Film Review: Behind the Mask - The Rise of Leslie Vernon

I’ve complained many times about the state of the horror film industry; that the prevalence of mindless and plotless Torture-Porn films and cookie-cutter remakes of classic films has left little to admire in the current landscape.

Despite feeling this way, I have made an ardent attempt to keep watching new material so that I can be an honest critic and in the hope that every so often I’ll run across something special.

I’m pleased to report that this is one of those times.

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon is both a parody and a loving homage to the history of Slasher films. Our titular hero worships guys like Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger. The catch is that he thinks they’re all real and he isn’t the only one.

In the world of our story Leslie, his mentor and others in his profession view the famous anti-heroes above as legends whose exploits are so renowned that they’ve had films made about them. Leslie is hoping to be the next big thing and as such spends his time honing his craft as a film crew documents his process. Leslie explains how he searches for a victim with the right characteristics and the right circle of friends to prey on. In one memorable scene we watch as Leslie, who’s hidden in the bushes, lures his chosen adversary outside of her work and then closes the door unexpectedly behind her.

The above example is a classic horror-flick jump scare and the film takes great glee illustrating Leslie’s MacGyver technique in rigging the door. Leslie talks at length about the rigors of trying to become an iconic killer, stating that it “takes a lot of cardio” to keep up with a fleeing victim.

One of the most interesting things about the film is the shifting tone. I don’t want to go into too much detail and give away the good bits, but I will say that the film is played straight and that decision informs how the events unfold.

This movie is a masterful dissection of the Slasher genre that honors its conventions while simultaneously subverting them. It is definitely worth checking out and those with a Netflix streaming subscription can do so right now. The rest of you should rent this gem post haste.
Overall I give Behind the Mask four out of five feathers.

It’s a great choice for your upcoming Halloween festivities and is sure to entertain both aficionados and newbies alike with its mixture of humor and horror.

-Quoth the Raven

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