Review of The Tripper (2006) by Timothy S — 11 Dec 2011

Independent horror has been on a roll as of late, and hopes were high for "The Tripper mostly because it is the feature filmmaking debut of actor David Arquette. He manages to out together an eclectic cast peppered with star cameos, and yet the film still manages to be a memorable disappointment.

There's a lot more going on here than in your typical horror movie, as the killer is both environmentally and politically motivated but Arquette's visual style lacks flair. His film just lies here, and there's no energy or drive. There's nothing all that fresh about this story or these characters, and despite all of the novel touches, I tuned out rather quickly. At its core, this is just another uninspired slasher-in-the-woods saga with higher credentials. But with that come higher expectations, and the film fails to deliver on that.

Out of the weird and varied cast, the only actor I really enjoyed watching was former Pee Wee Herman star Paul Ruebens. He's very funny and almost unrecognizable as a sleazy concert promoter, and he's also one of the few bright spots in this forgettable flick. Arquette isn't stingy with the red stuff, but the special effects are also disappointingly sub-par. There's not one convincing murder in the entire picture. They are redundant, as are the drug-induced tripping scenes. In fact, everything about this film is pretty damn redundant.

"The Tripper" has a lot going for it, and it has a lot of potential, but none of that is realized. Someone put a lot of thought into the film, but to no avail. Ultimately, there is nothing special about this.