Film Review: The Gallows

 Genre: Horror, Thriller 

Cert: 15 cert

Director: Travis Cluff, Chris Lofing

Screen writer: Travis Cluff, Chris Lofing

Starring: Reese Mishler , Pfeifer Brown , Ryan Shoos , Cassidy Gifford , Travis Cluff , Price T. Morgan , Theo Burkhardt , David Herrera , Gannon Del Fierro

Running time: 81 min

Parents advised to read before viewing film as some scene may contain scenes unsuitable for younger viewers.

Sex & Nudity:

• A girl says, "We're just going in and out." to which a boy replies "That's what she said." One or two other innuendoes are in the first half.

• A boy films in a locker room and makes jokes about the bodies of various shirtless teenage boys.

Violence & Gore:

• Some disturbing violent content but only few scenes actually involving blood (hard to see except for second body discovery sequence) and only one scene of mild gore ) neck abrasions, second and third inspection sequence (third sequence precedes character's actual death).

• The film centers on a supernatural 'hangman' from a play who is killing off teens trying to ruin the set of a newer version of the play.

• We see (during a play, through a camera) a young man who dies because of a fault set piece. He gets strangled by a noose. This is seen from a distance.

• An invisible force chokes a girl and we later see the abrasions on her neck. Throughout the movie the abrasions worsen.

• The same invisible force ties a noose around a teen's neck and hoists him into the air, killing him as his neck snaps upon reaching the top which cuts him out view by the blackened area leading up to the ceiling. Body of the janitor is found dangling from the ceiling of a crawlspace area, minute traces of blood on ground near his dropped watch. Girl's neck wounds are bloody, scalded and beginning to boil over the course of the movie. Relatively unseen but girl dragged away is subsequently killed as invisible hangman bashes her against slamming exit doors. [spoiler]Bodies of teenage boy and girl discovered hanging in boardwalk rafters and amongst large pipe faucets, girl's feet are shown dangling (no blood) however boy's face comes into focus as another boy comes inches from his face with camera and reveals small traces of bloody scratches and bruises on his discolored dead face

Profanity: 

• 1 F-word (barely audible and easy to miss)

• 2 uses of ass, 2 uses of hell, 1 use of damn

• 4 uses of shit (1 is inaudible)

Alcohol/Drugs/Smoking: None

Frightening/Intense Scenes: 

• There's jump scares throughout and one scene where the ghost slowly creeps up in the background.

• Overall Rating: 17/50

• Official MPAA Rating: R Some Disturbing Violent Content and Terror. Located on the films official website.

• Suggested MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sequences of disturbing violence and brief strong language

Story: 20 years after a horrific accident during a small town school play, students at the school resurrect the failed show in a misguided attempt to honor the anniversary of the tragedy - but soon discover that some things are better left alone.

Likes : There been alot of horror film over the past years, some have been good other not so good, but some sub-genre have been over used alot. This start off with a temporary story that some what sets up a horror story although it was a little weak in setting up a horror story.

Yes some area at the begin was creepy & a little atmospheric but sadly this film just wasn't frightening enough, this is the problem found footage film they are being over used in horror film, they just arnt frightening.

Dislikes : The one big problem this film has is the start of the film, ya slightly set up a story but when a film doesn't get the set up story right the whole film doesn't feel right, which sadly this film doesn't work so well.

It come off as a student film instead of a feature film, which really should have been a straight to DVD film instead of the cinema, it very generic & to much screaming & running around, not to mention copying the concept from paranormal activity & ghost encounters which really pulls this film down.

Sadly this is not a horror film i can recommend to watch, although its a fair effort in making a horror but found footage horror is not scary at all it take away everything that makes it the horror frighting it just comes off a student film from someone that just start out in the film industry.

Overall : watch-able but sadly fails in horror. student film at best, but nothing to rush out to watch as there is better horror film around.

Rating: 3 out of 5 for entertainment / 4.1 out of 10 for horror concept