The Final Terror (1983) User Reviews (69)

Decent Slasher Pic

[lindsaykeaton · 6/10 · 12 June 2019]

More well known for its soon-to-be star cast than for the film itself, The Final Terror kinda came and went in theaters and was dumped onto video via a terrible, washed out and impossibly dark transfer where you couldn't tell what was what.

Thankfully, Scream Factory have found a print that looks half way decent and released it on Blu-Ray. For the first time, one can actually see that there was some talent involved here, even if it was in service of a less than exciting narrative.

While the story seems like your average "young hot people getting killed in the woods" flick, The Final Terror does offer some fairly inventive twists. For starters, the killer is a genuinely unnerving presence, blending into trees and shrubbery using camo gear. Also, the cast of characters, while slightly undefined, are smarter than your usual lot. When they get the first inkling of danger, they don't split up or start humping each other - they actually stick together and work as a team.

The only downside to these smart characters is that there are only two murders before the gang catches on (unless you count the completely unrelated prologue), so it doesn't leave room for a lot of isolated attack scenes or extra murders to brighten up the pacing and keep the danger alive. If only one or two of them had to go pee or something...

Susan Justin's score is pretty cool, too, and keeps things exciting.

Nothing memorable about it

[Maciste_Brother · 4/10 · 4 July 2003]

THE FINAL TERROR is an average horror movie. There were a couple of startling moments (the scene when the couple gets hacked or the sudden ending) but the bulk of the movie is really dull. The atmosphere is almost worthwhile. Almost. You see, the film is not gruesome enough or sweat-inducing enough to push the atmosphere into the dread-filled nightmare that a story like this needs in order to be memorable. We see a lot of moments where the people just hang around the campfire and bitch about this and that. And when the group goes to the the dilapidated house, all dressed up like Rambo, what little edge the film had disappeared instantly with that unintentionally funny bit. The idea of the young men and women taking a pro-active stance against the killer, in one united group, is original for a horror movie of this type but it's badly done here.

The big problem with the movie is that it doesn't know what it wants to be. Something tells me the director didn't want to do just another horror movie. But every aspect of the movie is so weak that FINAL TERROR cannot overcome its horror trappings. The characters are almost nonexistent. Rachel Ward and the black girl have accents but where never told where they come from or how did they ever land in such a remote area. Because of this, and the fact that some actors are really miscast, there's very little credibility to the whole proceedings. It feels like the film was put together very quickly and with very little thought behind it.

The script is very weak. No characterization. No idea what to do with the dull bunch. No immediate sense of dread. We have no clue what's out there until the very end. And to make things even more annoying, the action often takes place at night and there are several moments when it's difficult to see what's going on. These dark scenes reminded me of HUMONGOUS. But unlike the underrated Canadian movie, FINAL TERROR's pitch black moments weren't deliberate. They were badly shot moments (made more confusing with the bad editing) which muddled up what little action there was in the story. The cinematography was excellent when there was light or the action took place during the day but the night time scenes, or even those scenes that took place in and around the cabin, were too dark for my taste.

The film gets interesting at the very end, but like many have pointed out already, the end is very sudden and abrupt. Too abrupt. The brief glimpse of the killer made me realize how dull and boring the young folks were. When a piece of walking rug with a knife is more interesting than the main characters of the movie, you know there's something wrong with the film.

But FINAL TERROR wasn't the worst film I've ever seen. Compared to DON'T GO IN THE WOODS, FINAL TERROR looks like a work of genius. It's just that there's very little going for it except for some beautiful scenery, one good murder scene, a creepy, under-used killer and a somewhat memorable (but sudden) ending.

Slick but unfulfilling

[The Film Buff · 5/10 · 1 December 2001]

Tired, uninvolving FRIDAY THE 13th clone in the same vein as JUST BEFORE DAWN (1981). Five obnoxious forest rangers take their underdeveloped girlfriends into the forest to do some work. One night at a campfire one of the group tells the others of a deranged old hag haunting the surrounding woods, killing anybody who crosses her path. The next day, one of the group mysteriously disappears and another is brutally murdered. After several unsuccessful attempts at escape the group finally manages to set a trap for the killer and destroy her once and for all.

THE FINAL TERROR is a mixed bag; On one hand there's gorgeous photography, nice scenery, a scary killer, some good 'n creepy moments and a fantastic cast. But for every good point there's a bad: annoying characters, a sloppy script, slow pacing, little gore, and no imagination. There are some very memorable moments: The killer making her presence known by throwing a dead body onto a passing raft, the brutal murder of a butt-naked Mark Metcalf in a glistening stream, and, in my favorite scene in the entire movie, when the remaining friends huddle up together in the darkened bus as the killer scuttles across the roof, smashing axes and poles through the blackened windows. Unfortunately, THE FINAL TERROR is too dull for its own good. Scenes of the teens screaming at each other and running through the woods get boring after a while and we don't really care what happens to them. Admittedly, I did like the climax where the hag finally reveals herself only to be impaled on a row of spikes as the group watches in shock. But for the most part, THE FINAL TERROR is a pretty lame movie. It's up to you.

Lacks Excitement

[briandwillis-83825 · 5/10 · 24 October 2020]

The problem with The Final Terror is that the characters are too smart and the writers aren't smart enough. When danger descends upon their large group, they decide not to split up, but to stick it out together in case the killer tries something again. It leaves the finale without much tension since you never really feel like anyone's in danger. The music score is great and the forest atmosphere is haunting at times, but it can't help much when the film lacks suspense and danger.

Something Evil in the Woods....Again.

[Coventry · 3/10 · 14 May 2006]

Sorry folks, not much terror here... "The Final Terror" is an interesting but eventually unsatisfying backwoods slasher that shows way too much mercy for the victims of the forestry killer and hence deeply disappoints the horror fans that were hoping to see some nasty violence and delightful 80's sleaze. This film was clearly inspired by the immense success of "Friday the 13th" and similar teenkill-movies, yet it almost ends up being an homage to "Deliverance" because of director Andrew Davis' exaggerated respect for the wildlife setting. Thank God the killer's identity is revealed (or is it?) during the atmospheric telling of a campfire-story, otherwise we'd had no clue what bizarre character, covered in a garment of weeds and moss, is hunting down eight twenty-something hikers in the dark woods near an old asylum. There's some cheesy mayhem to enjoy during the opening minutes, when a young couple gets inventively killed off screen, but the rest of the film is completely undermining all slasher-expectations. A lot of people mention the talented cast members as this film's biggest trump, but they're not worth the praise they're getting neither. Daryl Hannah hardly says a word throughout the whole movie and the acting skills of Joe Pantoliano are dreadfully underused. Don't bother...

Take your time to spread the terror.

[lost-in-limbo · 5/10 · 25 September 2008]

The inspirational for this sub-standard, low-budget woodland slasher/survival horror is obvious ('Friday the 13th'and 'Deliverance'), but even then it took the hackneyed clichés and kind of added its own messy slab to the well-worn formula. Was it for the better? I don't know? What fell by the wayside was the overall pacing due to there being too little to the transparent story and simply having the characters going through the motions. Too much dead air with a small body count and not enough thrills. When they were inserted, it was feeble. Other then a decent opening (with that smoking theme song) and thunderously outlandish closing, in between was a lot of repetitively aimless parading. It's easy through those parts because of the beautifully authentic setting that was fluidly photographed. Although the nocturnal scenes are poorly lit. Director Andrew Davis (who would go onto to be a pivotal action deliverer with titles like 'The Package' (1989), 'Under Siege (1992) and 'The Fugitive' (1993) and many more) does a quite passive, if workman-like job without the setting the world alight. There's true grit, but the attacks are telegraphed and rushed leaving it struggling to sustain any sort of momentum in its attempts of suspense. Atmosphere on the other hand, breathes some starkness and the environment moodily blends well with Susan Justin's eerily unhinged music score and penetrating forest sounds. The cast is more interesting to look at on paper, than actually watching their performances. Really the material doesn't allow much room for growth and makes them all unappealingly disposable. Too many I guess. Daryl Hannah, Adrian Zmed and Rachel Ward are fine. Joe Pantoliano in a short role makes the most in an over-exaggeratedly on-edge turn and Lewis Smith's unpredictable character kept one amused. It has its moments, but fails to really come out of first-gear.

An OK terror, but it's hardly final.

[Nightman85 · 7/10 · 1 October 2005]

Young forest rangers and their lady friends take a trip into the wilderness and are terrorized by a woodsy maniac.

Yet another slasher in the wake of Friday the 13th (1980), this one being OK as it tries to be a little different from the rest of its kind. This film tries to focus a little more on mood and suspense, rather than on gore and sex, although it does have it's share of that too. With the help of a decent cast, featuring some latter-day stars like Hannah and Ward, The Final Terror manages to be an entertaining enough effort. There's a few shocks, a good rock music score, and a creepy villain that also help carry the movie.

It's a far cry from the superior likes of Just Before Dawn (1981), but it certainly beats the lesser efforts of movies like Don't Go in the Woods (1981) or The Prey (1984).

** 1/2 out of ****

"I can't see a thing" (Rachel Ward)

[merklekranz · 5/10 · 21 December 2010]

At one point after the group of forest rangers escapes the night bus attack, Rachel Ward exclaims "I can't see a thing". Ditto for the viewing audience, because even the daytime scenes are so poorly lit that you will have little sense of what is taking place on screen. It's pretty difficult to scare people, when you can't see what is supposed to be scary. Technically "The Final Terror" is a disaster, and it's really a shame, because hunted in the woods films are one of my favorite genres. After seeing (or rather not seeing) "The Final Terror", I will stick with "Hunter's Blood", which is a great film of this type. Other than a strong opening and a surprisingly good conclusion, there is very little entertainment value here. Don't let the name actors get you excited either, because Rachel Ward and Darryl Hannah are just faces in the crowd, with zero character development. My advice, skip it. - MERK

A highly influential (in my opinion, anyway), star-studded stalk and slash.

[BA_Harrison · 7/10 · 28 November 2008]

It's easy to make the mistake of dismissing The Final Terror as just another instantly forgettable, derivative backwoods slasher: the characters are your usual array of one-dimensional psycho-fodder; the setting is the standard 'spooky woods located miles from civilisation'; there's the corny campfire legend that sets up the back story for the killer; and the film features several cribs from other similarly themed horror movies (most obviously John Boorman's Deliverance).

However, I think this film is a more important addition to the genre than it is given credit for: not only did it give director Andrew Davis (of The Fugitive fame) and several future Hollywood stars (Daryl Hannah, Rachel Ward, Joe Pantoliano, and...errr... Adrian Zmed?!?) a step up in their careers, but—and you can call me mad if you like—I am also convinced that The Final Terror was a big influence on the excellent Arnold Schwarzeneggar sci-fi/action movie Predator!

As Lloyd Grossman used to say in Through The Keyhole, 'Let's take a look at the evidence...'

The group of friends stranded in the wilderness; the strange creature who hunts them one-by-one; the pivotal moment where the hunter finally becomes the hunted; and the final showdown in which the killer is lured into a booby-trap made from a huge tree trunk. Let's face it.... all that's missing is a mini-gun!!!

Anyway, regardless of whether you subscribe to my Predator theory or not, The Final Terror is still a reasonably enjoyable way to pass the time, with some effective jump scares, a fair amount of atmosphere, and some lovely cinematography. I'd liked to have seen a bit more gore, some nudity from the ladies (this is a slasher, after all!), and Adrian Zmed get slaughtered (I still remember T. J. Hooker), but I suppose you can't have everything!

6.5 out of 10, rounded up to 7 for IMDb.

Makes Friday 13th look like a multi oscar winner.

[Laurie Compton · 3/10 · 14 July 2000]

Only recently saw this little film again after 10 years or so, and what a dreadful little horror it is. Dire script, no storyline (except mutilating teenagers),really awful direction and acting seen better in a home movie. I watched Friday 13th straight after, and that film looked on a different planet to this. My generous rating:2/10.

A Gem of a horror Film.

[superchook692005 · 9/10 · 13 May 2020]

2020, found this movie on Tubi, along with Grizzly, The Crazies (Code name Trixie), Without Warning (retitled The Warning) and Madman. I remember watching this. Scared me when I was a teen. 80's was the era of great slashers. One scene freaked me out. Surprised me to learn Joe Pantolino (Goonies, The Matrix, Sopranos and Bad Boys trilogy) stared in it. As well as Daryl Hannah (Kill Bill 1 & 2, Splash, Roxanne and Blade Runner) Very rare to find a movie that uses natural lighting instead of artificial lighting to capture details. Makes the scenes scarier. Watching the film as I'm watching this. Check it out.

Forgotten "Lost" Cult Classic of the '80s

[ersinkdotcom · 7/10 · 10 July 2014]

A group of young campers travel into the wilderness to perform community service. After getting settled in at their remote site, the group is left by their bus driver to get to work. After a hard day of labor, many of the workers explore the woods. One by one, the bodies start piling up. Someone is slaughtering the group and, with no way out, it looks like they're left to fend for themselves from an unseen evil.

"The Final Terror" is exactly what it sounds like. It's an old-fashioned slasher thriller where there's a nutcase in the woods taking out sexually active pot-smoking teens. What makes it work is the fact that it's very survivalist-based. The campers are thrown into primal situations where they either do what they have to do to stay alive or die. Another reason it works is because of the time period it was made in and its setting. The group is isolated out in the middle of nowhere and not only do they not have cell phones, but the technology wasn't readily available yet.

The death scenes in "The Final Terror" are rather convincing. The movie has a certain "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" charm to it. It feels like it could really happen and puts you in the middle of all the mayhem. The most intense moments occur when the bodies are found. You'd think the director didn't tell the actors where the corpses were on the set and they just ran into them by chance. Their reactions are very believable and it's where we get to see the most carnage.

The movie features two actors in the early stages of their careers. Adrian Zmed plays a studly rebel who wants in on the pot crop two of his associates are looking for. The role foreshadows his future career playing the same type of cocky, party animal characters he did in "Bachelor Party," "Grease 2," and other movies of the era. Daryl Hannah plays a teen who just wants to make the most of her time off from community service by hanging out and smoking some weed. Joe Pantoliano ("The Matrix," "The Fugitive") plays the creepy mechanic / bus driver that leaves the group stranded in the wilderness.

"The Final Terror" is rated R for graphic violence, gore, language, sexual situations, and nudity. The bloodshed is highlighted many times when the bodies are found, although there are scenes of violence present on screen. The sex scene is what you would expect from a slasher film released in the early 1980s.

Although it's rather predictable and plays out the way you figure it will, "The Final Terror" still holds the viewer's attention and deserves respect simply because of its storytelling process. You know what's going to happen, but the journey to get there in this case is worth the trip. Great location shooting, solid camera-work, and convincing practical effects are the icing on the cake.

Another killer-in-the-woods slasher?!?! But, this one's got Darryl Hannah!

[BillyBC · 13 May 2003]

(**1/2 out of *****)

Produced by Samuel Arkoff, this is one of those low-budget (albeit tolerably directed) jobs with several different titles ("The Campsite Murders" and "Forest Primeval" to name a couple) and two or three different release dates between 1980 and 1985 (I split the difference and went with ‘83, although the original release date is most likely ‘81, for those who care.) It's of interest mainly for featuring Darryl Hannah and Rachel Ward (not to mention Joe Pantoliano, from "Memento" and "The Sopranos") in early roles. The gals play the girlfriends of forest rangers out on a work detail in the woods who run across an unseen, homicidal maniac. There's a refreshingly low body count, but, given the number of potential victims who have little else to do but run around and whine, maybe the cast should have been reduced by two or three actors. Other than a couple of minor shocks here and there, there's also a lack of action and suspense. Come to think of it -- no gratuitous nudity, no excessive violence -- who exactly was this movie made for? The last third, with the survivors paddling down river in a big raft, starts to resemble a tame "Deliverance" (as well as other forest/slasher movies too numerous to name). There are pretty good killer-in-the-woods flicks ("Just Before Dawn") and there are really bad killer-in-the-woods flicks ("Berserker"), and this one sits somewhere just south of the border. Davis went on to direct big-budget action movies (including "Under Siege" and Harrison Ford's "The Fugitive").

HIGHLIGHT: I'm being generous to go with a highlight for this one, but I kinda liked the part where the killer was hit with a giant, swinging log studded with sharp spikes. It reminded me of a Road Runner cartoon.

Utterly Forgettable

[S.A.B. · 4/10 · 19 December 1999]

The 1981 horror film THE FINAL TERROR looks as if it were written and produced immediately following the surprise box office success of 1980's FRIDAY THE 13TH. Much like FRIDAY THE 13TH, THE FINAL TERROR involves a group of particularly annoying young people who are stalked by a mysterious killer deep in the backwoods, where they have set up camp. However, this film has very little of the graphic gore that made FRIDAY THE 13TH so memorable, while at the same time the plot and direction are not any better.

While the acting isn't bad, it is far from inspired and there is very little chemistry between the characters. For example, some of the campers have British accents while others have Southern accents, while the film is supposed to take place in northern California! At the same time, the acting is competent enough to prevent the film from qualification as "horror cheese."

Other than some good atmospheric cinematography, the only reason to see this film is to see all of the future talent involved. Director Andrew Davis would later direct THE FUGITIVE with Harrison Ford, while cast members Daryl Hannah and Rachel Ward would go on to be Hollywood stars. Otherwise, horror fans and non-horror fans alike should skip this bore of a film.

*1/2 out of ****

The Final Terror: Starts strong, fumbles, faceplants

[Platypuschow · 3/10 · 27 January 2018]

The Final Terror otherwise known as Carnivore tells the story of a group who go out into the woods only to learn that danger lurks between the pines.

Truth be told though not exactly original the movie was interesting, the characters caught my attention and I expected something well above par.

Alas the longer the movie runs the more you realise that the creators had run out of ideas and it wanders into the realms of mediocrity building to a terrible finale.

The finale in fact is so bad I get understand for the life of me what they were thinking.

Starring a young Daryl Hannah and young-ish Joe Pantoliano this b-movie slasher effort is squandered potential and should have been better.

The Good:

Decent cast

General competence in filmmaking

The Bad:

Fizzles out

Terrible finale

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

When in a life or death situation a good tactic is getting high

This proves it, the African American guy doesn't have to die first!

Not the way I remembered it

[bensonmum2 · 5/10 · 26 December 2005]

I saw The Final Terror in the theater in 1983. For 22 years, I've had fond memories of the movie and have considered it one of the better slasher films of the 80s. I re-watched it the other day and realized that time has not been kind to this movie. It's not the way I remembered it. I remembered a fairly innovative movie about a backwoods killer. In reality, it's all pretty standard stuff. There's really nothing here to get all that excited about. As for the killer, I normally complain that the killers in these movies have too much screen time. But in The Final Terror, by the time the killer shows up, the movie is over. Sadly, it appears that I've been wrong about this movie for over two decades.

The Final Terror will be remembered for one thing, though – the cast. Even if you don't recognize the names, most movie fans will recognize more than a few of the faces. Darryl Hannah, Rachel Ward, Joe Pantoliano, and a few others have appeared in a surprising number of memorable movies and television series.

Familiar Faces Wasted in Boring Slasher

[Michael_Elliott · 23 March 2015]

The Final Terror (1983)

** (out of 4)

Decent slasher about a group of park rangers who decide to take some of their female friends out in the woods when some of their party is attacked and murdered. The survivors must try to make it down the river without getting picked off.

THE FINAL TERROR was released in 1983 after a couple years on the shelf and it's pretty easy to see why. While there are certainly much worse out there, this film really doesn't have too much going for it except when viewed today there are quite a few familiar faces that film buffs will notice. However, these unknown people wouldn't have been much of an interest back in the day so THE FINAL TERROR pretty much entered and left theaters without too much hype and the film's reputation never really grew much.

The best thing that the film has going for it is that we're treated to some now famous faces. Daryl Hannah and Joe Pantoliano are both on hand in pretty good sized role. Pantoliano steals the film as one of the many nutjobs and you can't help but enjoy his over-the-top performance. You've got Mark Metcalf from NATIONAL LAMPOON'S ANIMAL HOUSE, Rachel Ward of AGAINST ALL ODDS fame and THE HEAVENLY KID fans will enjoy seeing Lewis Smith. Even Adrian Zmed from BACHELOR PARTY is on hand. All of them offer up nice performances consider the type of film they're in, although I doubt anyone would have seen this in 1983 and knew what they'd go on to do.

The screenplay really doesn't offer us anything new or original. This is clearly yet another Friday THE 13TH clone with the wood trappings and of course there's a big mystery running throughout the picture. The red herring is given to us from the word go so the only real interest is trying to figure out what twist is going to come. Sadly the screenplay is pretty much by-the-numbers as we see the people party, then stand around and slowly they start to get picked off. The body count is incredibly low here so it's easy to see why the pre-credits sequence was added without the director's knowledge but it doesn't add much. There's one effective kill scene that happens towards the start of the film but not much else.

THE FINAL TERROR was director by Andrew Davis who would go on to make films like UNDER SIEGE and THE FUGITIVE. There's really nothing here that would make you think he'd have films like that in his future but he at least makes a professional looking picture on what was obviously a very low-budget. THE FINAL TERROR is pretty forgettable but slasher fans will still want to watch it at least once.

Typical slasher movie about a group of young campers is stalked by a mad killer

[ma-cortes · 5/10 · 11 December 2023]

Terrifying and unsettling movie plenty of thrills , chills , lush outdoors and passable acting. In the opening scene, a young couple loses control of their motorbike and fall to the ground when they hit a fallen tree laying on the track through a forest where they are riding. The guy, Jim, is badly hurt, and the girl, Lori, runs to find some help. She runs back to Jimmy where she finds him hanging upside down from a tree, terrified she runs back to a cabin . Then a group of rangers go camping on unfamiliar forest grounds. All's well until the group members start getting killed by a cunning killer in the woods. But there's some sinister in the woods. They suddenly become desperate when occurs a chain of nightmarish events . He has found you. Screaming won't help anymore. It's too late...Can anyone survive?. Without knowing they have awakened an unknown force. If you go down to the woods today you're sure of... The final terror. Daryl Hannah and Rachel Ward - Trapped In A Web Of Madness And Terror!. Don't See It Alone. A ghoulish tale of murder and the macabre from the creator of Alien. Without knowing they have awakened an unknown force. Can anyone survive?. He Has Found You. Without knowing they have awakened an unknown force!.If you go down to the woods today you're sure of...

The film displays thrills , chills , cardboard horror , tension and lots of blood and gory scenes for nauseating execution. The concept of the movie is plain and simple, the typical series murderer who proceeds an astonishing massacre. Scary and eerie with abundant gore, including nice make-up and adequate special effects. As always, a series killer makes an authentic slaughter with gruesome and bloody assassinations using some forest traps and other murderous instruments . After successes as John Carpenter's Halloween and Sean S. Cunningham's Friday the 13th expanded a lot of rip-offs or imitations and one of the best ones resulted to be this ¨The burning (1981)¨, following this ¨Final terror¨. The Final Terror is notable for the presence of some soon-to-be stars appearing some familiar and young faces as who subsequently to be continued decent cinematic careers: Daryl Hannah, Rachel Ward, Joe Pantoliano, Lewis Smith, Adrian Zmed, John Friedrich, Mark Metcalf . To minimize costs, the production wasn't insured and the actors did their own stunts , for instance, some actors actually climbed the hills risked landscapes in order to save costs . Apart from a couple of minutes of mayhem at the beginning and end, the nearest of the film gets to dealing with the deranged slasher plot is to have it told, midway, as a camp-fire spook story. Undermining genre expectations, director Davis reveals an affectionate respect for the woods and likes his roles enough not to line them up as Slaher Victims. Surprisingly, the women aren't on board to be decorative nude figures , nor simple rape victims. ¨Deliverance¨ is the inspiration, but finally this film rafted down a different stream.

The motion picture was professionally directed by Andrew Davis, but nothing special, he's a filmmaker with a reputation for directing intelligent thrillers. Director Davis provides this film with great plot strength since he himself is an expert in physics and engineering. He has made good and boxoffice films, such as ¨Above the law¨, ¨The final terror¨ , ¨Chain reaction¨ , ¨Collateral damage¨ , ¨The Package¨ and Davis went on to direct 1992's top grossing picture, ¨Under siege¨ (1992), for Warner Brothers, a classic action film teaming Steven Seagal with Tommy Lee Jones. Being his greatest hit ¨The fugitive¨, this film received seven Academy Award nominations including Best Picture and earned Tommy Lee Jones a Best Supporting Actor award. Andrew Davis frequently casts 'Ron Dean', Chelcie Ross, Joseph F. Kosala, Joe Pantoliano and his father 'Nathan Davis' . He often directs in his city : Chicago. Rating The Final Terror(1983): 5.5/10. Passable and acceptable but inferior than other Andrew Davis films.

Joey Pants takes a beatin'!

[Cristopher_Jeorge · 6/10 · 14 March 2005]

Absolutely better than average slasher. It obviously even influenced big budget films like Predator with its invisible camouflaged killer and final showdown location similarities. Do yourself a favor and sit through the opening sequence which is a tad lame and you'll be rewarded. The cast is chock full of Hollywood newbies and Animal House alumni and the story is more an action/survival deal then a straight slasher tale. The body count is low but the kills aside from the first pair are done with the right amount of tension and grue. The Final Terror does have it's fair share of creep moments and they're downright tense. Namely the initial entering of the shack in the woods, the quiet stalking then loud attack on the disabled bus, and the glimpses of what you think are forest scenery that then begins to creep and crawl revealing it's the camouflaged killer. The movie also goes against the slasher grain by keeping most of its cast alive and intact to mount a "we ain't gonna take this crap" attack on their stalker. Adrian Zhmed is the hunky wolf wailin' weed thief, Darryl Hannah is the obligatory blonde in the woods who narrowly avoids a throat slashing(too bad there), John Fredrich is the shroom popping' Nam-head who doesn't have both oars in the water, and Joe Pantoliano does the best job as Eggar, the on edge, threatening, pain in the arse, moss mommas son who takes one hilarious beat down. You love to hate and hate to love Eggar and ultimately feel a little sad for him, after all he did warn'em.

Really boring; not sure of the cult status

[stefanbain · 1/10 · 31 January 2007]

I had heard a lot about this movie, and was told that it was pretty scary, an 80s time capsule of a smart slasher film. In fact, a few towns over this movie was shown as a midnight movie for a while, and people showed up dressed as the forest mom. Having just seen the entire movie, I am not sure what the hype is all about. It is a very silly little film. The acting is horrible, but not as bad as the lighting. The story is about a small group of campers who go into the woods to "build a stream" per the leader (even though there is a stream). The dialog is really silly, as are the decisions the campers make to escape (split up, sleep in separate camps). All the expected characters are there (the pot head, the joker, the so-crazy-he-may- be-the-killer) and they do all of the expected things (scream, fight, and sometimes, thankfully, are killed). The gore is tame and there are no scary parts at all. The movie is sloppy, for example the female body double in the opening scene (falling from the motorcycle) is SO obvious not the same person.

I guess this movie would be okay to watch if it was on TV and there was nothing else to do, but otherwise it really is not worth the time. It is a bad sign for a slasher movie that more people are alive at the end then were murdered, especially when you want them to die SOOO badly.

80s slasher completists will want to see it.

[Hey_Sweden · 6/10 · 5 July 2014]

This could best be described as an adequate wilderness slasher with some effective moments. It does benefit from the atmosphere of its very woodsy environment, which is actually more of a star here than the human actors. It's creepy at times without ever being really scary. Many fans of this genre are likely to be less than satisfied because the body count is quite low, and the gore content (supplied by Kenny Myers) is likewise minimal. The main reason why "The Final Terror" would have some stature nowadays is because 1) it's a rare venture into horror for acclaimed veteran action director Andrew Davis ("Code of Silence", "Under Siege", "The Fugitive"), and 2) it's the chance to see a couple of very familiar faces in the beginning years of their careers - not, of course, that they really get a chance to show off much acting chops.

A group of male forest rangers embark on an excursion in the company of some female friends, and they soon begin to be threatened and killed by a mysterious presence in their midst.

While there are genre fans who will take exception to so many people being alive at the end, others should appreciate the fact that this movie takes the trouble to depart from some of the conventions of this sort of thing (perhaps a contribution from co-writer Ronald Shusett of "Alien" fame). For one thing, the survivors actually take proactive steps against the character whom they believe to be the killer. The one major murder set piece occurs during a bout of love making, unsurprisingly. The means of dispatching the murderer is rather ingenious, but Davis doesn't bother with an epilogue. Once this sucker is over, it's OVER. An undeniable highlight is the score by Susan Justin, which is haunting and catchy. Davis, a former cinematographer, also shot the movie himself under a pseudonym. The attack on the bus and a scene involving a dead body both work fairly well.

Among those paying their dues here are Mark Metcalf, Daryl Hannah, Rachel Ward, Adrian Zmed, Lewis Smith, and a priceless Joe "Joey Pants" Pantoliano as the volatile Eggar.

This is okay as slasher movies go, but as was said in the summary, it's mainly for completists.

One of the final films for legendary producer Samuel Z. Arkoff of A.I.P. fame.

Six out of 10.

Into the Woods

[BaronBl00d · 3/10 · 25 December 2005]

Final Terror? There is no terror in this boring, inane slug of a film about randy forestry guys and their friendly girls traversing to the unknown wilds of the American wilderness. Yeah right! Along for the ride are a host of talented, up-and coming actors and actresses such as Rachel Ward(just lovely), Darryl Hannah, Joe Pantoliano, and Adrian Zmed. Unfortunately for them - and the viewers - this film takes them virtually nowhere. The story is really hard to describe because there is little to describe: some wild wilderness freak(possibly one of the men that drove them into the woods) starts killing the forestry guys and dolls. Okay, I think that explains the plot fairly fully. Really, you can fill in what gaps there may be because nothing exciting, inventive, or interesting happens. I was bored from start to finish. Now, some of the acting is competent. The direction is not horrible just uneventful. The woods looks like ...woods. So there is an authentic, cheap feel to the film that does aid what little suspense the film is able to create. Is there any real terror? No way, unless you count the expression on my face when the film ended and I realized that was 82 minutes I would never see again.

Not your average body count film; in fact, not a body count film at all

[drownsoda90 · 9/10 · 21 August 2014]

Oh boy, oh boy, what do we have here? "The Final Terror" is a film that eluded me for years. After nearly a decade, I've finally gotten around to seeing it, and it blew my expectations out of the water. The plot is routine on the surface: A (rather large) group of campers go on an excursion into the woods of Northern California. When one of them goes missing after a prank, they split up to search for their lost compatriot, only to lose two more. The excursion slowly becomes a survivalist expedition as the remaining campers scramble to get out of the woods alive with a mysterious killer on their tails.

For all the criticism that "The Final Terror" gets, it also gets a lot of deserved love from genre fans; it's an unusual movie. Part slasher flick, for sure, but not entirely- it's equal parts thriller and equal parts survivalist adventure film. Directed by Andrew Davis, who later went on to become a major Hollywood director, the film is exceptionally photographed, accentuating the natural settings and capturing the thick blackness of a night in the wilderness. In that sense, it's reminiscent of 1981's "Just Before Dawn", though "The Final Terror" was actually filmed around the same time (both in 1980- "The Final Terror" had some release issues before finally hitting screens in '83).

As a slasher film, it curiously takes its time to really get going, and also curiouser is the unusually small body count it tallies up; in fact, only one member of the camping group actually falls prey to the killer; two other unnamed characters in the beginning are killed for the sake of establishment, and the two other deaths that come at the end are very anti-slasher (I won't discuss them so as not to spoil the ending). When you take this into consideration, along with the film's "Deliverance"-style tone and the guerrilla warfare camaraderie that evolves among the campers, it really places the film more in the vein of a backwoods thriller or adventure flick than it does a slasher.

The cast is made up of a surprisingly large number of budding Hollywood stars, namely Adrian Zmed, Rachel Ward, Joe Pantoliano, and Daryl Hannah (yes, that's right- Daryl Hannah). The talent of the actors involved her really shines through and bolsters the effectiveness of the proceedings, as the performances are far above the standard for '80s slasher films. The characters are incredibly believable, which I think is also helped by the straight-shooting script. There is an unusual sense of authenticity about the film in that the campers seem like real campers, and their reactions to the events they find themselves a part of seem real. They also don't make stupid decisions; there is no "final girl", and there aren't characters foolishly wandering off by themselves to be killed. The characters in the film are savvy and strategic, sticking together as a unit, even when they're being chased through the woods in the middle of the night by an apparently blade-wielding monster. These unusually bright decisions are perhaps the reason why most of them survive.

Overall, "The Final Terror" is one of the '80s horror oddballs that is even weirder than most because it's not the backwoods body count film you'd expect it to be- in fact, it's not a body count film at all. At times it does work with the elements of slasher pictures, but moreover, it's a wilderness survival thriller with a killer thrown in the mix. Classy photography, a talented cast, and surprisingly intelligent writing really put this film head-and-shoulders above many of its peers. It's thrilling, engaging, and above everything else, it's smart, which is one of the last adjectives I'd expect to use when describing an '80s "slasher" film. Highlights: the nighttime group chase scene through the woods, the guerrilla warfare ending, and, of course, a young Daryl Hannah. 9/10.

Enjoyable as far as woodsy slasher films go.

[mark.waltz · 6/10 · 20 January 2021]

Not a fan of the original "Friday the 13th" film or its sequels or "Nightmare on Elm Street" or any of the other wisecracking or silent slashers, I was pleased to find that this is more of a thriller based on the fact that you do not see the killings, only the victims being sneaked up on and the insinuations of what happens. Deliberate gore in my opinion made a mockery of horror films in the 1980's and 90's, so to find this one which takes place among the California Redwoods is more enjoyable to me.

Shots of nature at its most beautiful makes the opening of this intriguing to give a chance to, with the deer grazing and the beautiful full trees majestic and stunning. When a couple on a motorcycle come along and fall over, the man is badly injured, so his girlfriend goes to get him help. She returns alone to find him missing, but all of a sudden appearing out of nowhere, having chose at least through his body to hang around a bit.

The cast includes a few actors who went onto bigger things (Darryl Hannah, Rachel Ward), found brief fame on TV (Adrian Zmed) or were familiar to me from their other works (Ernest Harden Jr.). This is an ensemble piece so no one really is the star, but there's a variety of diverse personalities and backgrounds to make each of them interesting. There are of course members of their camping team who are rather suspicious so that adds to the mystery. The use of intrigue rather than blood and guts (although there is some) to this makes it a lot better to me than I expected, and the gorgeous photography of the California wilderness is a definite plus.

the Slasher version of "1941" (high star power, terrible movie)

[movieman_kev · 2/10 · 13 April 2005]

Should have known something was up when I saw Jon George and Neill Hicks to of the men responsible for the horrid "Escape 2000" also wrote this one. This film is only good as a curiosity as many of the actors went onto MUCH better things. Adrian Zmed later starred in the great "Bachelor Party", Lewis Smith starred in "Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai", and Rachel Ward to the great HBO film "Fortress". And that's not even mentioning Joey 'Pants' Pantoliano or Daryl Hannah. But all that future star power can't save this hopelessly derivative, boring, tedious "horror" film about a group of teenagers on a forest trip with an unseen killer. Too low of a body count, no female flesh,, and no scares. For a slasher film to be watchable it doesn't take much, but this film somehow blows it.

My Grade: D-