Director – Brandon Guiles (Peggy, Lower Spirits)
Starring – Ty French (Black Doorway), Carolyn Coffee (Lower Spirits, Peggy), and Jeramey Mosher (All My Friends Are Dead, Lower Spirits)
Release Date – 2024
Rating – 3.5/5
I’ve met a lot of filmmakers over the years that truly impressed me. They make the films they want to see without exploiting trends or fads that may pop in horror from time to time. While I am an avid fan of exploitation, I still love original and off beat genre titles from time to time. One filmmaker that continues to do his own thing while turning out impressive films is Brandon Guiles.
Over the years I had been fortunate enough to review his films All My Friends Are Dead and Peggy which are fantastic films that march to the beat of their own drum. Recently, he announced a new film that would hopefully answer the age old question “What Happens After the Massacre?” Brandon was kind enough to send the film my way for review and for that I want to thank him!
**Spoiler alert** The film follows a summer camp that is trying to reopen their doors the day after a maniac in a mask killed several people there. Now, the counselors are tasked with getting the camp ready for the campers while the masked killer is still lurking in the woods. **Spoiler alert**
What Happens After the Massacre? is not what I was expecting at all and I think that may be why I liked it as much as I did. I went into this one thinking I was about to watch a dark thriller or drama about a group of final girls or the like reminiscing about losing their friends to a slasher. Instead, we get a pretty straight forward slasher that does somewhat fit the title but could have went in another direction with the naming of the film. Regardless, I really liked it even if it wasn’t the film I was expecting.
The acting in this one is very well done. The film is not only directed by, but stars Guiles along with several familiar and fresh faces. They deliver natural dialogue and all their characters are grounded for the most part. A few of the scenes are a little stiff but it’s nothing that takes aware from the overall film.
The story for this one is a bit of a stretch but still flows like a traditional slasher. So we have two greedy camp owners who refuse to shut down after several people are murdered and the killer is never found. It’s very silly in that regard and anyone watching it knows the police would shut it down to investigate. However, if you look passed that you will find a solid slasher that takes us back to the woods where it all began.
Finally, the film has some bloody moments but budget is clearly a factor here so the effects are minimal. The crew did the best with what they had and they work for the film but gorehounds may be a bit disappointed. Overall, What Happens After the Massacre? is a slasher for genre fans that grew up on made for television movies and shows like Are You Afraid of the Dark?. It pays tribute to the golden age of the sub-genre but doesn’t offer up the memorable kills that many slasher fans are looking for. Regardless, I enjoyed it and highly recommend it.
