Pluskylang Great Film overall

Listonixio Fresh and Exciting

Spoonatects Am i the only one who thinks........Average?

Curapedi I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

GL84 Heading off with her friends, a group of teens decide to spend the night in a local carnival's funhouse and notice that a deformed, masked worker who killed a fellow member is now out to kill them in order to cover up the crime forcing them to have to get past the killer and the rest of his family.This here wasn't all that bad of a slasher. One of the better features here is the appropriately dirty and somewhat sleazy atmosphere around the carnival which makes this one really feel like an authentic location. Filled with plenty of actual rides and attractions, such as haunted mazes or animal freak shows as well as the general feel around the camp with the crowds and carnival barkers, this whole section is really life-like so that the scenes of the group in the exhibits has a lot to like. Even better is that the switchover to the stalking and slashing in the second half has a lot to work off of, from the inadvertent peeping of him killing off the prostitute while they're spying from above, the whole scene of them trying to get away in the darkened attic and then being spotted as they plan their escape give this a strong start for the confrontations inside. These here are really enjoyable, from the surprising leanings inside the rides which later prompts them to be placed inside the attractions as well as the big battles they get into from there as they get involved in the intense brawl inside the attractions of the carnival alongside the strong finishing chase through the hall of mirrors down into the gears of the facility. Alongside the great look of the killer when finally unveiled, these here are what hold this one up as there really isn't a whole lot wrong with this one. One of its problems is the slow pace in the beginning as the opening setup for the walk-through of the carnival takes a large amount of time to get started. There's around an hour of material before the killer even gets started, and while it builds up atmosphere, this really could've been trimmed down a tad and replace most of the running around. The subplot involving her brother at the carnival is one of those big reasons which also holds things up and ultimately never comes to anything, despite the build-up it is given. It's quite hard to believe that the outcome is really all that deserving, and it in itself is just an awful plot-line that holds up even more time. There's also the issue here with a really weak and unspectacular finale showdown in the basement with the killer which is somewhat shorter than expected and doesn't seem to have any kind of impact here. The film's other big problem is the lack of gore in the kills as despite the variety featured here such as an ax in the head, a sword in the back, a stabbing and being crushed by hydraulic equipment, this has far less gore and it really could've used more. Otherwise, this one here was quite nicely done.Rated R: Violence, Graphic Language, Nudity and mild drug use.

redsox-37418 I used to love those types of Funhouses or Haunted Houses when I was a kid. There was some type of element of nostalgia when watching them in the movies but they don't have them anymore. At least not at the carnivals in my area.I loved this movie. It had the right amount of graininess (if that's a word) and realism that it really got me feeling this could happen. I know some might not share my enthusiasm but I watch Funhouse at least once a year.

TheRedDeath30 Tobe Hooper is a mystery to me. His debut film, Texas CHAINSAW, might be the greatest horror film in modern times, a benchmark in which to compare all horror movies since. So, why is it that he's never really been able to come close to the majesty of that movie? Yes, you can point to POLTERGEIST, but many in filmdom would argue that movie is more Spielberg than Hooper.I would put this movie in a similar category with EATEN ALIVE, his previous film, a movie which I seem to enjoy far more than most. Both movies carry a similar problem, though. They are gorgeously filmed, stylishly lit, artistic slashers with wooden characters, dull plots and poor pacing. Part of that blame lies in the screenwriters, to be sure, but it's as if Hooper spent far too much time worrying about how to shoot his films and not enough wondering if it was a worthwhile film to make in the first place.The movie starts off with an "homage" to HALLOWEEN, introducing us to the main heroine and her kid brother who will be pivotal to the plot. We could, also, argue here that there is a fine line between "paying homage" and "ripping off". Our final girl has a typical a*hole boyfriend who is taking her to a carnival against her father's wishes, with two stereotypical teens in tow. From here, the movie spends a little bit too much time with the teens exploring the carnival. It badly cries out for something similar to the Hitchhiker scene in TCM to establish a bit of tension that will carry the plot through this portion, something that portends the doom to follow, but it's essentially nothing more than 4 generic teens walking around a carnival. When I say generic, I mean it. There is no personality to here. Nothing to like or dislike. They exist only to die later. I do think Kevin Conway's multiple appearance as a carny barker are good here and help to set somewhat of a tone. There's something inherently creepy, to me, about that poor audio, cheap microphone sound that's used well. The fun starts when the teens decide to spend the evening in the funhouse. This is where Hooper really shines. He uses the spooky qualities of the old school carnival shocks to maximum effect, combined with his always excellent sense of lighting to create a genuinely unsettling funhouse atmosphere.The teens then witness something that will spell out their inevitable doom and our creature is unmasked in a reveal reminiscent of Chaney's PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. The monster makeup is excellent and provides a unique slasher villain. From here, though, the movie just never goes anywhere you want it to go. Hooper sets up these amazing sets and excellent shots and you want so much for him to use this setting to the same max effect that he was able to use the old farmhouse in TCM, but it never gets there. The killings become paint by the numbers, formulaic slasher deaths, all leading up to the inevitability that our final girl will escape and the monster will meet its' demise.It's better than the majority of generic slashers that came out in the wake of HALLOWEEN and Friday THE 13th, but can't quite elevate itself to classic level.

TheBlueHairedLawyer Amy and her friends are going off to a local carnival with a sleazy reputation. It looks fun on the outside but beneath the cheery atmosphere is a very frightening world and the kids are about to find out what is so scary about the funhouse when they decide to be idiots and spend the night inside, encountering a deformed slasher-killer.This slasher film deserves better reviews, it is one my favorites. Although my all-time favorite movie s the 1981 slasher film My Bloody Valentine, this movie is thrilling, entertaining, funny and creepy all in one. I think my favorite character was the pretty minor magician who scared the pants off an audience when he pulled a prank on them. The acing overall wasn't that good but the soundtrack was memorable and the movie does manage to remain shocking. It also shows a side-story with Amy's little brother getting lost at the carnival while sneaking out after dark.This isn't a bad movie, it's worth watching and really fun to see with friends. If the whole point of slashers is to have fun watching them, the Funhouse delivers.