If your favorite kind of movie involves high body counts, 80s nostalgia, and enough fake blood to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool, then stop scrolling. I just watched New Fears Eve, and boy, do I have thoughts.
We’ve all dreaded a mandatory work event, but the employees at Hooper are having a particularly rough night. Three friends are dragging their feet to the annual New Year’s bash. However, an uninvited guest has decided to crash the party.
The guest? A charming fellow known as “The Doctor,” played by Jesse McDonald, and he’s an instant cult-classic villain. He rocks a plague doctor mask paired with a black-and-red suit (honestly, a look), and he has that classic Michael Myers “I’m walking slow, but I’m still faster than you” swagger.
He isn’t picky with his tools, either. Scalpels, scissors, baseball bats—if it can kill you, he’s using it. The kills are creative and gut-wrenching (literally), and they rely heavily on practical effects, which I absolutely loved. My hats off to directors Eric Huskisson and P.J. Starks (the 13 Slays Till X-Mas team).
This flick is a combo of horror and comedy that hits the ground running. When I say it doesn’t waste time, I mean it: five people are brutally slaughtered within the first three minutes!
The lineup is a “Who’s Who” of horror icons, Felissa Rose (Sleepaway Camp), Dave Sheridan (Scary Movie), Hannah Fierman (V/H/S), and Jeffrey Reddick (the creator of Final Destination himself!) makes a rare and welcome on-screen appearance.
But the real MVP is Lily-Claire Harvey. She has “Final Girl” written all over her. I expect we’ll see her a lot in the near future. To be honest, I don’t know how she kept a straight face while Matthew Tichenor was dropping endless puns and cheesy one-liners.
I have to give a quick shout-out to the filmmakers for a very cool Easter egg. At one point, a victim is lying on a table wearing an official HorrorFuel.com shirt! It was a total surprise, and I’m officially sending a “bloody” thank you to Eric and P.J. for the love.
Like all good things it had to come to an end and it was a bold choice. I won’t spoil it, but it leaves the door wide open for a sequel—and I am 100% down for New Fears Eve 2.
It’s funny, it’s filthy, it’s bloody and it’s a total blast for slasher fans. The good news is, you don’t have to wait to watch it; it’s streaming now on Screambox and Amazon Prime Video!
