FORMAT: BLU-RAY
Wave of Terror is a two-part anthology horror flick from W.A.V.E. Productions. The first story is “Road Kill” (***). Clancey McCauley catches her boyfriend talking to another woman. Later, in a fit of jealous rage, she runs him down with her car. After the funeral, she begins to see his spirit pointing accusingly at her. It’s only a matter of time before his spirit makes her pay for her misdeeds.
This one is pretty simple in both premise and execution. It has a cool E.C. Comics vibe to it (the graveyard finale is very well done given the means at the production's disposal) and benefits from the stripped-down approach. It also shows that W.A.V.E. Productions founder Gary Whitson is probably a better director than many give him credit for as he delivers a solid story on a limited budget. McCauley gives a good performance too as the jilted lover turned murderer and is particularly effective once the Carnival of Souls-inspired shocks come into play.
The second story, Hadley’s Hellhole! (**) is less impressive. It’s about a reporter (McCauley once again) and an archeologist (Whitson) who take a tour of a supposedly haunted mineshaft. Almost immediately, they lose their guide. As they go deeper into the mine, they encounter ghosts and demons lurking within the tunnels.
This one is honestly a big comedown from the first tale. Whereas Road Kill had a simple, clearcut story with a beginning, middle, and end, this one just sort of throws a bunch of stuff at the wall to see what sticks. Frankly, nothing ever really does. The technical limitations are more obvious this time around. Not only are the sets kind of crummy, but there are also a bunch of flubbed lines (mostly courtesy of Whitson himself). The monster is basically just a guy in a dime store Halloween mask, but the severed head in a birthday present gag is OK. I did admire the way Whitson was able to work a wet T-shirt scene (a W.A.V.E. staple) into such a claustrophobic setting. It’s just that overall, this story is just sort of ho-hum.
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