Gutterballs (2008) (DVD Review)
Director: Ryan Nicholson
Where to get it: TLAvideo
A brutally sadistic rape leads to a series of bizarre gory murders during a midnight disco bowl-a-rama at a popular bowling alley. One by one, players of two teams meet blood-drenched gruesome deaths at the hand of a black bowling-gloved masked killer. This alley runs red with blood by sunrise.This crazy slasher film is made by Canadian director Ryan Nicholson. And this is his second film behind Live Feed.
Gutterballs takes us to the bowling alley where we have a cast of very weird and unpleasant characters. This however isn’t a problem at all because it makes it all the more fun when we see these unpleasant people be killed off in gruesome and bloody fashion as the movie progresses. The film gives us everything we love about slasher films only the level is raised to eleven on the blood and graphic nature of what we see. Also the film is clearly influenced by such grindhouse favorites like I Spit on Your Grave. When you add all those elements up you end up with what might be the best original slasher film that we have seen in years.
I wouldn’t go as far as to say that most of these actors put on prize winning performances. Outside of our man running the bowling alley, things are pretty average to fair in that department. But I am here to tell you that in this case that doesn’t seem to matter at all. In this odd environment and with this unique killer and the content that comes with it, it seems to just fit accordingly. Now when I say this film is graphic I mean that whole heartedly. We see graphic violence, sexual acts, and a lot of things that could make the average movie fans very uncomfortable. But if you love gore and violence, Gutterballs, is the perfect movie for you.
(8/10)
Features
– Director’s Commentary
– Behind the Balls: The Making of Gutterballs
– Trailer
– Still Gallery
