SORORITY ROW (2009)

SORORITY ROW (2009)

Tagline: The sisters of Theta Pi have a secret that just won't die.

(Horror, Slasher, Let’s Take A Field Trip To Reality For A Second) [R]

This is stupid, I’m missing the party of the year.
         I know, why couldn’t Ellie have had a nervous breakdown tomorrow. 

In this one, sorority sisters Claire, Chugs, Ellie, Cassidy, Megan, and Jessica, from Theta Pi have decided to play a prank on Megan’s ex-boyfriend Chug’s brother Garret, who believes he has won her back over. They drive all the way out to a remote area and Garret decides to try and resuscitate Megan but accidentally kills her in the attempt. The girls decide to ditch Megan’s dead body in a well. Years later they find themselves being hunted down by a revenge-fueled serial killer. Can Theta Pi survive…SORORITY ROW?

First off, when it comes to slashers from the era between 1997 and 2010, I actually think this was at least on par with the rest of the bunch. Those films include all 3 I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER films, both URBAN LEGEND among others. I also think it’s better than at least a few of the SCREAM films and PROM NIGHT. There are said it. Once you get over the shock, read the rest of the review. It will be right here; it isn’t going anywhere. It should also be noted that this is a loose remake of THE HOUSE ON SORORITY ROW which I gave a 6 out of 7 because that was also a ridiculously well-done horror flick. 

When it comes to the acting there are a lot of talents in this that either were big stars or would go on to become big stars. Starting with the legendary Carrie Fisher (THE BURBS) who plays Mrs. Chrenshaw. She is basically the house mother in this film and she kills the screen time she gets. Leah Pipes plays Jessica who is kind of the cruel ringleader in this. Pipes is fantastic in this, but is probably best known for the TV show “The Originals”. Briana Evigan (STEP IT UP 2: THE STREETS) plays Cassidy who probably gets the second most lines in the entire movie. She is also really solid in this. We also get Jamie Chung (SUCKER PUNCH) as Claire and she does a great job with the lines she is given. It’s never a bad idea to put her in your movie if you are making one. Rumer Willis (HOSTAGE) plays Ellie and might be my favorite character in this whole movie. She can actually act but is definitely known for being the daughter of Demi Moore and Bruce Willis. Margo Harshman (RISE: BLOOD HUNTER) plays Chugs and doesn’t really stand out too much in this, but also isn’t given a ton of screen time.

It’s possible that this movie would never have been made if PROM NIGHT (2008) hadn’t done so well at the box office. I really didn’t think it was as awesome as this one, but it made nearly 3 times its production budget which is a pretty typical formula for financial success. I thought the opening was a great introduction to what we were going to be getting. The pacing stays on point during the entire running time but really picks up in the final act. I thought they did a great job with the ambiance in the film as well as introducing elements from the opening that come back to haunt these girls. 

It does seem like every dude in this movie is the biggest jerk of all time. There are a few moments of humor that are subtle but perfect for this flick. It’s not very often you see this many bubbles at a sorority party on film. There are a few attempts at misdirection, but if there is a flaw in the film it’s that the killer (at least to me) was given away a bit too fast. None of these girls are totally innocent, but a few of them aren’t as guilty as others making them easier to like. I wouldn’t have minded if they set this up for a sequel, but there was only so much of the cast left and it definitely wouldn’t have been the same without Carrie Fisher. 

Overall this is a great addition to a Halloween-Horror-O-Thon. For me, it’s an easy 6 out of 7. I kind of wish we had gotten a better soundtrack, but the killer's weapon is iconic and the dialog is wonderfully witty and sarcastic.
 

GRAPHICS ARE THE PROPERTY OF HOUSE ROW PRODUCTIONS AND ARE USED FOR REVIEW PURPOSES ONLY.