Kristy (2014) Review – A Formulaic and Logic-Defying Festive Slasher
Kristy: Quick Verdict
The Verdict: A functional but ultimately forgettable slasher that struggles to justify its own existence despite an intriguing, isolated setting. Kristy (2014) succeeds in its first act by building a decent sense of atmosphere within the abandoned university campus, but this tension quickly evaporates under the weight of massive plot holes. Haley Bennett provides a standard, if unremarkable, lead performance, while Ashley Greene adds a much-needed spark of menace as the villainous Violet. Unfortunately, the technical production – from the manic, poorly-framed cinematography to the intrusive sound design – often distracts from the on-screen action. Kristy is a movie that begs the audience to ignore its lack of logic in favour of simple, high-speed thrills. It is an acceptable 2.5 star “switch-your-brain-off” watch for Thanksgiving, but it lacks the polish and cleverness to stay with you once the credits roll. It is strictly for slasher completionists.
Details: Director: Olly Blackburn | Cast: Haley Bennett, Ashley Greene, Lucas Till | Runtime: 1h 26m | Release Date: 2014
Best for: Fans of simple, cat-and-mouse survival thrillers and those who enjoy “revenge” pivots in their slasher movies.
Worth noting: The film was originally titled Satanic before being re-branded as Kristy for its international release.
Where to Watch: VOD, Amazon🛒
Rating: 2.5/5 Stars
(A mediocre and logic-defying campus slasher that trades narrative coherence for formulaic thrills and a derivative revenge-driven final act.)
Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today we are reviewing Kristy (2014).
Highlights
Another Thanksgiving themed slasher
Set on a university campus, Kristy, directed by Olly Blackburn, follows student Justine (Haley Bennett) in a violent fight for survival. Everyone is leaving for the holiday but Justine is forced to stay behind. Alone in a big, empty, college, Justine will have more to worry about than simply boredom. A vicious group of killers, led by crazy girl Violet (Ashley Greene), are determined to make her life hell. This is a film that actually aims to flip the whole slasher thing on its head. It reads as a pretty standard genre film before transforming into more of a revenge flick.
“Kristy gets creative around the halfway mark. Things switch up and the hunters kind of become the hunted. It is standard slasher fare but the change is welcome to keep things feeling fresh.”
It’s a familiar start but one that takes place in an atypical location. The campus is huge and almost completely abandoned. It’s going to play host to some dramatic cat-and-mouse shenanigans but we need to meet our gang of Dark Web snuff film creating villains first. Justine heads to the shop and has a chance encounter with a few members of the group. That’s all the exposition you are getting because it’s time to get to the violence. The group follow Justine to the campus and the struggle is on.
It takes about 20 minutes for things to start going wrong for Justine so we aren’t waiting too long to get to the action. As with most slasher movies, once things get going they don’t let up. Expect tense moments, near misses, and a hell of a lot of running. In an attempt to subvert expectation, Kristy gets creative around the halfway mark. Things switch up and the hunters kind of become the hunted. It’s standard slasher fare but the change is welcome to keep things feeling fresh.
Holiday scares and an interesting setting
I have got to lean into this location a little because it is so stupid. There is no way this campus would be completely abandoned. That almost never happens, even over holidays. Are we supposed to believe that Justine is the only student poor enough to have to stay? Her boyfriend drives an expensive Land Rover but can’t sub her the money for a plane ticket? I guess he is okay with her spending the holiday in abject loneliness.
I think it is fair to say that this might be the first sign of Kristy coming undone. It’s very clear that the writer wanted a unique setup regardless of how believable that scenario is. It works but it is just one suspension of disbelief among many in this film.
The abandoned university is an undeniably creepy venue for a horror movie. Completely alone, Justine bounces around the rooms almost lost in the tremendous amount of space. Justine feels insignificant and very vulnerable. Olly Blackburn does a nice job of building a tense atmosphere but he is going to be begging you to ignore the massive leaps of logic coming up.
Unrealised potential
The potential offered by the first 20 minutes quickly evaporates. The university, despite being a fascinating setting leads to some painful plot holes. Aside from the aforementioned strangeness of the situation, there is tons of land surrounding it. There is no gate at the entrance to prevent someone entering or leaving on foot. A person could simply exit around the front car barrier if they wanted to. You know, for example, somebody who was being chased by a maniacal cult. Are we really supposed to believe that Justine would prefer to stay on campus?
“This chick would rather turn commando than leave via the front door. It cuts through the tension like a knife because it is so farcical.”
It cuts through the tension like a knife because it is so farcical. This chick would rather turn commando than leave via the front door. It’s not the only problem, though. Scenes that should be scary are all too brief and the carefully established tension is incredibly fleeting. Justine is repeatedly placed into confined rooms that act almost like set pieces. Hide, move, hide move; it is painfully formulaic.
Boring tropes persist throughout and poor camera work undermines much of the atmosphere. There is almost an urgency to get through each encounter, too that means nothing is allowed to simmer. Justine is a frequently dim protagonist that is always putting herself in harm’s way. That’s not to mention the omnipresent villains that are somehow always on her tail. It’s extremely familiar and painfully derivative.
Acting is generally good
I’ve seen people really rave about Haley Bennett’s portrayal of Justine in this movie but I don’t get it. Much like Nicole Munoz in Pyewacket, she rarely emotes. Bennett either has a blank expression or is crying. Her character doesn’t leave Bennett much to work with, though. She is beyond dumb and does the wrong thing in almost every situation purely to build tension.
Ashley Greene as Violet is really decent. She fully puts her back into the moodiness of the role. I enjoyed the creepiness of her line delivery and thought she had the potential to be a scene stealer. Honestly, I would have been happy to see more of her.
I wish we could have had a few extra scenes of Mathew St. Patrick as security guard Wayne. He showed bags of promise. James Ransone as groundskeeper Scott is, unfortunately, reduced to a disappointing bit-part. Most of the characters are formulaic horror fodder and there is very little meat for the cast to chew on.
Disappointing cinematography, scripting and sound production
Cinematography is, frankly, a bit dull which is disappointing given the impressive location. It’s the location that kind of forces the camera’s hand in this situation, though. Closely placed shots bounce around manically to try and create a sense of chaos and restriction. It’s as though they are being filmed by a backpedaling Barney the Dinosaur. Remember, this place is enormous so it’s up to the scene to create the tension. It rarely works.
“If you are looking for something clever, tense, and scary, you should probably give it a miss. The writing is poor, the thrills predictable, and the twists silly.”
The 2.35:1 aspect ratio images look crisp and sharp. The majority of the framing, however, leaves a lot to be desired. The camera hovers around upper chest height for much of the film. This leads to some genuinely awkward moments. One scene, in particular, is noteworthy as the camera is placed so high it fails to capture Aaron reaching into his pocket. For a worrying second there it looks like he is about to whip out his knob in the middle of a car park.
There are some standout moments, though. I enjoyed some of the underwater stuff. There are also a few Mothman Prophecies-esque scenes while Justine is driving with trippy lights and ambient visual noise. These look okay. A few interesting parts here and there don’t make up for a generally uninspired picture, though. I doubt the movie will stay with you.
Scripting is bad; lines feel stilted and awkward. This is particularly noteworthy with the bad guys who have motivations that are simply cringe-inducing. Conversations between Justine and Aaron feel particularly unnatural, too. The sound production makes it seem as though the characters have a mic next to their mouths. Kissing scenes are sure to trigger anyone with misophonia so be warned. Justine and Aaron are one of those “you aren’t really kissing if people can’t hear it in the next room” types. All in all, it is just a boring, forgettable, and sometimes frustrating production.
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
The Good
- Ashley Greene: Brings a genuine sense of intensity to her role as Violet, standing out as the film’s most memorable character.
- Creepy Setting: The abandoned university campus is an effective venue, providing a vast and isolating backdrop.
- Revenge Pivot: Having the protagonist fight back in the second half keeps the story from feeling completely stagnant.
The Bad
- Nonsensical Logic: The film relies on several unbelievable scenarios, from the empty campus to the protagonist’s refusal to leave.
- Boring Tropes: From the omniscient villains to the dim protagonist, the movie leans heavily on clichéd slasher beats.
- Poor Technical Choices: Manic cinematography and awkward framing frequently undermine the established atmosphere.
The Ugly: The Villains’ Motivation. The Dark Web cult angle feels forced and cringe-inducing, lacking any real chilling impact.
Should You Watch Kristy?
Maybe. It is a 2.5 star film that offers basic slasher thrills for those looking for a non-taxing holiday watch. If you can push aside the massive plot holes, the action is entertaining enough. However, if you want a horror movie with substance and original scares, this is likely one to skip. It is a formulaic production that prioritises speed over logic.
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