Axeman at Cutter’s Creek – Movie Review (2/5)

Axeman at Cutter’s Creek​ is a new horror movie. Or really, a version was released back in 2013. However, this is supposedly the “new and improved” version of the movie. Yet, our reviewer wasn’t exactly impressed. Read our full Axeman at Cutter’s Creek review here!

​At the outset of this review, some of you may be thinking, “Didn’t an Axeman movie come out like 10 years ago? Is Heaven of Horror that backlogged for movies?”

#1: Yes. #2: How dare you?!?! (Just kidding 😊).

Let’s review Axeman at Cutter’s Creek…

Never-before-seen footage

In 2013, a film entitled Axeman (nee Axeman at Cutter’s Creek) was released in limited theaters, clocking in at 1 hour 45 min and earning a 27% on Rotten Tomatoes. Per a recent article on Nerdly, Axeman’s director, writer, and co-star Joston Theney noted that the release of the 2013 film was “rushed, and we never really put our movie’s best foot forward.”

Naturally, Theney recut the film (which we’re reviewing here): “This one’ll include never-before-seen footage and a slicker, faster 80-minute run-time. What really killed me was not wrapping up the film as originally intended… But this release of Axeman At Cutter’s Creek course-corrects the ship…” (Nerdly).

While I have not seen the original cut of the film, I believe that any movie deemed entertaining and interesting should stand on its own as such. Alas, Axeman at Cutter’s Creek did not.

Absurdities abound in Axeman at Cutter’s Creek

Even if you have not seen the original cut, Axeman at Cutter’s Creek is a film that every horror fan (and even non-fan) has seen before:

A bevy of sexually charged 20-something-year-olds make their way up to a mountain cabin for a weekend, only to be hunted by the titular serial killer. In this case, the “Axeman” (see image below) portrayed by former professional basketball player, Scot Pollard.

Tries hard but fails

Given its simple concept, Axeman at Cutter’s Creek is without tricks, twists, mystery, or suspense. In short, Axeman at Cutter’s Creek is a classic ‘80s slasher… or, unfortunately, might have tried too hard to be.

‘80s slashers were peak campiness, a definitive period in the history of horror. Since then, some films have done well to simultaneously emulate this nostalgia while also invoking modern elements to both celebrate and advance the slasher subgenre (Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, The Cabin in the Woods, Happy Death Day).

However, Axeman at Cutter’s Creek does not achieve either of these aims, perpetually stuck with an underdeveloped premise.

Weak and excessively raunchy

Despite its rare attempts at satire, occasional moments of real humor (i.e., a character’s clothing with the words, “Horror Apparel”), and some truly creative kill scenes, Axeman at Cutter’s Creek’s quality is diluted.

It’s diluted by a weak, excessively raunchy screenplay about superficial, tedious characters portrayed by actors’ whose talents seemed to far exceed the quality of the script provided.

Ultimately, the film’s most fatal flaw was that it tried too hard to be a campy ‘80s-like slasher flick, overly relying on both gory kill sequences (at the expense of any backstory as to serial killer’s motivation) and empty dialogue that felt more contrived than campy/cheesy.

Examples include unexpected yet cliched references to Apocalypse Now, Jerry Maguire, and Lord of the Dance).

Watch Axeman at Cutter’s Creek (2020) starting May 7

While some subpar films recognize themselves as just that, thereby excelling on its self-awareness, this is not one of those films.

Axeman at Cutter’s Creek’s overly ambitious efforts at a superficial campy slasher flick largely detracts from some of its more entertaining features (e.g., a surprisingly good soundtrack; inventive kill sequences, including one in which the axeman used part of a victim’s own ribcage as a weapon against that same victim).

Recommendation: Skip it

Axeman At Cutter’s Creek is out in major VOD platforms on May 7, 2021.

Details

Director: Joston Theney
Writer: Joston Theney
Stars: Tiffany Shepis, Brinkes Stevens, Elissa Dowling, Jamie Bernadette, Erin Maria Hogan, Scot Pollard