“Now they see what you’re capable of.”
Horror is having a moment in the mid-2020s, with several high profile releases over the past few years that have once more pushed the genre into the mainstream. However, while that prestige sheen has helped expand the genre beyond the diehard fans, horror hounds don’t often feel the need for mainstream or critical approval when it comes to the genre they love. This doesn’t mean they’re not discerning, just far more accepting of flawed films so long as they deliver the goods (i.e. gore, clever kills, and solid scares).
The 2023 short horror film Die’ced garnered attention and secured its writer/director Jeremy Rudd the opportunity to expand his story to feature length, which he did with Die’ced Reloaded. In fact, the first act of the film almost feels like a sequel to a movie that already exists but actually doesn’t, something another horror throwback film, In a Violent Nature, did to great effect last year. Where that film had Friday the 13th baked into its DNA, Die’ced Reloaded seems born of a marriage between the Terrifier films and the late-80s to mid-90s Halloween sequels.
Set on and around Halloween 1987, the film follows Benny (Jason Brooks), a murderous serial killer who has spent the last two decades confined to a mental institution. When Benny escapes with the help of a sympathetic nurse (Christine Rose Allen), he disguises himself in a scarecrow costume to wreak some havoc in town.
Meanwhile, high schooler Cassandra (Eden Campbell) is balancing a flourishing social life with a sad-sack father (Nigel Vonas) who hasn’t been the same since her mother abandoned the family. A night of teenaged revelry soon turns to terror when Cassandra and her partying friends run afoul of Benny, putting the young woman on a collision course with destiny.
There’s nothing groundbreaking or formula-shattering about Die’ced Reloaded, though that never seems to be its main ambition. One can immediately tell that this is a film made by horror hounds for horror hounds, and while that can be limiting in many ways, it’s also proof that not every movie has to be for every person. If there’s one thing that shines through in Die’ced Reloaded, it’s an honest to goodness love and admiration for horror’s past. Writer/director Rudd clearly grew up in the horror section of his local video store, and brings that love with him to every aspect of this film’s construction.
Despite this throwback-y vibe, however, the film also feels equally indebted to the low-budget/maximum-gore aesthetic of the aforementioned Terrifier films. Not having seen any of those films, I’m unable to draw any further parallels, but Die’ced Reloaded is clearly trying to pack as much blood, gore, and viscera into its running time as possible, which seems to be that particular franchise’s stock in trade.
None of this is to say that the film is without its flaws, the most glaring of which is the inconsistent cinematography by Tylor Jones. The composition and framing are mostly good, but the lighting is terribly inconsistent and at times, it’s virtually impossible to see what’s going on in the frame. Moreover, the performances by the cast—with the notable exception of leads Eden Campbell and Jason Brooks—are uneven, with some lines so badly delivered, they elicit unintentional laughter.
On balance, however, these are issues that plague plenty of low-budget horror films. Filmmakers are often forced to compromise in all areas of the production when budgets are tight, so it will be interesting to see what Rudd does if and when he gets a bigger budget. There’s obvious talent on display both in front of and behind the camera, but Die’ced Reloaded isn’t a wholly successful film. Whether it’s a victim of budget and cast limitations or just plain old incompetence, I don’t see it having mass appeal. But as I said earlier, not every film has to be for every person, but the diehard horror hounds are likely to be the only ones to really garner anything from this experience.
Header image via Epic Pictures