By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 2 cats
Director: Donnie Hobbie
Starring: Chelsea Talmadge | Erin Ruth Walker | Madison Abbott | Natasha Estrada | Shannon Dang
Year: 2026
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29650028/
Brett says: “JUMP SCARE is a horror genre film that attempts punches above its weight, but the result is not always favorable. At a little over 90 minutes, it’s a film that can be aimless at times, as if primarily setting the goal to hit that standard feature film runtime. The dialogue is a bit lost in itself much of the time. Quentin Tarantino is likely an inspirational source for this, as the attempts of some scenes are reminiscent of characters’ engaging in faux philosophical banter that’s intended to be whimsical for an audience who is in the room, car, etc. with the characters as if participating without actually being one of the speakers. In this case, however, the writing for these scenes does not ever reach that level, and the performances just do not quite have the charisma nor flair necessary for Tarantino-esque babblings.
“Jump Scare is the name an all-female metal band on a quest to record the ultimate album at an abandoned, dilapidated location that they associate with Blitzgasm: a metal band predecessor that they view as an inspiration. I can be on board with the band name ‘Jump Scare,’ but the latter moniker feels like a reach, no matter if one chooses to view it as ironic/funny in the context of the film or as an actual metal band name. Back to the premise itself, the problem presented to the audience in this attempt to create the ultimate album is that not everyone is on the same page, so viewers are thrust into a mix of combative personalities who are together for this musical mission, but each argues about this particular brand of music and its place in the 1990s music scene. Therein lies the source of a vast majority of the aforementioned banter. Think Mr. Brown in RESERVOIR DOGS analyzing Madonna’s ‘Like a Virgin,’ but the writing never approaches that level of depth, wit, nor proper storytelling crescendo, and the performances don’t have standout mannerisms or fluidity to match the influential sources for this style of movie. What’s more is that a musical score floods many of the scenes to add intended whimsy to the dialogue. The problem is that it’s almost too present, most certainly too repetitive, and nullifies any of the lines that have the potential to hit.
“Aside from the band itself, the film toys with eccentric characters that inject the horror element into the setting. Conceptually, the film shoots for big in all of these cases, but the execution doesn’t quite always get there. It’s not something that falls on one particular element or performance, as there is plenty to applaud in terms of effort. The cohesion just isn’t there altogether. Some of the most fun gory scenes are upended by the decision to go for humor that just doesn’t land most of the time.
“There is no doubt that the project was a thrill ride and a blast for all involved. Perhaps that’s a bit of the issue. It’s almost too evident that this is a movie project that was a lot of fun for cast and crew, so it gets in its own way to that end at times. However, some viewers enjoy the idea of vicariously putting themselves on set as they watch, and if that’s the case, I believe that this meta-viewing approach might make the film more enjoyable for those able to watch with that sort of lens.
“2 CATS OUT OF 5”