I love monster movies, so when I saw the trailer the other day for Banshee!!! (that's right, with three exclamation points), I put it right at the top of my Netflix queue. It arrived yesterday and I had a chance to watch it last night. It was just as I had expected.Banshee!!! is a fun monster movie that never takes itself too seriously while providing some really decent kill effects that you wouldn't expect from this low-budget of a film. The acting's not that bad either, with Kevin Shea putting in a very credible job. Sure, the rank and file actors aren't the greatest at their craft but that doesn't matter here.
The film follows a group of old-looking college students who go the cheap route and choose to take their spring break out in the woods. Well, it doesn't take long before they're being shredded one by one by a creature that has the ability to shape-change and alter their perception. The computer-generated banshee creature is decent, when it's not the focal point of the scene that is. Shown up up close and personal, it's kind of lame (as the cover proves), but when it's in the background or just off to the side, it's definitely more effective.
The film isn't without its absurdities, like one of the guys having to stop and take a piss with the banshee hot on their tails, or when the aptly-named Rocker kicks the banshee's ass with rock and roll during a music video-like action sequence (which I thought was AWESOME!).
All in all, Banshee!!! delivered exactly what it was selling, and I like it when a film does that. I'm sure other reviewers will pan this movie, but I give it **** out of *****.
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