Final Exam (1981) (Blu-ray Review)
Directed By: Jimmy Huston
Starring: Cecile Bagdadi, Joel S. Rice
Rated: R/Region A/1:77/1080p/Number of Discs 1
Available from Scream Factory
At Lanier College, the semester is almost over. Exam week is coming to a close when some upper classmen play a prank by staging a phony terrorist attack. It’s super funny. But the next moment of excitement at the school won’t be a prank. And it’s something a lot more final than an exam. Students are falling prey to a knife-wielding maniac stalking the school, bent on making sure that for some, school is out…forever!
When this film came out, when compared to most slashers, it didn’t go over that well. The film has a slow pace. Little blood is actually in it. Also, until the last twenty or thirty minutes, there’s not that much killing. Over the years this film sill has been able to gain a bit of a following and I can kinda understand why. While on the surface we have unmasked brute of a killer, who is calmly walking around and killing kids for no apparent reason (which is probably the best reason in film). The film does pride it’s self on being a bit different and at least setting a good atmosphere if nothing else. You can also tell we have a cast of people on our hands that are really enjoying what they are doing, namely the character of Wild Man, who is played on an 11 from a 1 to 10 scale. We also don’t our typical leading lady and people get killed you might not have expected.
Going against the grain to most typical slashers, Final Exam, didn’t focus on blood and gore. Instead it followed the characters and their development more. As a result it may be a more friendly slasher to the average movie goer who isn’t all about the sex and gore that most slashers are known form. I didn’t hate the characters, I didn’t even hate the average Joe of a killer the movie has. I even dug that fact that it leaves you with more questions than answers, showing more of a flavor of the original Halloween than a Friday the 13th film. I do, however, wish there was a faster pace and a little more blood. But I don’t think it’s bad by any means and props are given for playing things out of the norm and having a cool third act. Taken from the camera negative, the transfer looks really clean and clear for the most part with only minor soft shots. You do wonder if maybe it is a blessing and a curse as our brooding killer is more clear and easy to see than you might recall in other versions.
– Audio Commentary with Cast Memembers
– Interviews with Cast Members
– Trailer
