THE MUTILATOR is just another slasher in the endless number of slashers made during the 1980s. This one is particularly tacky. The acting is bad (some more than others) and the story is as complex as a Bazooka bubble gum joke. The only redeeming aspect of this horror flick wannabe is the gore. Though not always convincing, the gore is much more present than most slashers of the same period. This includes a blond guy (really bad actor) who gets a chainsaw in his stomach or a girl getting a huge fish hook through her crotch. Ick. Aside from the gore, the film is totally unremarkable. There's a scene at an indoor pool, which is drawn out and not very satisfying. And the ending is more funny than shocking. The beginning of the film, with the boy killing his mom by accident, is probably the only original aspect in the entire film. But just after that, when we see the title of the movie (red and dripping like blood), we hear a typically bad 1980s pop song as the opening credit roll. Well, that really sets us in the mood for a horror movie...not! Compare this tacky credits with the one in HALOOWEEN and it's obvious to see that the folks who made THE MUTILATOR knew very little about horror.
Review of The Mutilator
