DVD Review: Baseline Killer

What is it about horror movies that makes them one of most popular genres of zero-budget, indie films to make? Is it because gore fanatics will watch anything? Because horror aficionados are the only ones with the tenacity to make their own film? Whatever the reason, add Baseline Killer to the unspectacular mix.

Based on a string of murders that took place along Baseline Road in Phoenix, Arizona in 2004, Baseline Killer focuses on a group of old high school friends reuniting to celebrate the opening of one girl’s furniture store… on said Baseline Rd. A pair of killers break in to the story -– presumably the Baseline murderers -– and terrorize the girls. The film opens with a docu-style explanation of the events, but interestingly makes a point to say that the real Baseline Killer worked alone, even though in the film they're a pair.

Rather than film a finale, the movie is wrapped up with an exceedingly long post-script with burial dates for three of the dead girls (despite the fact that there were half-dozen or so girls in the film). While not much information on the outcome is offered, but the post-script does give my favorite moment of the entire, boring affair: a glaring misspelling ("vage" instead of "vague").

Describe the movie in a word? Bad. This movie is bad. Let’s forget the boring story, the weak attempt at "backstory" for characters I didn't care about, and the tediously slow pacing. Let’s forget the bad acting, which is actually enjoyably bad (more so because at least two of the girls are, for an unknown reason, wearing obvious wigs). Let’s forget about the idiot girls who don’t think to call the police on one of their many cell phones or even try to leave via the obviously accessible doors. Instead, let’s just talk about the technical aspects of this film.

Article Author: Alyse Wax

Alyse is both a television producer and writer. Her TV credits include Big Brother, Hell's Kitchen, and Penn & Teller: Off the Deep End. Her articles have appeared in Teen People Magazine, the Weekly World News, 100 Magazine in the Philippines, SporkFashion.com, FEARnet.com, and Hollywood.com. …

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