Killswitch's Long Over due review

[killswitch22]

Hey everyone, I know I haven't been around the forums for a good while (most of you are probably glad lol). But I thought I would jump back in with this years review. Overall I am incredibly impressed with the even and really feel like there isn't a bad scarezone or house. First, as always, I'd like to start off with a few notes.

• This review is based on multiple times going through each house and seeing the shows. 

• I feel like the marketing for this year is a little weak. I feel like with the popularity of jack I would've seen more commercials for the event, or maybe even more than one commercial. I feel like I've only seen a few billboards on I-4 and the ad on youtube. Nothing on TV or radio.

• Merch this year is very disappointing: What I don't understand is the lack of anniversary type merchandise. Other than the horror alumni shirt and a mug, there isn't really anything else with past houses or icons other than werewolf, classic monsters, nightmare on elm street, and childs play (which I desperately need that throw blanket btw.) Also whats the deal with the Usher being looked over in all the icon merch we do have. My last gripe about the merch is that the annual house shirt is MISSING A HOUSE!!!!

• Thank god they retired crouching and crawling for now!!!

Okay enough ranting... On to the houses. I'll take you on a journey through my typical route.

Insidious: As someone who was not a fan of the movie, I was very apprehensive about the house and its location. However this was a great house. Other than the first 2 or 3 rooms where its a lot of dead space, this house has tons of action and is really creepy. By the end of the house I really want to run out it gets pretty terrifying. Scare wise its really good but the suspense, and creepiness is really what gets this the score it does. 9 out of 10.

Freddy vs. Jason: This is a great house. After not getting it right on the first "vs" go around, I feel like Universal got this one right by giving each person their own section and have them battle it out in the end. I was expecting this house to be really violent and it delivered. The stagnant, set Freddy's were a bit unexpected but they work will with the other effects in the house. 8.5 out of 10

Body Collectors: This is such a beautiful house, after only being able to see a section of them in the 20 years of fear house I finally got to experience the Gentlemen in all their glory. This is a house that really relys on show scenes so if you miss it you miss the house (spine rip girl). The inmates are really good and the soundtrack and sets fit in perfectly. 8 out of 10

American Werewolf in London: As much as I'd rather see a new house, this is one where it was okay to bring back. The best house in an otherwise lackluster year, it deserved to come back. Puppets were great, a lot more lifelike than I remember, the floor one always seems to get me. I also totally forgot half the house existed after the transformation room. There are always good scares to be had and intensity is always up for the actors. The only reason the rating is so low is because I've seen it before. 6.5 out of 10

Asylum in Wonderland: As you know, if you've read my past reviews, I'm a sucker for 3-d Houses, and this one is nothing like I've seen before. This house is straight up weird, but in a good way. I really like how the house transitions from really happy and bright to really dark and brutal. The last bedroom scene gets me every time. Mad hatters are really good and they utilized the spinning tunnel well. 7.5 out of 10

Run: This was my most anticipated house coming into the event. The first time I went through I really didn't get it. As I've gone through it a couple times now, I'm more understanding and appreciate it a lot more. Sets are really good for being a Disaster house and the actors are really good. Wish there was more in the ways of a finale scare, but overall not a bad house. 7.5 out of 10

Walking Dead: They should have retired it after last year. Last years what great, totally unexpected, set the bar really high, and this one is just bleh. At first when you go through you think its gonna be a violent house with the prison and everything, but like two rooms later its just a bunch of swaying zombies until the end. The pool zombies are great every night and the house is always well staffed, but there's zero action. Go away Walking Dead no one loves you anymore. 6 out of 10

 Purge: Now this is a haunted house! Its been a while since I've been in a house so violent and loud. It really gets the blood going. The actors know their role and you really think they're out to get you. My first time through I hustled to get out of there. Props to these guys, blood effects and shotgun effects are awesome. Like I said this house I violent and gory like it should be. Best house of the year hands down, and maybe the best one I've seen in a few years. 

Jack: This is straight up a fun house to go in if youre a fan of the event. Obviously your going to have people whos favorite character or favorite house wasn't featured but all in all its a really good house. Scares are pretty good and they made it so all the sets kind of run seemlessly into eachother. I'm also really glad universal loved HHN 21 as much as I did. I'm hoping one day we'll see some sequels to those. One comment I do have is that some of the Jack's seem a little chunky and not well cast. Stupid nitpicky stuff but it threw me off the first time I saw it. But all in all, a lot of the houses and characters in this house deserve to be there. they are memorable. fan favorites. Great house 9.5 out of 10

So final house rankings are as follows:

1. Purge

2.  Jack

3. Insidious

4. Freddy vs. Jason

5. Body Collectors

6. Asylum in Wonderland

7. Run

8. American Werewolf in London

9. Walking Dead

 

So now the scarezone,

Icons: This is a fun nostalgia scarezone. All past icons are included which really makes it for me. Really wish Jack, Chance and Eddie were included, but you can't win them all. Always receive good scares in this zone. I haven't gotten to see all icons show scenes but the directors and ushers are on point. 4 out of 5

 

Evil roots: Really cool really creepy scarezone. Actors, especially the fairies, use the fog really well. Always receive the best scares in this zone. 5 out of 5

 

All nite die In: Now this one I really should give two separate ratings for. Its day and night when you switch to black and white and the color sets. Black and white scareactors are always on point and really know their roles well. On the other hand the color ones really haven't gotten the hang of it yet. It also feels a lot more empty when the newer guys are there. 4 out of 5. 4.5 for black and white and 3.5 for color.
Psychoscarepy: This is an awesome and fun area. The casting was done perfectly for the inmates and I always have a great time watching all the crazy people go around. Never really targeted for scares in this one but always have a fun time playing with the actors. 4.5 out of 5Scary Tales: This is a really pretty zone to look at and thats about it. Costumes are beautiful but for the scary factor it isn't really there. 3.5 out of 5

And last but not least the shows:

Bill and Ted: First I want to say that this years would be a lot better if last year didn't happen. Last year set the bar really high with jokes and everything. A couple of my favorite lady dancers were missing two so that was a bummer too. The last show I saw which was October 7^th, all of the jokes really seemed to miss with the audience. And what really bummed me out was the dance finale, they really couldn't have picked worse songs for the present day finale. The throwbacks were great but the modern day songs were a real disappointment,

 

Carnage Returns: This was a cool show for me as I've never seen a full on Jack show before. It was a lot more adult than what I was expecting, gags were pretty cool. But let me say, they did the perfect job casting for Chance, she was spot on, perfect for what I was expecting for her role. Great job to who ever the actress is.

 

Thanks for reading along if you've made it this far. If there's anything you disagree with or want to discuss please feel free to comment. Thanks again.

Killswitch

 

 

 

  

 

[Dead Inside]

Purge as the best house? WHAT? Good review otherwise.

[killswitch22]

I don't really know why others don't like it. The only thing I can fault it on is lack of flow. Its really aggressive and thats what I like in a house.

[The Director of Horror]

I loved Purge. The facade was one of my favorite's too. It just seemed to work really well, it had really good proportions and everything.

[criticalanalysis]

 

I loved Purge. The facade was one of my favorite's too.

 

 

Edited October 19, 2015 by criticalanalysis

[MissBA]

Purge was the best house I went in scare wise. It seemed like every Actor was out to get me in that house. Which is the point so I have to give credit where credit is due. A house can have the greatest set ever but it's up to the actors make the house complete. 

It still got a few points for the set because they tried. Still better than TWDs set IMHO. 

[killswitch22]

My thing about the purge is that i love the intensity of the actors. They don't rely on triggers like most houses and the intensity and energy of the actors is beyond my expectation, especially that of an IP.

Purge was the best house I went in scare wise. It seemed like every Actor was out to get me in that house. Which is the point so I have to give credit where credit is due. A house can have the greatest set ever but it's up to the actors make the house complete. 

It still got a few points for the set because they tried. Still better than TWDs set IMHO. 

also let's be honest the walking dead just doesn't work anymore. i honestly think hhn doesn't care for it anymore. Zombies are over done and simply enough not scary anymore. As much as I hate to say it they probably will be back next year and it will be just as bad of a house. Let's let A&D actually get creative rather than rely on a terribly overrated television program