Just Before Dawn/Review

From The Grindhouse Cinema Database

< Just Before Dawn
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Evocative and moody, Jeff Lieberman’s Just Before Dawn is a slasher film cut from a completely different cloth. Its woodland atmosphere and attractive young cast hint at the familiar, but the film is smart enough not to pander to its audience, and takes the genre’s commonalities and melds them with well-drawn characters, quietly frightening moments of tension, and a rich subtext concerning gender roles and man’s survival instincts.

The plot is deceptively simple; a group of twenty-somethings head to the mountains to check out some inherited property, despite warnings from the forest ranger and standard-issue town drunk, and get tormented and stalked by a hulking madman with a menacing laugh and massive, serrated machete. As characters start to disappear and night falls, it’s obvious that the unfortunate campers are way out of their element and are not prepared for the forest around them or the dark forces that lurk in it.

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The film even offers up a couple of twists; transposing the role of savior from the macho man to the book smart and strong female and Deborah Benson brings a tough intelligence and sexuality to Connie (the “final girl”); a character that can not only be sexy when she wants to, but can also save her whimpering, frightened boyfriend from a near nervous breakdown.

As for the kills, this one is relatively subdued, but can deliver the goods when the time is right. We’re treated to a death by rapids, a couple of brutal stabbings (one in the groin is particularly insane) and one hell of a punch in the mouth that has to be seen to be believed.

The cinematography is also of note, showing off majestic foliage and breathtaking waterfalls, while mirroring the soundtrack with shadowy images and well-lit midnight scares. As for that score, it’s a masterpiece, built around creepy whistles and unfamiliar natural creaks and chirps. It’s definitely no surprise that composer Brad Fiedel went onto some pretty high profile work (Terminator 2, in particular), and his efforts match this film’s high production values and intelligent premise.

This one is a great find and a must see for slasher film fanatics!

Reviewed by Mdeapo

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