People have struggled for decades to understand the appeal of horror films, and that may be part of the problem; at least some of the reverence and loyalty that they inspire in hard-core fans is probably due to their frequently ridiculous logic, razor thin if not outright preposterous. If there is something to be said for Bloody Birthday, it's that it stretches this principle around the breaking point and back again, suggesting that children are driven to kill simply by having been born during an eclipse. Well, it doesn't really suggest that; it mentions it, forgets about it, then goes on with the senseless violence and nudity that you came here for.
In the sleepy little town of Meadowvale, three children are born simultaneously in the middle of an eclipse. Like all people with somewhat peculiar characteristics, they grow to be hellish whose innocent faces serve only as masks for the abyss of sadism that they share. As their eleventh birthday approaches, their bloodlust grows thicker, threatening to drain the entire town to sate its godless appetite. Only Joyce Russel ( Lori Lethin) and her brother Timmy (K.C. Martel) suspect that something is amiss, but when they try to warn the townsfolk about the apocalyptic proceedings drawing near, they threaten to draw the ire of the devil children.
You had better hope that you find the idea of children born evil based solely on them being born during the eclipse hilarious, because Bloody Birthday doesn’t have much else going for it. Even in a film brimming with cans labeled ‘Ant Poison’ and nude dances performed for no real reason, the cheeky charm wears pretty quickly once the central conceit has become obvious. Even the kids themselves don’t seem to be having any fun, as they generally act and talk like regular non-evil kids do (they’re not even gingers). The premise may be outlandish, but the sum effect of Bloody Birthday is surprisingly tame, or maybe just uninspired.
DVD BONUS FEATURES
There is an audio interview with director Ed Hunt as well as one with Lori Lethin (Don't Eat That Cake) and the featurette A Brief History of Slasher Films.
"Bloody Birthday" is on sale June 28, 2011 and is rated R. Horror. Directed by Ed Hunt. Written by Ed Hunt, Barry Pearson. Starring Aaron Johnson, Lori Lethin, Melinda Cordell, Julie Brown, Susan Strasberg, Jose Ferrer, Kc Martel.
