Review by Peter Syslo
SERIAL KILLING 101 (2002) is a light-hearted slasher film that is done in the modern style. In this past decade, slasher films have taken a turn and they have had more of a “meta” approach to them (you could call them meta-slashers). I have used that term before and what I mean by meta-slasher is that the film acknowledges the stereotypes of slasher films and serial killers, in general. This type of slasher “boomed” in the 90s, with SCREAM, but it had its roots even earlier than that with RETURN TO HORROR HIGH and APRIL FOOL'S DAY. As far as SK101 goes, it is a meta-slasher that really isn't bad and I feel that stems from a combination of interesting writing and an eclectic cast. For being a film that is pretty much under and off of the radar, it was enjoyable and it does deserve some consideration.
SK101 is written and directed by Trace Slobotkin. The film stars Justin Urich, Lisa Loeb, Thomas Haden Church, and Rick Overton.
The movie is about a typical high school student named Casey (Urich). His father is recently deceased, he is being raised by his singe mother, and he lacks direction/discipline. Casey is also a rebellious teenager who listens to Marilyn Manson, is tormented by his gym teacher (Church), and thinks that everything sucks, in general. It's not too long before Casey begins to see some light in life, when he befriends every outcast's dream girl, Sasha (Loeb). Anyway, the two become good friends and after much talking, Casey decides to become a serial killer for his school project (he has to write a paper about it and such). Meanwhile, there is a real serial killer loose in the neighborhood; bodies start turning up and they seem to have some common connection with the high school. Casey does attempt to capitalize on this, but he finds that he lacks the nerve to be a true killer. In a strange twist, he actually finds his true calling when he decides to hunt the real serial killer. Reluctantly, he becomes deeply involved in the killer's plan and he finds that the suspect may be a person whom he already knows.
SK 101 wasn't a bad flick and I feel that it was an interesting spin on the high school “coming of age” tale. You do see some character development with Casey and he is well-played by Justin Urich (who was also fun to watch in MONSTER MAN). It's a nice progression of events, leading up to his self-discovery, and it is fun the way that he and Sasha play with the serial killer stereotypes (a certain M.O., certain weapons, childhood trauma, etc.). The film didn't go into too much detail with the serial killer aspects, but it is enough to keep it interesting to “killer” fans and it keeps the film rolling. Also, the chemistry between Sasha and Casey is very nice to see. It's not your typical high school “push-and-pull” type of relationship; it's a very realistic love interest (on both parts) and it is very plausible. Not to mention, Lisa Loeb has always been a very cute alterna-girl and she is perfect for this role (you can't help but like her - she's the memorable 90s girl who made women's glasses hot again). With the addition of Thomas Haden Church as the sadistic and peculiar gym teacher and Rick Overton as a “trying-to-be-hip-and-failing-miserably” teacher, the film completes its pleasantly odd cast and that does add a lot of life to the film. In essence, the intelligent script and the interesting cast make for a decent film and it was an enjoyable, overall.
Before I go on, I do want to note that there is a slasher film at the heart of this picture. It functions according to the standard slasher rules, which include: a mysterious killer; the victims are linked somehow; an unwitting hero stumbles upon the killer; and the killer is revealed at the end, in a “whodunit?” twist. In the killing department, there is not a whole lot of blood in the film (just a few scenes of gore – saw blade one is nice) and most of the bodies are discovered and displayed, after the fact. But, there is a satisfying climax where Casey encounters the killer and squares off against the killer... and all is explained in the end. Basically, the film is a nice, neat package that gives you what you would expect from a high school-based slasher film and it doesn't wind up being as heartless as one would think (it's not anything like a Columbine-inspired type of film).
Gnawing through the flesh: SERIAL KILLING 101 was a decent film which turned out to be better than I thought it would be; the interesting cast and the smart writing made the film work. The slasher component of the film is somewhat predictable, but it is still fun to watch and it has a certain charm to it. I don't really have any negatives to speak of, the only thing is that the film didn't quite “grab me” as much as I would have liked. It was a nice break from the “heavier” horror films, but it wasn't as fulfilling as some of the other meta-slashers, such as BEHIND THE MASK. But, if you are looking for something light that you could watch with your significant other, then this could be a good horror-date movie. I give it a 7/10.