I'm still trying to figure out what I think of this movie " Lost After Dark". I can honestly say that I didn't totally hate it.
Let me point out the things that I didn't like first. There was next to no character development, so you really could care less about any of the characters. The only character that they tried to give a story to, didn't matter, because she was slaughtered first ( and I MEAN slaughtered!).
They tried their best to do what they could to try to give this movie an 80's retro feel. I feel like in some ways, they tried too hard. I thought I was going to be seeing the girls carrying around Cabbage Patch Kids dolls and yes, there was a Rubix Cube. They should have used cameras or film to really give it that retro look. A great example of a newer film that looks like it was from yesteryear, is "The House Of The Devil".
The all original soundtrack was cheesy but passable. The acting wasn't as terrible as a lot of horror movies. The killer looked like Rob Zombie or at least his brother. However, I'd like to say that under all that beard and mess, ole Junior Joad really cleans up well. He is actually the totally HOT actor, Mark Wiebe. I loved him in the Hallmark or Lifetime Christmas movie " A Very Merry Mix Up". Though Mark and most of the other cast members are newer to the movie game, they did manage to secure one really big name. Robert Patrick. You might remember him from ( Terminator 2, The Unit, X Files, True Blood, Sons of Anarchy and a million other big moves and TV shows). Robert played Mr. C, an Ex Vietnam War vet, now turned fast car driving, disco blasting, High School Principal.
I know that they wanted to do something clever by having the film look melted and say "Reel Missing" when the girl gets her foot caught in a bear trap ( the second bear trap used in the movie, btw) but I think we the viewers felt a bit cheated, since there was no way she could have gotten out of that situation, especially with the sexy Mark.. err I mean Junior right on top of her. Also, was this girl made of steel? She basically had tiny ankle socks on and skin tight spandex pants. A bear trap would have ripped her foot and leg to shreds, yet, not only does she run and get along really well, but she manages to fall off a roof of a house and still keeps on getting on? I do not think so. On the upside, if she wanted to audition for "Fame" or "Flashdance" she'd be ready to go!
You have eight of the dumbest and the worst friends a friend could ever have, who obviously all live by the motto, "everyone for themselves"! Let's let our friend get strung up like a mutilated scarecrow but save our own asses instead. The "tough girl" just stands there as her friend gets his eye slowly impaled on a broken window ( that looked more like a knife than a shard of glass, btw). I mean, she could have filed and painted her nails in the time it took him to get killed. Yet she just stood there watching and screaming. Completely useless.
Until the movie really starts going (i.e. the murders, about the middle to the end) it is one long, drawn out boring movie. This would have been a great chance to do that character development that they never do. Unless of course you count the one girl saying "oh yeah, by the way, my sister went missing and this peace sign necklace belongs to her, because I gave it to her". Of course, her wonderful friends really don't even care and the subject is dropped.
These were some cold, unfeeling teenagers. I mean, the one girl broke her own cute little doggie's neck to save her own life. That's one cold ass b@#ch. Wait, is this the cast of teens from "The Rivers Edge"?
Now onto the things I did like. There were some pretty good kills. The HOT hunk, Mark Wiebe was in it. Oh did I mention that Mark Wiebe was in it? Of course, the brilliant Robert Patrick , some super groovy and totally rad disco music. Though it sounded more contemporary than retro, but I'll let that one go.
I LOVE the 80's New Wave song " I'm Not There" by John Kessler,Ariel Rechtshaid and Justin Raisen, that was used in the film. Though it is not an official release, I was able to find it. It's awesome!
Also interesting to note, Every male victim is named after a slasher film director (i.e. - Wes 'Craven', Johnnie 'Carpenter', Tobe 'Hooper', Sean 'Cunningham'). Every female is named after a final girl actress from the classics (Heather 'Lagenkamp', Jamie 'Lee Curtis', Marilyn 'Burns', Adrienne 'King').
All in all, it's not the greatest, could be better, enjoyable and watchable.
My biggest complaint is that we did not get to see a shirtless Mark Wiebe. Now c'mon guys, that's a total waste of pure eye candy.
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