Picture this: a young boy named Jacob (let’s pretend it’s Michael Myers), discovers a blue deformed-face mask (I’ll name this one, Freddy), and visits a summer camp (Crystal Lake?) carrying a variety of vulgar instruments such as a hammer, carving knives and of course…a buzz saw (borrowed from Leatherface?) Introducing the urban legend: Mr. Buzzkill.

This is not to say that Mr. Buzzkill isn’t entertaining. However, it’s impossible to dismiss the overkill (pun intended) of pirated horror icons. That said, we move on.

In the sleepy town of Silver Grove, a group of stoners gather around a small bonfire, listening to the folklore of several massacres which took place 50 ft. away from their squatted location. Dating back to 1998, Jacob (who grew up with an abusive older brother and father), locates his late mother’s Halloween collection of masks. One in particular creates an almost hypnotic state of mind when he puts it on and…well…you know what happens. (Watch Carpenter’s Halloween. And then check out Halloween III: Season of the Witch.) More similarities thrown into the mix, but I digress.

The over-acted cast of misfits trying to find holes in the campfire story of how Mr. Buzzkill came to be is lackluster and nothing unique. But the kill scenes are what held my attention as they elevated from gross to grotesque as the self-created monster grew up and grew stronger. (Insert Jason, Michael, or even the elusive killer from In a Violent Nature.) Again, nothing exceptional to see, but at least the story moves at a steady pace.

Fast forward to the massacre at the summer camp in 2018 where we expect, and are granted sexual escapades, drinking games and yep…more pot smoking. Actually, I have to give props to whoever built and executed the colossal “travel bong” which should get its own listing in the end credits. It was hilarious and added the most amusing moment to the otherwise forced humor in Mr. Buzzkill.

Check this out if you’re looking for a new slasher flick with some nasty “meaty” kills and no emotional ties to any of the characters, since everyone is expendable. Ironically, that just adds more comedy to the carnage. Just be ready for a long finale which…sorry…felt like a cop out for all unanswered questions and current day status of our killer. Or perhaps a budget limitation was met on the film itself. Between the unedited explanations you will be forced to read and the blooper reel which follows (it’s not as funny when you are unfamiliar with the cast), the conclusion just dangled in front of us. Either way you slice it (intentional pun) that was a disappointment.