puddles.
Last of the Grads also summon one of my favorite slasher traditions of creative make-shift weapons, using a variety of objects to murder people. You would think death by a copying machine would be funny, but it ends up brutal. This may also set a body count record, as it easily reaches the double digits most slasher movies never get near. The mask looks great too. That’s one bad bunny!
“The practical gore is a revelation…”
The film looks slick and well done, similar to the horror offerings of the 90s. The spare use of music enhances the dread, as we often see the killer stalking in silence to great effect. Lang’s Emma follows the slasher revival method of final girls being pretty and popular instead of the traditional awkward outcast mold. This means Lang has to work hard to convince the audience not to root for her demise. By the time she is running around covered in more blood than Carrie, we are completely on her side. Cal pulls off the same with Steve, with specific scenes set up with other a*****e jocks to show how better than that he is. It is hard for many to identify and sympathize with the beautiful people, but Lang and Cal have the chops and the script for that alchemy to happen.
By marrying the 1980s and 90s slasher tropes, Last of the Grads creates a lethal classical composite that will tear your head off. If you are a fan of horror, which is part of Generation X’s bedrock, then this will be a breath of fresh, bloody air. You do not know how precious life can be until you see several heads caved in.
"…one of the greatest slasher movies ever made."
