The Final Terror

 
     I love a good ole' woodsy slasher, guys. And THE FINAL TERROR is a perfect example of one. This little seen 80's slasher deals with a group of forest rangers on a job, despite local warnings from their driver to stay away. Once they enter the woods, someone or something doesn't like it, and starts picking them off one by one... Sound familiar? It should, because this is basically the same plot as JUST BEFORE DAWN, with traces of DELIVERANCE, THE BURNING, FRIDAY THE 13TH, and HUMONGOUS all thrown in a blender, and you act like that's a bad thing? Give me a group of people out in some dark woods being menaced by an unseen killer any day. Like I said, I love a good ole' woodsy slasher.

     I liked alot about THE FINAL TERROR. Great cinematography, for one. Interesting, likeable characters with 80's staples Rachel Ward, Daryl Hannah, Adrian Zmed, Mark Metcalf, and Joe Pantoliano appearing doesn't hurt either. It's got a good story and a bitchin' 80's opening score. I love that it offers the time-honored scene that every woodsy slasher must have, and you know what I'm talking about-it's the cast huddled around a campfire at night in the woods, all breathlessly listening to a male character telling the story of the local spooky legend that conveniently lets the audience in on the plot and which usually ends up in another character jumping out at the right moment and scaring the shit out of everyone scene we all know and love. I also dig the fact that once the killing starts, the rangers don't cower in fear and act stupid- instead, they gear up, camouflage themselves, band together, and go into total survival mode against their unseen enemy. All set against some gorgeously filmed forests and rivers.

     This movie is far better than its reputation. Trust me, I've seen far worse in the world of slasher films. There's some decent scares and suspense in the film and I don't really understand the criticism it gets sometimes. THE FINAL TERROR makes a great double feature with JUST BEFORE DAWN, if you're into double features, that is. It's definitely an interesting slasher that's generally known to be released anywhere from 1981 to 1984 (I believe it was actually released in 1983, to be exact...) and also known as CARNIVORE or CAMPSITE MASSACRE. Good stuff indeed.