Simon Says is a twisted tale of college kids screwing around and backwoods natives serving up some creative death. The horror thriller stars Crispin Glover (Back to the Future franchise, Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, Willard, etc.) and Blake Lively (Gossip Girl, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants franchise) and its DVD release features director’s commentaries, storyboards, and a stills gallery as well as the film.
The plot here is very straightforward, almost offering a wink at the Horror genre by sending a bunch of teenagers into the woods for an unsupervised camping trip. Of course, the woods are is haunted by a demented twin that brutally murdered his family as a teen himself. Crispin Glover is so unnerving in this role that you’ll be haunted by it for days. Imagine a Horror movie version of Sling Blade’s title role and you’ll be on the path to discovering how creepy Glover is here. There are plenty of creative murders and, I have to admit, the big showdown at the end was pretty excellent as far as the genre goes.
Overall, Crispin Glover and Blake Lively do an excellent job with this movie, which has such a straightforward and predictable plot that it would have gone horribly wrong in the hands of lesser actors. If you are looking for a creepy weekend movie than Simon Says is worth your time. If you are looking for a movie that will redefine the Horror genre, then you’ll be sorely disappointed. Fans of indie Horror films will find a lot to rave about in this one though.
Reviewed by Mark Fisher
