"Everyone is dying to be with her. Someone is killing for it."A group of high-schoolers invite Mandy Lane, a good girl who became quite hot over the summer, to a weekend party on a secluded ranch. While the festivities rage on, the number of revelers begins to drop quite mysteriously.REVIEWMandy Lane is a
girl that, like the title suggests, all the boys at her school want to "get with." She has blossomed over the summer from Plain Jane to the hottest, most desired girl in school. After her and her geeky male friend get invited to a party, a freak accident occurs where the host of the party dies while trying to impress Mandy. Flash forward to the following year. Mandy gets invited to a party at a secluded ranch by a bunch of the popular kids. Partying and drinking ensues, and of course, the boys each try in their own way to get with Mandy, who seems uninterested in the whole situation. Needless to say, it doesn't take long before a mysterious killer shows up on the ranch and begins brutally killing off the teens one by one. The film does utilize the now clichéd "Scream" type ending, but with a minor twist that is still somewhat predictable.Where "All the Boys Love Mandy Lane" advances the genre is in style. Whereas slasher films of the past rarely focused on production, cinematography, setting, etc.., the filmmakers behind "Mandy Lane" put a lot of effort into making the film look great. The cinematography is wonderful, and the isolated ranch location is used to full effect. It is definitely the right direction for this type of film, particularly if horror fans want people to start taking these films seriously as pieces of art.It is sad that, as of even today, this film has not had a U.S. release either theatrically or DVD. Had it been released in theaters, I think it could have revived the slasher genre, which once again has become tired and clichéd ridden, much like "Scream" did in the mid 90's. Horror fans and fans of quality film making should check this film out--not only is it an above average slasher film with interesting characters, brutal deaths, and plot twists, but it is also a wonderful piece of film making with exceptional art direction, cinematography, and direction.
September 20, 2011
Top Critic
