ALL THE BOYS LOVE MANDY LANE (2013) : MOVIE REVIEW

All The Boys Love Mandy Lane is one gorgeous slasher gem

Director: Jonathan Levine

Starring:  Amber Heard, Michael Welch, Whitney Ableand Anson Mount

Studios: Senator Entertainment
RADiUS-TWC (US)
Occupant Films
Optimum Releasing (UK)

Release Dates: September 9, 2006 (TIFF)

February 15, 2008 (UK)

October 11, 2013(US: Limited)

Plot:  A group of popular high schoolers who invite an attractive outsider, Mandy Lane, to spend the weekend at a secluded ranch house, where they are followed by a merciless killer.

I’ve heard about this little film from Jonathan Levine right after the success of his zombie romcom film Warm Bodies (2013). After doing some reading, I’ve found out that this film was actually made way back in 2006. But due to problems with it’s distributor, it was shelved for years until it was finally released in 2013.

This is the first time that I was able to watch it and I’m quite impressed at how good the film turned out to be. Here’s my quick review of the film.

A Typical Teen Slasher?

At first glance, the film looked like the typical slasher film that we’ve seen before. A group of teens go to a secluded place, starts drinking and smoking drugs, and in most cases, ends up having sex, until the killer kills them off one by one. In the end, the ‘good’ girl of the group is the only one left alive. That’s exactly how this movie plays out. Only that the film gives the viewers a sharp stab by the end of the film with it’s twists and turns.

This movie is quite intelligent. This is the kind of film that really ‘thinks’. It draws similarities with other slashers like Scream (1996) but incorporates the looks of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974). It follows the usual horror tropes at times but manages to be different at every point. That’s what makes this film really enjoyable to watch.

A Very Gritty Look

But unlike the Scream movies, this film has a very gritty look compared to the latter’s glossy appearance. All The Boys Love Mandy Lane kinda resembles an old film, like those of of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) with it’s grainy appearance.

 I don’t know if this was part of the director’s instructions but it really made the film looked so good on screen. It gives the viewer a feeling of nostalgia. It’s as if we were watching a very old film, like those from the 70’s or 80’s. But with a modern setting.

In addition to the film’s appearance, another thing that I loved about this film was it’s great cinematography. I love those long, wide shots of one of the characters running through the plain fields of the farm while the killer is in pursuit. It was so terrifying to watch as it gives this weird feeling that I’m a witness to  a crime happening not very far from me but I can’t do anything but to watch them get caught and die in the arms of the killer. The way those shots were made were just so amazing.

A Slasher Above The Rest

Aside from all these technical aspects of the film, I also liked to commend the movie because it’s characters were so empathetic. The characterization of these teens were so great that you really feel sad whenever one of them gets killed. Unlike most slashers where you enjoy watching the characters get killed in various, inventive ways, here you will feel depressed and saddened by their death. It’s actually weird considering that most of these teens are nothing but bullies but the way their real personas were introduced to the audience makes us root for them somehow.

And this makes the film really more terrifying. Every time the killer runs after one of them, you can really feel the fear in each one of them because you fear for their lives. A part of you want to see them get killed but another half of you wants to see them get out of this film alive.

Verdict:

I must say that this is definitely one of the best slasher films of this generation. It has great talents in it-from the cast to the director and writers. Plus, I really loved the gorgeous look of the film. You don’t see a lot of that these days.

If I were to come up with my own list of the best slasher films of this generation, I’d say this one would be in my top 10. A must watch for all genre fans out there. Lovely.

I'm giving this 5 out of 5 stars.

Trailer - All the Boys Love Mandy Lane... by WaymanOdus