THE LAST SLAY RIDE ** USA 2022 Dir: Jason Hawkins. 89 mins
Comedy horror movies are a tough genre to crack you either get it absolutely right, horribly wrong or in the case of THE LAST SLAY RIDE leave you with indifference.
A group of of indie filmmakers, Josh (Calvin Morie McCarthy), Ivan (Lukas Verri-Singer) and Jessica (Sanae Loutsis) decide to make a horror movie called ‘Slash Camp’ but besides the script and a ridiculous smorgasbord of actors they need money. Cue lone shark Marco ‘something-or-another’ (Steve Larkin) who is happy to loan Ivan the money but if he doesn’t get his money he will shoot whatever pet he has, if no pets are available hes coming after his Grandma.
When the film is finally finished they show the film at a local film festival winning several awards, it is then that the filmmakers celebrate their victory at a party. This is when we get to meet Max Rampage (Bill Victor Arucan) of Rampage Media and Jackie Maya (Nina Peros) who want these plucky filmmakers film for worldwide distribution. As new kids on the block in the film industry, Josh and Ivan spend no time thinking about it and sign their film away with the unrealistic idea that they would be in Hollywood living off their films riches.
Weeks later and with no money coming from their film distributor this group of indie filmmakers feel they have been ripped off and decide to stage a heist at Max Rampage’s house. They are either leaving with their hard earned money or his television. When Marco hears about this he decides to take matters in to his own hands, after all its his money really, and ruins the groups original plan by talking things through and he ends up shooting Grandma (Eileen Dietz). Bad mistake Marco, as these aren’t no ordinary film distributors these are blood sucking vampires hell bent on getting every drop from you, as you can probably tell the film is very on the nose at times about film distribution.
Now with the vampires riled up and an ever increasing number of goths stopping the filmmakers from leaving the house, the group must now fight to keep the vampires away or risk becoming lunch for these bloodsuckers.
THE LAST SLAY RIDE is far from belly laughing humour and is full of many horror clichés but there is a certain something about it that will appeal to an audience that likes films such as the 2012 film Caesar And Otto’s Deadly Xmas.
Actor wise, Eileen Dietz (THE EXORCIST) (1973) seems to be having a lot of fun with her character Grandma cussing her way throughout, Elissa Dowling (Victoria) and Jackie Maya (Nina Peros) are both very seductive vampires who ooze sexual charm when they are on screen.
With lots of cast members aimlessly wandering about, the humour may not be everyone’s cup of tea and the overused conversation of (made up) horror movie knowledge throughout gets tiring quickly but there is no denying though that its nice to have another Christmas horror to add to the December watch list.
Review by Peter ‘Witchfinder‘ Hopkins
THE LAST SLAY RIDE is out now on Blu-ray in the USA and Streaming Platforms worldwide from VIPCO and BayView Entertainment.