Next up in our Toronto After Dark 2018 coverage, we get a little slashy!
Equal parts homage to classic 1980s slashers and nod to the self-aware meta-horror of the 90s and beyond, Brett Simmons’s You Might Be The Killer (2018) keeps its tongue firmly planted in its cheek and its machete sharpened and ready to go.
The action takes place at—where else?—a summer camp just before the arrival of this year’s batch of children. Camp director Sam (Fran Kranz) prepares his 12 counselors for their upcoming duties, but loses control during the campfire portion of the evening when a ghost story inspires the young people to head out into the woods to investigate a spooky urban legend involving a hidden grave on the property. When Sam starts experiencing blackouts and counselors start showing up dead, Sam taps the knowledge of his horror-enthusiast best friend, Chuck (Alyson Hannigan), to solve the mystery of who is killing his counselors (and how he can get out alive).
You Might Be The Killer‘s non-linear narrative may take a little getting used to, but the editing choices reflect Sam’s confusion and struggle to put together the events of the night, so it worked for me. The film excels (and gleefully wallows) in its send-up of the first wave of slashers and their common tropes.
The decision to cast Alyson Hannigan as Chuck was a brilliant one. She positively delights in each of her scenes. I absolutely cannot imagine the film without her presence — and I don’t want to. Fran Kranz, Brittany S. Hall, and Jenna Harvey also turn in strong and entertaining performances.
If you like to mix a little deconstruction into your destruction, I highly recommend seeking out You Might Be The Killer.
Score: 7 out of 10 Kayak Kings.
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