zoë rose bryant’s review published on Letterboxd:
Hell Fest doesn’t take full advantage of its gnarly premise, but it’s still a schlocky good time for horror fans, and it’s a suitable B-movie for the Halloween season.
If you’re looking for deep characters or a substantial plot, you’re in the wrong place; Hell Fest lives and dies on the appeal of its killer atmosphere first and foremost (and total props to the production design team - this haunted park looked fantastic). The dialogue starts off rather clunky in the first act as we’re introduced to our cast of characters/targets, but things smooth out somewhat once they arrive to the titular event. Although her character Natalie isn’t given much development, Amy Forsyth eventually comes into her own in the “final girl” role, and she suitably kicks ass, especially in a surprisingly sturdy climax. But as I mentioned before, the true star of the movie is the set. As an avid fan of horror attractions such as this, I felt that the film nearly perfectly captured this eerie environment and while it certainly is more fun to experience these parks for yourself, Hell Fest proves there’s some entertainment value in watching others subjected to this terror as well.
The film’s mysterious antagonist (known only as, “the Other”) is largely a blank slate, and his lack of motivation or meaning may be irritating to some. Aside from these drawbacks, he remains a frightful presence and threat throughout most of the story, and he certainly doesn’t lack efficiency in the kills department (one involving a variation of the carnival “strongman” game paritucularly sticks out).
Director Gregory Plotkin, best known for editorial work on Get Out and Happy Death Day, has certainly learned quite a bit when it comes to staging a scare and ratcheting tension. Even if most of his frights rely on jumps or “gotcha!” moments, a few are fairly effective, and he does manage to subvert more expectations when it comes to the aforementioned suspenseful climax.
Hell Fest is a total throwback to the guilty pleasure slasher flicks of the 80s and the 90s, and while it may lack in traditional story or character development, it’s worth a watch for any genre fan who just wants some sneaky spooks and kinetic kills in time for the month of October.
