You Might Be The Killer Movie Review

By: Justin Hopkins

**Spoiler Warning**

This is for Steve, The one true Kayak King

    ” A Camp Counselor suffering from Memory loss finds himself in the middle of a horror movie massacre.” That was the description given for the movie, You Might Be The Killer, and I was sold right away. I didn’t look into it anymore, simply set the record and waited for it to come on. Wanting to go in, without knowing what this 2018 movie brought to the table. When I realized that Fran Kranz and Alyson Hannigan were starring, knew this was going to be a fun ride. Let’s break things down, and see how much of one, it truly was.

This movie wastes no time getting started. Hearing Sam’s character screaming bloody murder and flashes of gruesome slashes from a wicked blade and a dead counselor count of A lot.  When we finally see Sam and he is covered in blood and running for his life. Covered in blood. Barricading himself in a shack and called his horror movie expert friend, Chuck for help. You think that he is a simple victim in all of this craziness, but before long it becomes clear, that Sam himself is the killer, under the control of a cursed mask.

Half of this movie happens via phone conversation between Chuck and Sam, as she tries to get him to remember what happened and how this all began in order to try and save her friend Sam. Chuck playing a great role of a fan almost. Being aware of the tropes and using them to try and save her friend. It had plenty of funny, light hearted moments and some gory kills. The back half, when we are up to real time, slows down, because the funny moments almost cease and starts to take a more serious tone, but I think it was necessary. It was at that point, Chuck knows that the final girl has emerged in Jaime, and if they can’t find a way to break the curse the mask has on Sam. Her friend is going to be killed, and they spend so much time making us like Sam, that I want his demise to be a more serious than funny, but there is a more noticeable drag on the real time side of the movie.

Fran Kranz was stellar in his role as Sam. Showing a real loving and sensitive Sam, who just wanted to run this perfect Summer Camp. Had such much love bubbling up and wouldn’t harm a fly type, who was disgusted by the idea that he was the killer. Selling the pull the mask had with all of his life. We wanted to see all of Chuck’s warnings not come to pass and Sam find a way to beat this. Speaking of, we all need a friend like Chuck. Never once batted an eye about what Sam has done. Knew it wasn’t her friend and was trying with all she had to not only find a way to break the spell, but stop the others from killing him, yet never really put them in harm’s way either. Even telling Jamie where she needed to be later. Alyson Hannigan was a great selection for this role. I also want to highlight Jenna Harvey who played Jaime. We didn’t get a whole lot of Jaime in the early stages, but when she was shown as the final girl, you could see why, and while she was the cliche final girl, did not act like it in the least. On display big time, when Inami turns on her. Inami figured if Jaime was dead then she would be final girl, and Inami would survive, but Jaime wasn’t the crying type who ran off easily, but immediately fought back. She wanted to save Sam and all, but at the same time, wasn’t going to die like the rest had. She was going to fight back and pulled off a strong character rather nicely, and didn’t think that as late as when they had him trapped in the shed. It was a nice character development and the twist at the end was made better by her protral of Jaime.

This movie had some great carnage candy sprinkled throughout. Including a massive downward blow, splicing one of the counselors head in half, to arms being amputated at different angles then the norm and I loved the camera angles. Particularly when he was smashing in the ones head on a door. Weren’t afraid to get to good in tight on the deaths and looked great. Made even more brutal from the weapon of choice being this mixture of steel blade, jaw bone, and serrated teeth. Gorgeous weapon that needs to be seen to be appreciated, and I really liked the mask. Looked like it was carved out of bark and enough details to look menacing.

I alright, got to talk about the ending here. So, skip this paragraph if you don’t want spoiled… Okay, I liked about ninety percent of the ending here. We got all the warnings from Chuck. That Jaime was going to kill Sam, but by the time you see where they are going, assumed it was a way for Sam to take out a now mask wearing Jaime, but no. She still killed him and walked off with the mask. Evil when the day, and thought that was wonderful. To often evil winning is everyone dying or the main character going crazy. Both of which I rather find bland, but I liked the idea of the final girl, walking away as your killer. Now the part where they kind of stumbled, was jumping 2 years ahead. Seeing Chuck answering the phone at Rings of Saturn and it was Sam ( Or Jaime, me and a friend of mine were kind of split on who called her. I am sticking with Sam). This kind of felt unnecessary, unless they are planning on a sequel, which I would be all for, otherwise. Jaime walking off into the sunset was a better way to end this.

I didn’t have many negatives to gripe about. Mostly mixed bag stuff. Such as why was Sam able to take the mask off after Jaime killed Inami, but when he threw her off into the stake pit, didn’t slow him down. I get they needed to get the mask off him for the finale, but should have been something else.  They make such a big point in reminding us about Steve The Kayak King’s death that you think they are going somewhere with it, but never do. Like I said, nitpicking, but still things that annoyed me after it was all said and done.

In the end, this was a highly enjoyable movie. Big meta movie that was more along the lines of paying homage to great slashers of the past other then making fun of them. Fun acting and carnage candy to keep you entertained throughout, and I highly recommend checking out, You Might Be The Killer.

Thank you for reading