low budget, low quality, first half was totally boring, second half not good enough to compensate for first half. I get that it's ironic and sarcastic, but boring none the less

I have no idea how this film got so many positive reviews...

A nice tribute to the slasher subgenre, took me a while to see this movie. It did not disappoint me, but I was expecting a little more. The film takes an interesting approach to the genre by assuming that Jason, Freddy and Michael really existed and everything they did happened just like the movies. The movie starts as a documentary about a guy that wants to follow the steps of previous serial killers and it is filmed as one. This style of filming does fits the plot, although I don’t like it that much. So, when the movie abandons this idea in favor of a typical film is a relief. Its pacing is a bit slow also, might bother some people. There are some appearances that I wasn’t expecting, like Robert Englund and Scott Wilson but they're definitely welcoming. The main protagonists, Angela Goethals as Taylor (Kevin’s older sister from Home Alone!) and Nathan Baesel as Leslie do a very good job too. The main virtue of this movie is its text. It plays around the genre making some interesting observations and references to the movies we’ve watched a ton. Some pretty smart and fun ones. It kind of has a plot twist, I guess. It’s a predictable one, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad, I really liked. The fact that it’s predictable doesn’t make it bad. The kills are just ok. They’re not that inventive or gory, could be better. Good movie overall!

Such an awesome, often missed deconstruction of the slasher genre. It lovingly skewers the tropes much like Scream did a decade before it and Cabin In the Woods did a decade after. It cleverly roasts these movies, all while delivering an impressive amount of homages, that even the most seasoned horror fan might miss. They accomplish all this while also being a decent slasher film of its own. I hope they one day get the sequel they deserve.

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon is a sly, funny, gloriously self-aware love letter to slasher movies, with a grin full of blood and meta commentary. It works as a mockumentary, a horror-comedy, and a gentle roast of the entire genre, happily pointing at every sacred cliché and saying, “Look at this ridiculous nonsense,” while somehow making that nonsense even more entertaining. The movie is especially fun if you grew up on Jason, Freddy, and Michael. It knows the rules, knows how absurd they are, and knows exactly how to play with them. Watching Leslie explain the planning, training, cardio, and logistics behind becoming a legendary serial killer is half the joke, and honestly one of the movie’s best hooks. It gives the whole thing the deranged charm of a behind-the-scenes special from hell. Yes, you can see the turn coming from miles away, but the movie is smart enough to know that. The real fun is not what happens, but watching how it all comes together. It’s energetic, cheeky, and soaked in that grubby 80s slasher spirit without feeling like a lazy imitation. Clever, over-the-top, and genuinely entertaining. Totally recommend it if you have any affection for old-school slasher icons.