The Zero Boys (1986) User Reviews

Nice Slice of Eighties Exploitation

[t-dooley-69-386916 · 6/10 · 28 April 2016]

The plot is as tired as any in that a group of friends go off into the middle of nowhere to have some fun. Once there they happen upon an empty house and decide to impose on the hospitality of the erstwhile residents. Only the big problem is they are not alone mwah!

Now this starts off fairly lame as it is full of macho centric twaddle and the ladies have that big eighties hair and attitude etc. At times it looks just like a really bad MTV video of the time especially in the over long road sequence. However, as things get more interesting the group start to behave in a much more believable way and then the twists start coming and it is actually quite inventive – and that is where it pulls it back.

The acting is all OK with no one making a new space in their awards cabinet but they all manage to convince. If you want a no brainer then you could do a lot worse than this and the restored picture quality makes it look as good as new. If you want something high brow then steer well clear but for some big haired frights then this is worth a go.

Guns, woods and college students

[Philbs13 · 6/10 · 12 April 2005]

Wrong Turn is definitely a ripoff the general idea in this movie, only that movie is a serious horror film and this one is more of the standard B- horror with a twist of humorous adventure. It's labeled a horror film, which by all comparable standards to 80s horror films it is, but you're not entirely sure where the movie is going in the first 15 minutes. The box art and opening sequence both set this up to be more of a light weight version of Deliverence mixed with some B- soldier heavy artillary jungle warfare. What you actually get is a paint ball battle in a deserted town, followed by a random weekend in the woods that goes awry. For the first 30 minutes, nothing particularly horrific happens, then the rest of the movie is a lot of running through the woods survival. It's blatantly obvious by both the cast and the box art that this film is total B- territory and I obviously only recommend it for fans of these films. I just wish that the energy from the opening sequence was carried through the entire film. There's some definite cult status here, but the second half of the film strays too far into cliché horror territory that you forget the initial premise from the opening. Unfortunately there is also NO ending to this film.

Aside from the short-comings, I have a lot of respect for Nico Mastorakis as a director, writer and producer. He's one of the rare few that doesn't conform to the BS that is Hollywood. I'm also glad that there are some great featurettes on his DVDs on the making of his movies including his commentary as well.

If you like bad 80's films, this is a gem.

[tehsuck · 6/10 · 9 March 2005]

About six months ago I copied a bunch of movies I've been meaning to watch onto my laptop in hopes that while on a trip, or over my mom's doing laundry, I would find the time and effort to watch them. A few of them I have watched, but largely this group of 6 or 7 films has gone untouched. Today I finally got the will to watch a film called The Zero Boys.

I had download.. erhm, I mean rented it about 4 or 5 months ago after I re-watched the 80's Dawn of the Dead inspired slasher-flick: Chopping Mall. While browsing the IMDb, I noticed that cult actress and Night of the Comet alum Kelli Maroney was in a film described as an "action / slasher / horror" film. I had to see this.

After watching the film and while doing my dishes, I was trying to concoct a clever and hip metaphor for this film: "it's what a teen slasher film would be like if Polanski directed it." No, Polanski would make it more confusing. "It's like a Golan-Globus produced slasher film." Maybe, but a film produced by those great Greek gods of Chuck Norris would've put more than only one explosion in it, and surely there'd be boobies. As I continued these ridiculous metaphors in my head, the more I realized that as much as The Zero Boys failed as a film, it was strikingly entertaining.

The film opens during a "weekend warrior" game between two groups of college-aged kids. The clever director of this film, Nico Mastorakis, has cut this opening scene with such disguise -- it FEELS as though something quite real is going on here, but we soon realize it's just a game of paint ball (and a dull one at that). This is where we are introduced to our main character: Steve. Steve is a strong, leader type pretty boy with a patented 80s haircut. His two friends Rip and Larry are apparently the kings of paint ball, as they have just defeated some kid in a Nazi uniform.

The plot really thickens up when we learn that the Nazi kid has wagered his own girlfriend on his paint ball skills. Not only has Steve won $20, he has now earned the right to court the buxom, catty, blond Jamie (played by the aforementioned Kelli Marony).

Soon the group are somehow on a picnic in the woods, and sooner then you can say "Sam Raimi," they've found a creepy looking deserted cabin. For one reason or another, the group decides to stay here even though strange things continue to happen during their stay.

What follows is for the most part standard slasher fare. Lots of POV shots looking at the cabin from outside, lots of screaming. One thing that was completely out of the ordinary was the order in which characters were killed. As a standard: characters having sex in slasher films are usually offed during, or quickly after the act of coitus (or as Rip says: "coitus interuptus"). When watching this film, I was pleasantly surprised at the level of non-conformity when it came to typical slasher style.

The film doesn't quite deliver on it's interesting middle section. Even the subtle references to Argento's Suspiria can't quite save it. When it comes down to it, the best film to compare this to would have to be Wes Craven's The Hills Have Eyes. For one thing: the villains in that film are never really explained. They live in the desert, they inbreed, they eat humans. These things we can take for granted, we can understand this because of how these characters look and talk; they're complete freaks. In a slight contrast, we never really see too much of the villains in this film. Not until the end, and I was quite confused by the costume designer's choice. One of the killers in the film is wearing a sweater and polo shirt. And quite strangely, once we see his face, he looks, somewhat normal. It's not clear why the director never introduces or develops the villains, not that it was needed, but in light of their strange weapon choices and dressing styles, I would've been interested.

The Zero Boys isn't a typical 80's teen horror film, and for that it's a relatively fun, yet somewhat dull film. Recommended viewing with: Night of the Comet, The Hills Have Eyes, Friday the 13th Part III, Chopping Mall.

"It wasn't me, it was JASON!"

[Backlash007 · 15 April 2002]

The Zero Boys is a good, old fashioned 80's action/horror/comedy. It's also rare. I just found this one on DVD (if you believe that) and it's marketed as an action movie; the trailer, the cover art, everything. It does start out that way. The Zero Boys, Steve, Larry, and Rip, are the best at what they do: paintball wars. The movie starts with a great game of paintball. When the Zero Boys win, they take a vacation in the woods and stumble upon an abandoned cabin. That's when the horror starts. The action part is so good that I almost didn't want it to turn into a horror flick. It all works out though because the horror is just as good, and cheesy, as the action. It's actually turns into a decent slasher flick which creates an eerie atmosphere. The cheesy dialogue and the one liners are what really make the movie. Such phrases as "Jason old boy, are you in there?" and "Probably just a bunch of faggots living in the woods." make this one a classic. All through the movie I kept remarking about how much the lead killer looked like Martin Sheen. It turned out to be his brother, Joe Estevez. If you're looking for an entertaining mix of genres, catch The Zero Boys, if you can find it.

80s horror/action mashup that fails to Deliver(ance)

[rooee · 4/10 · 4 May 2016]

The Zero Boys are the best "Weekend Warriors" on the paintball ranch. With feisty newcomer Jamie (Kelli Maroney) in tow, the gang heads out on a classic aimless teen road trip, and wind up at an apparently deserted country house where they proceed to do the things horror teens do: have sex, play games, argue, and split up to maximise their vulnerability.

Of course, they are not alone. The yokel hicks are on the loose with knives, and they soon lure the group into the woods – and into a series of traps. The Zero Boys (and Girls) must use their dubious survival skills, and their stash of real guns, to fight back and make it through the night.

Although Nico Mastorakis is an uber-trash auteur on the level of Albert Pyun, the first scene is promising: playful in the same way that Vamp toyed with our perceptions in its opening. And the idea of the kids taking the front foot, rather than being out-and-out victims, is an intriguing setup. But it's a swift descent into mediocrity and cliché.

"Eat your heart out, Sly," one gun-toting character utters. The film has no problem referencing its contemporaries, including Friday the 13th and The Twilight Zone. It's kinda meta. Ostensibly The Zero Boys is a blend of two classic 80s genres: the teen slasher and the uzi action movie. If only it delivered on the scares or the thrills. In its found footage torture vignettes and its Hunger Games survive-'em-up finale it even prefigures certain modern genres, but in practice we have the usual idiot-plotting schlock, with characters inexplicably going off and doing their own thing to suit audience expectations rather than logic.

Kelli Maroney is perhaps most contemporaneously famous for Night of the Comet, another (much better) mid-80s genre mashup. She's different here: less ditzy and more resourceful, and usually the smartest person in the room. She's more than a match for our hero, Steve, played by Daniel Hirsch with the soft-spoken intensity of a young Bruce Dern but without the charisma.

The positives: occasionally decent quickfire dialogue; some good 'n' gaudy lighting; the pacing is bang on; and Hans Zimmer's Gothic- synth score is fantastic. What it lacks is the ghoulish humour and gore to match something like Tobe Hooper's The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 2 or Sam Raimi's Evil Dead series. Poor editing and mediocre makeup undermine the best scares (don't open that freezer cabinet!). Throw in some irrelevant slow motion and a frankly meaningless final shot and we're left with a distinctly ordinary entry in the 80s slasher canon.

It's pure teen trash

[capkronos · 4/10 · 18 May 2003]

Title refers to a team of three male survivalists who win a war games competition and celebrate the victory by vacationing at a secluded country home with their girlfriends. Their fun is disrupted when they find snuff videos, a head in the freezer, a torture chamber in the barn and that several killers are lurking around the premises with crossbows, knives and machetes.

All the horror clichés are accounted for including a car that won't start, a sudden rainstorm, lots of false alarms, heavy breathing POV killer shots, booby trapped woods, people wandering off by themselves even after finding dead bodies, etc. If there are any missing, it's not from lack of trying.

Pretty dull stuff, but some now well known people got their starts here including Production Co-Ordinator Marianne Maddalena (who worked on many of the later NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET movies) and Assistant Art Director Frank Darabont (Oscar-nominated writer/director of THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION and THE GREEN MILE). Some of the music is by future Oscar winning composer Hans Zimmer (THE LION KING).

Masterblaster meets Friday The 13th!

[tarbosh22000 · 5/10 · 23 December 2011]

Steve, Larry and Rip (Hirsch, Shell and Moses, respectively) and their girlfriends, Jamie, Trish and Sue (Maroney, Carson and Rio, respectively) go deep into the woods of California for a paintball expedition. You see, the aforementioned dudes are "the best" at paintball. Surely something to be proud of. Collectively they are known as "The Zero Boys". After holing up in an old cabin, the young adults are stalked by a murderous madman and the terror begins. Will they ever get out alive? Like Masterblaster (1987), The Zero Boys is a mix of popular genres of the time, borrowing from survival movies, wilderness horror, slashers, and even Romps (what we call 80's teen sex romps for short). Imagine a not-as-good take on Just Before Dawn (1981) mixed with Friday the 13th ,1980 (Jason is even mentioned in this film, as is Stallone, so it's no wonder this movie must have been seen by the Saw (2004) and Hostel (2005) filmmakers, who clearly stole from some of its horror elements and must have liked its "ironic self-reflexivity" which also paved the way for the Scream series). Of course, throw in the paintball from the aforementioned Masterblaster, and this is what you get.

On the down side, the 'Boys are unlikable and you don't care about their plight. If they're being picked off one by one, so much the better. Not a lot happens in this movie, and the last third is very hard to see, as it's at night in the forest with minimal lights. So there's minimal action AND you can't see it. If the characters weren't so annoying, this would be a different experience entirely. Plus there's no main, recognizable, understandable villain. That's also a major no-no.

On the up side, in the first half of the movie, there is some energetic and interesting camera-work, as well as some cool music by Hans Zimmer, who later became a soundtrack big shot. There's a lot of un-PC dialogue which is always great and preserves the "totally 80's" vibe.

Just imagine director Mastorakis' take on 8mm (1999) meets White Fury (1990), crossed with his own Nightmare at Noon (1988). While movies like this never get credit for being ahead of the curve, as discussed in our Bloodmoon (1997) review, The Zero Boys has what must be the first Taser on screen (and what a Taser!), as well as some pioneering use of video as part of the plot. But the problem is that it is all over the map genre-wise. So was Masterblaster, but that worked and this doesn't, mainly because it takes itself so seriously and has jerks for protagonists. Sadly, Mastorakis seems to lose interest as the movie goes along, and the movie suffers for it. Not surprisingly, the viewers' interest wanes as well. All they had to do to turn this movie around was to give it some characters you care about and a strongly defined villain. But no. Apparently that was too much to ask. There's really no excuse for these silly errors.

Released by Lightning Video, The Zero Boys starts out not without some merits, but it's like starting at the top of a roller-coaster that goes slowly down into a valley but never comes out of it.

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Enjoyable and Different Semi-Slasher

[amandagellar-31077 · 7/10 · 27 February 2020]

The Zero Boys is definitely a strange one. While it looks like a Rambo rip off or some sort of survivalist action movie, it really has a structure and cast more in line with the slasher movies of that same area.

A bunch of paintball loving guys and their girlfriends head up to a secluded cabin in the woods (which they don't own). Soon, someone is killing them one by one due to their tresspassing.

There are shades of the torture film when they discover that these killers have been recording their victims' final moments on video and playing them to taunt their current victims. Also, scream queen Kelli Maroney (Chopping Mall, Night of the Comet) is always a welcome addition to any film's cast and the film clips along at a great, exciting pace. It's a shame this one is lesser known that some of its contemporaries.

One better than zero, but that's it.

[PeterMitchell-506-564364 · 1/10 · 14 February 2013]

It was Valentines, 87. My dad took back Salvador, and selected this turkey, possibly the worst choice of movie for me. I knew where the film was heading, but I found this one just a long bore, I had to actually fast forward, never reaching the end. For me at this time, this one was unwatchable to me. It's all shot in the dark, the best aspect of it, with a cast of unknowns. It basically about a couple of young guys, playing a harmless combat game, in the woods, only it turns real. When people asked me what was my worst movie, I said this one, a lesser unknown flick of 86, not many people would be familiar with. If trawling through cheap vids you wanna buy, and you see this, and the video guy, wants you take the one off his hands for nothing, do that, just to see how bad it is, where after you can tape over with another movie. If you pay one red cent to see this, that's if the cent still existed you're one f...in' idiot. It's base bad.

Passable thrills for 1980s horror completists.

[Hey_Sweden · 6/10 · 2 January 2018]

The title characters are three young men - Steve (Daniel Hirsch), Larry (Tom Shell), and Rip (Jared Moses) - who are veterans of weekend war games. They head out with three female companions - Jamie (Kelli Maroney), Sue (Nicole Rio), and Trish (Crystal Carson) - into the woods to have a good time. They come across an isolated dwelling, and decide to make themselves at home. They do this at their own peril, for the house owner and an associate are evil sadists and not exactly hospitable.

Some genre buffs cite this as a forerunner to more modern "torture porn" features like the "Saw" and "Hostel" series, except that it's a lot less explicit in terms of onscreen human suffering. Overall, it's a mildly entertaining thriller, with tones of a slasher at times but which also takes its cue from survival films like "Deliverance". It might not be gory or sexy enough to suit some tastes, but the story is pretty simple and straightforward, and the pacing is more than adequate. The characters, especially Rip, threaten to be overly annoying at first, but become easier to root for as the story progresses. Filmed on the same basic locations as "Friday the 13th Part III", this can boast an early credit for future big time composer Hans Zimmer ("Inception", "The Dark Knight"). Atmosphere is decent, and while the script is often predictable, it does elicit some chuckles from this viewer when it plays out just as he thought it would.

The acting is negligible, although to be fair the actors have to mouth a fair amount of inane dialogue. Maroney is the most recognizable of the young cast; viewers familiar with this cute, appealing actress from "Night of the Comet" and "Chopping Mall" will be amused when she's presented with a gun and tells Steve that she doesn't know how to use one. The audience will be struck by the resemblance of the primary antagonist to actor Martin Sheen (you get an ever so slight echo of "Apocalypse Now" here), so it comes as no surprise that the actor in question is Joe Estevez, Martins' brother! (Acting under a pseudonym.)

Running a reasonably trim hour and a half, this is watchable enough to not feel like a waste of time.

Six out of 10.

the worst Mastorakis 'film'

[movieman_kev · 1/10 · 2 September 2007]

A group of nerdy paint-ballers and their lady friends go off into the woods where they find a cabin and start partying unaware that they are not alone in this mind-numbingly awful slasher film. Almost bloody, totally suspense-less, horrible direction, atrocious acting, and a complete lack of nudity are just but a few reasons to stay away from this lame Nico Mastorakis sleep-inducer. Saying this is his worst film is saying a a lot as his output is lacking in the competence department to put it mildly. But I feel safe to say just that. It's his worst. Maschocists and insomniacs ONLY apply within.

DVD Extras: Merely a theatrical trailer for this film & a trailer for "Glitch"

My Grade: F

Madmen, Guns, Babes and Their Dumb Boyfriends!!!

[JimSthers · 10/10 · 9 December 2001]

I saw this movie when I was still living in Mexico about 8 years ago, and I loved it, then when I moved back to the USA, I saw that a video store had it for sale and I bought it. I watched it and I was slightly disappointed when I realized that the USA release had the real end missing. Anyway, it still is a great slasher flick, it has all the elements: beautiful babes, their boyfriends, the crazy madmen, the house in the middle of the woods, a garden full with human remains and lots of screaming and gun shoots. Rent it, its fun and fast paced, plus chances are you will recognize the main actresses, who continued making horror flicks: Kelli Maroney and Nicole Rio.

Not Your Typical 1980s Horror Film

[gavin6942 · 6/10 · 14 April 2016]

A group of friends travel to a wilderness area to play a survival game. Soon they unexpectedly find themselves in a real-life survival situation.

The first thing movie fans will probably notice about this film is that the score comes from Hans Zimmer, who has since become legendary. The score is remarkable, and if this was truly Zimmer's work, it is among his most fun and moving scores. You will not hear another score like it. Although not widely know, Frank Darabont (who is now a huge director), got his start in the art department on this film. Marianne Maddalena, the right-hand woman to Wes Craven for most of his career, was also a production assistant for "Zero Boys".

Writer-director-producr Nico Mastorakis decided to cast largely unknown actors. Presumably, this was done for budget reasons. Despite this, he did land Kelli Maroney, who he now says was "never any trouble" and has nothing but high praise for her. Daniel Hirsch was carried over from "Sky High", but could hardly be considered a known actor, especially since no one saw "Sky High".

Among the main cast is Nicole Rio, who is a horror icon in her own little way. She does not have a long list of credits, but 1986 brought her both this film (her debut) and the better-known "Sorority House Massacre". Being that her father and brother were in show business, it is something of a mystery why she seems to have more or less dropped out before she ever got going.

The biggest name in the film (besides perhaps Joe Estevez) is Kelli Maroney, who is definitely a horror icon. She will forever be identified with "Night of the Comet". Had the 1980s horror boom lasted a few years longer, she probably would have gone from genre favorite to big screen success. Apparently she butted heads with the director on "Zero Boys", being more strong-willed than he was hoping for. He may have forgotten this.

Other reviewers have noted that the gruesome sequences anticipate the so-called torture porn horrors of "Hostel" and "Saw". And this is a fair assessment. The movie has an unusual scene of tone, starting out very light-hearted, but then getting quite dark. The 1980s slasher film often can be seen as dark comedy, but the torture scenes here are too gritty, too dirty to have any humor at all. This takes away from the enjoyment of the picture, but it does make you wonder if "Hostel" or "Saw" was in some way influenced by this grit?

Besides giving us a beautiful 2K restoration, Arrow Video has put more than a couple features on their 2016 blu-ray. We have audio commentary with star Kelli Maroney ("Night of the Comet"), as well as new interviews with Maroney, writer-director-producr Nico Mastorakis (very humorous), and actress Nicole Rio. And two music videos! Want to read more on the film? Check out the fully-illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing by critic James Oliver.

***

So bad, I am surprised MST3K never got a hold of it....

[TMAN247 · 1/10 · 28 February 2005]

Yes, I gave it a 1 out of 10, but I tried so hard to like it. I love bad movies, but this one I couldn't give my traditional 5 or 6 out of 10 for effort. This movie did have some good production values, but that is the only good thing.

Where to begin, let's see, no plot, no acting, do not pass GO, do not collect $200. If I am armed to the teeth with weapons, why am I running from a couple of inbred yokels with knives? Please tell me where I can go to play paint ball, and be a hero to hot chicks, so much so, that they can be traded around like cigarettes. I've seen movies based in alternate realities, but this is pushing it.

The only redeeming feature is that I could make myself laugh with the less than witty quips I was giving back to the TV screen.

Seriously, paint ball groupies?

* out of 4.

[brandonsites1981 · 2 June 2002]

Yet another Friday the 13th. ripoff about a group of guys playing a game of paintball in an isolated forest with their girlfriends along for the ride who fall prey to a killer after stumbling upon a cabin. Some good shock scenes, but rather cruel and unsympathetic towards it's characters. Amateurish performances and slack direction torpedo whatever good qualities it had to begin with.

Rated R; Violence, Sexual Situations, and Profanity.

It's no longer a fun game when crazed killers join in!

[lost-in-limbo · 4/10 · 28 August 2006]

After winning yet another war-game over their rivals, The Zero Boys and their girls decide to head out to the wilderness for a new adventure and celebrate their recent achievement. But they didn't plan on actually trying to survive the night from a couple of mountain man who have their sights set on them for a deadly game of cat-and-mouse. After what they discover about a deserted cabin and its surroundings, they realise that they aren't in a game no more.

I never had heard of this film before, but this B-grade, light-weight oddity is a cheap 'n' tasty horror-action hybrid, where "Deliverance" meets "Southern Comfort" and adds a whole lot of slasher elements to the meat of the plot. Simply it's a fun (well, in parts), small-scale cheese fest of the 80's gruel. I was expecting it to follow a comic book style of trend, but that facet doesn't last too long, as the blaze of glory comes down to earth when the torturous chaos occurs. What was going against it was that it decided that it would pose more often then actually deliver. "He said to tell you that we'd all die slowly". This sums up beautifully the stodgy pacing with a somewhat of a slow opening, where too little happens. There could've been a bit more senseless action. It begins with some exciting gung-ho antics, which breaks away from those roots for a slow burn pace when it hit's the woodlands and into horror territory with minor pockets of suspense and a survival mode. Don't be expecting gory deaths here, as it's pretty weak in that department. While, the tension was sorely lacking in large doses, at least it's quite an atmospheric and fearful piece because of the broodingly isolated woodlands and swampy terrain.

Direction by Nico Mastorakis is nicely handled and there's a certain self-control to the film's own limits. This doesn't disrupt the film's agility and unique spin though. He manages to incorporate some striking images because of the moody lighting, free flowing camera work and a score that has a gloriously kicking vibe. Technically the production was more than capable and just thinking, "what if they had a little more doe" could have gone a long way. The tight story is definitely offbeat and provides some unpredictable patterns amongst the many practical clichés. Too bad there are excessive acts that are never truly expended on (like the snuff element) and really they could have given the story more kick. Strangely enough, the killers here are quite average looking (look at the fashion sense!) when we finally see them after spending most of the time in the shadows. They just lack any sort of development, after touching on some interesting aspects in the way they torment their victims. You can't help but want to know more about what goes on. Anyhow what's the deal with the ending… or should I say lack of one. Covering the bases is also a very cheesy and wisecracking script that's imbued with witty one-liners on other horror film references. Performances by the young group are not bad, but it's a vibrant Kelli Maroney (Night of the Comet & Chopping Mall) who's the pick of bunch. Look out for Joe Estevez, who plays one of the mysteriously wacko villains.

It can get rather plain and uneventful, but overall it can be a deadly, tight and quite simple offering that 80's B-grade enthusiasts would probably enjoy.

Rather disappointing action/horror flick.

[HumanoidOfFlesh · 5/10 · 17 August 2004]

Out for a day of kicks with three girls,Steve,Larry and Rip(three college buddies who enjoy playing war games)stop at a remote wilderness cabin as a storm approaches.They've walked right into a nightmare trap set by two deranged killers."The Zero Boys" surely doesn't live up to its full potential.This film is quite dull and there is absolutely no gore.There are some moody shots and a little bit of suspense,but there is not enough violence for my liking.There are much better horror films which are quite similar to "The Zero Boys" for example "Scarecrows","Hunter's Blood" or even the recent "Wrong Turn".Check them out instead of watching this disappointing movie.5 out of 10.

Lame, boring, bad

[continuumx · 2/10 · 8 April 2023]

It opens up with a motley assortment of guys in various costumes doing...something. Paintball? Sometimes, there are puffs of yellow dust and sometimes there aren't. They can shoot through doors without making a hole. No one has any paint on them. Was it too much trouble to use paintball guns? Anyway, our main characters, the titular Zero Boys, win and are declared the best ever. To celebrate, they decide to go go camping (or something) in the woods with their girlfriends. Whatever they are doing, they bring real machineguns with them for some reason. One of the girls sees someone so they decide to leave. Then they see a cabin and, for some reason, just decide to stop there instead and let themselves in. They have no idea whose cabin it is but they make themselves at home and start drinking beer like they own the place. They do a lot of because movie things like this. They soon find tapes of people being tortured and dead bodies and such and some hillbilly types start trying to kill them. I guess it's their house or maybe it isn't. It's not clear who these people are or why they are doing this. They just show up and start trying to kill everyone. There's a lot of running around and a few lame, mostly bloodless kills. At one point, they find a guy in coveralls who has been hung. Who is this guy? Who knows. They just move on. They eventually kill the rednecks. Then it pans to a third redneck who is in a tree. Who is this guy and what is he going to do? It doesn't matter and nothing since the movie just ends at that point. They reveal a third killer and then the movie ends. Maybe they ran out of money or something. This movie is just a lame waste of time.

Surivial Skills to the Rescue

[kirbylee70-599-526179 · 6/10 · 15 June 2016]

I recalled hearing about this movie in the past but never having seen it. Don't get me wrong, there wasn't a lot of talk about it but now I've learned that the film has developed a cult following among fans. It's amazing the number of films from the heyday of video stores that have begun to develop die-hard fans like this one.

The film opens with a group of military clad college age students fighting off another group that's led by someone in full on Nazi gear. We then discover that rather than walking into the latest post-apocalyptic film of the week that these are weekend warrior types armed with paintball guns rather than real weapons. Steve, the leader of the good guys here, made a bet with Casey, the leader of the other team. The winner of this matchup gets to take home Casey's girlfriend Jamie (Kelli Maroney). An independent woman of the times Jamie isn't too keen on how she's being treated but goes along anyone, in search of something new to do.

Steve and his group, consisting of two other couples, head to the country for a bit of fun in the country. When they hear screams and Jamie thinks she sees a woman running through the trees they discover a cabin in the woods. Checking to see if anyone is home they find the place deserted and make the decision to hang out there.

After much beer and several jokes are played they discover that a massacre has been taking place here and being filmed. Making the wise decision to get away as fast as possible they discover that their vehicle has been disabled and rush back to the house to take a defensive position. But as the night moves forward several of them are attacked and killed prompting them to try to get away once more. The Zero Boys will have to use all of the survival skills they developed as paintball champs to handle this situation and survive.

So plot wise there are a number of items here that make you scratch your head and say "Really?" That Maroney would allow someone to treat her as a trophy to be handed over to someone else is the first outlandish moment on screen. Then you have the funny man in the group of friends who just isn't all that funny. Toss in the fact that when this group comes across someone else's cabin and decides to take advantage of it without a thought and you get where I'm going with this.

And yet it all works. The movie is typical of films at the time, those quickly pieced together action films that didn't care about things like deeper plot devices. Instead it concerned itself with combining a group of attractive actors into a weird setting and having them bounce off action sequences on them.

The movie also does a good job of combining several genres of film here, predominantly the backwoods yokels horror films of the 80s. This combination of what has been called DELIVERANCE or SOUTHERN COMFORT for teens along with the horror genre and the teen flick genre pulls all of them together in a story that while offering little depth does give you enough story to remain involved with what is going on on the screen.

The movie also looks good for a low budget film from the 80s with some solid lighting (a definite must have for a movie that mostly takes place at night), decent cinematography and set designs that work well with the story. The cabin looks fairly modern while the barn outside where the killing goes on looks reasonably seasoned.

While all of the actors turn in standard performances it will be the fans of Maroney that will want to make sure that they have this movie in their collection. Always attractive she looks at her best here and there is little doubt those fans will find her lacking. But besides that she also gives a good performance as a character that could have been coy and hiding but instead is willing to join in the fray when the time comes. Add to that a special item of a recent interview with her and yes, those fans will be pleased.

Arrow Video once more proves why they are a company to be reckoned with when it comes to high quality releases of less than mega powered studio films. Some companies might have released this with little fanfare of loving care but not Arrow. The blu-ray offers a new 2K restoration approved by director Nico Mastorakis as well as the original stereo audio. The extras include an audio commentary tracks featuring Kelli Maroney moderated by Shock Till You Drop's Chris Alexander, an interview with director Mastorakis, that new interview with Maroney, a new interview with actress Nicole Rio, the original trailer, a stills gallery, a reversible sleeve featuring new artwork and a fully illustrated booklet written by critic James Oliver.

Fans of the movie can rejoice at this quality release of the film. If you're not acquainted with it you may want to at least give it a watch. It's fun, it gives you what all horror/action films of the 80s promised and it won't induce nightmares.

The zeros are no heros

[matthewstanton123-857-954811 · 5/10 · 19 October 2022]

The Zero Boys are a group of paintball champs.

One weekend they and their girlfriends head out to the forest and come across an abandoned cabin .

They soon find that they are not alone, but the good thing is they happen to have semi automatic weapons with them .

This film starts quite good and then goes a bit mad . The 6 people who are being hunted have semi automatic weapons and the bad guys have a machete and a cross bow.

The bad guys are the worst bad guys ever in a horror film, the deaths are rubbish and there aint a bare breast in site which is unusual for this type of film.

The tag line for the film is " Dawn of a new breed of Heroes" which is bull because these guys are useless in a fight.

Not bad quite entertaining.

A nice surprise from Mastorakis

[udar55 · 7/10 · 17 April 2022]

Given that title and the poster, I always assumed this film from Nico Mastorakis was a war/action movie. So imagine my surprise when it turns out to essentially be a backwoods slasher film. A group of paintball loving teens stumble upon a house in the woods and seek shelter there during a storm. What they don't know is the three occupants (led by Joe Estevez, who, oddly, takes a pseudonym) are serial killers who make snuff films in their barn. This moves at a good pace and features some good performances (including the always great Kelli Maroney). One amusing thing is the main location looked sooooo familiar to me. After watching it, I looked it up on the IMDb and it is the same house and barn used in Friday the 13th Part III (1982). Also amusing are some decidedly non-PC moments that wouldn't fly today. Fun stuff and essential for paintball cinema enthusiasts.

Paintballers meet a slasher in the woods

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 24 December 2017]

THE ZERO BOYS is a typical and average slasher film of the 1980s which just so happens to be directed by Nico Mastorakis, the Greek director responsible for the notorious ISLAND OF DEATH. It suffers a great deal from having an extremely average script which fails to offer up any decent characterisation and instead goes through the motions throughout. The titular characters are a bunch of paintballing enthusiasts who head off to the usual cabin in the woods for a weekend of debauchery before finding themselves targeted by a psychotic killer or two. The film offers some action and some bloodshed, but it tends to veer towards cheese rather than scares and as such is a largely forgettable viewing experience.

I really loved it!

[warstrikesback · 10/10 · 11 March 2001]

Wow, I've just seen the "Zero Boys" and I have to admit that I enjoyed this trip very much. The movie takes some time to get into action but after some minutes one can feel the perfectly created horror - atmosphere. I was mostly fascinated by the way this movie is presented to its audience: the camera direction is quite often exaggerated in an unusual but flawless way in order to preserve the creepy atmosphere. I was pleased by the killers being presented in a supernatural way. Often the spectator has the feeling that the killers are so superior that none of the victims could survive, but watch it yourself...... Mastorakis even included some allusions. For example one of the "Boys" is asking for "Jason" to come out of the house which they're standing in front of (It's the killers' house). For those who like the killers, the ending might be satisfying, but convince yourself! What a pity that Mastorakis never made Part II. Finally I can only remark that Fans of killer movies like "I still know...." or "Friday 13th" may watch this movie without hesitation. Believe me, it's definitely worth it!

Waste of time

[TeenVamp · 1/10 · 19 December 2020]

Starts off promising enough then about 45 minutes in you know how lame this is going to be. Joe estavez is NOT an intimidating killer. You'd be better off watching Soul Taker which is 10x more amusing than this turd. This director never made a good movie in his entire career. I'm puzzled as to how he was able to make like 30 films. Ugh.

Zero Thrills

[drhackenstine · 4 September 2005]

The cover art and tag-lines make this sound like an action thriller. It's not. Rumors have made this sound like a teen slasher movie. It's not that either. This movie is a standard horror movie. Nothing more nothing less. It could fall under being cheesy exploitation I guess. This movie has a good setting, and some creepy villains, but thats all it really has going for it. The thrills are not really thrilling, and the story has a way of building itself up, but there is never really any pay-off. The villains are creepy enough as I said, but we don't really get into who or what they are, and why they are doing what they are doing. The characters are stiff and lifeless except Kelli Maroney (Chopping Mall) as a "reward" date to a guy who wins her in a paint-ball war. Whatever. No thrills, no blood. Features a guy electrocuted in a pond as the big finale. Skip it. One and a half stars.