Carver Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
Life imitating art...Art imitating death
Based on a true story, Carver depicts the real life events of five 20-something's that went camping in the mountain town of Halcyon Ridge and never returned.
| Matt Carmody | Pete |
| Alex Demah | Victim in woods 2 |
| Erik Fones | Bobby Shaw |
| Paul Goldblatt | Victim in woods |
| David G. Holland | Billy Hall |
| Neil Kubath | Bryan |
| Kilby O'Rourk | Heroine's boyfriend |
| Jonathan Rockett | Zack |
| Stephen Rogers | Horny Camper Victim |
| Luke Vitale | Quixley |
| Savannah Costello | Naked Dead Girl |
| Kristyn Green | Rachel |
| Natasha Malinsky | Gina |
| Ursula Taherian | Kate |
| Leslie Ann Valenza | 8mm Movie Heroine |
| Franklin Guerrero Jr. |
4.90 out of 10 (631 votes)
Visitor Reviews
oodles of gory goodness
posted on 24 Aug 2009This is touted as a true story. I certainly hope that's only the marketing department saying that, coz make no mistake this is a gory gruesome tale.It's your standard teen horror with a bunch of campers falling foul in hicksville. The film doesn't do much different to all the others out there apart from wallowing in the gore and torture. I've seen hundreds of films like this and either laugh at the kills or shout at the screen at the character's stupidity. There are very few I find unsettling and that make my hands damp and my heart beat faster but this was one of them, along with the original Texas Chainsaw. I can't quite account for why I felt this way and still do now 15 minutes after it's finished.Maybe it's the oodles of blood and gore, maybe it's the possibility that this really happened, maybe the writer and director just did a better job than normal, or maybe it's this innocent song that keeps playing throughout the film whenever there is violence. Not since Carpenter's Halloween music has any been so effective in a slasher.This film is certainly not perfect, but by god it's a league above the usual stuff.Overall, slow start, but highly recommended and hard to criticise, my nerves are still jarred.
urban classic
posted on 14 Aug 2009I'm not quite sure what kind of budget this film was shot on, but I'd definitely recommend it to die hard horror fans. Contains the usually overkill of gore yet done in a fresh style that is hard to deny, plus being based on true events keeps the excitement rolling for days. Director is Tarrantino-ish, I'm definitely hyped to see future work. Acting seems just decent enough, but true director talent and storytelling amazingly shine through the length of this slasher. I can absolutely see this one becoming an urban classic. So many of these slashers take place out in the boonies, it's a breath of fresh air when I see the plots that are actual events. The version I saw was an early screener that appeared to be filmed in HD with a fuzzy ending, which can only mean they could as well be alternates yet to be seen.
Meh, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em
posted on 02 Aug 2009I honestly give up, I've been looking for one good horror film, just looking for something that stands out, even if it's an independent film, I just wanted a gory film. Well, I did get what I asked for, now this is possibly one of the worst films I've ever seen, but for some odd reason, this is what a horror film is. I mean, just think about it, we have the horrible acting, bad direction, editing, cliché's, story, just everything about this movie equaled bad, so therefore I'm just going to give this movie the most outrageous score possible. I don't know why, just I think you take from this movie what it gives, you gotta love the actors, these are the desperate waiters who would sleep their way to the way to the top type. Not to mention that the director, you could tell he's just watched too many horror films and thought "hey, I could do this too".A group of friends go camping and end up in the deep country, bumping into a group of hicks. When they are at the hick's shed, they find a cabinet of horror films that they watch, but somethings odd, it looks so real and all the sights look familiar. The hicks are taking people, killing them, and filming it. But most of the group doesn't discover this until it is too late, they'll just get drunk and party the night away.I have to say that my favorite thing about this movie was the lack of pain that the actors expressed during a death or torture scene. There's this one slutty girl who gets "nailed" to death where the killer just sticks a nail in her body over and over again, she barely screams and just squirms a couple times. A guy cuts through his ankle, again, no major screaming, just a squirm. But I guess you just have to let go and really see this movie for what it truly is. You have to just love that the crew, this was probably their first film and probably their last, well, we all have to start somewhere, right? I'm not going to say I would or would not recommend this, I'm just speechless at this point.10/10
Good old fashioned slasher flick
posted on 02 Aug 2009After just watching this movie, I have to say that despite it being very low budget, I enjoyed it. Plenty of violence and gore. The effects were very well done and the acting (although could have been better) wasn't too bad. I think the character of Zach was funny. Every one knows someone like him. Listen, the movie isn't a top-notch, big budget, Oscar winner but it fulfilled its purpose and that was to entertain. I would like to see this movie remade with a way bigger budget and I can tell you then it can be compared to "Hostel" and "Saw". Does anyone know what actual events this movie was based on? Because the story doesn't sound familiar.
Oh the blood!!!
posted on 13 Jul 2009Carver delivers a breath-taking gut wrenching bloodbath from the get-go. This film really tries to make a new name for the Porn-Horror genre.From the first scene to the last the gore is gruesome, The boobs are large, The murder scenes vivid, and the tools for the killing simple. The main character really holds this one together. Bryan (petes bro) almost made this movie not worthwhile. The killer in this film is that of a typical hillbilly redneck mentally ill killer, like that of Texas Chainsaw Massacre etc. He has no feelings for anything whatsoever and loves the blood.Overall this film delivers what it was meant to, a blood soaked close your eyes don't look gore fest. If you want to watch a movie that will tie your stomach in a knot and make you not want to go camping in the backcountry, this is the movie.In the future I believe Franklin Guerrero should lay off the gore a bit and develop the characters a bit better, but for Carver he did just fine. If you liked Hostel this is your film.
Decent Take and an Overused, Clichéd Plot
posted on 15 Jun 2009Here we have yet another movie with one of the most clichéd plots in slasher movie history: a group of young friends travel to the country for a weekend camping trip, only to encounter a extremely brutal maniac who resides in a run down house in the middle of the woods who begins butchering them one by one. However, this is probably one of the better, more gritty and realistic takes on this plot that we have seen in quite some time.The first thing worth noting about this film is its tone. It definitely makes no qualms about being a brutal, disturbing, and downright cruel film. From the opening murder and title sequence,there is a gritty, almost dirty feeling to film through most of its running time that is quite effective. How the director achieved this is definitely the question of the day, as I am not sure it because of the lighting, film stock, framing, or a combination of all, but the grittiness is definitely present. Moreover, the deaths in this film are extremely graphic and brutal and the camera does not flinch away. Everything is show in gory detail and some deaths are just extremely hard to watch because of how just downright nasty they are, such as the now infamous outhouse scene and a particularly nasty hammer and nail death scene that is also cringe-worthy. The Carver is an extremely intimidating killer and there is a sense the minute he appears on the screen that he means business and escaping him will be an almost impossible task, which it certainly proves to be. While the acting is uneven at times, it is still more competently acted than a lot of other slasher flicks lately. The characters aren't terribly annoying, and are actually somewhat likable.However, as likable as they may be, they are still some of the stupidest characters in slasher film history. They make decisions so ludicrous that it is hard to feel bad when they meet their fate. This is best illustrated by one character, who after seemingly killing the Carver, turns the shotgun on herself and blows her brains out. Seriously one of the biggest WTF? moments I have seen in any film in recent memory. After discovering what they all agree to be real snuff films in the "abandoned" house, a few of the morons decide it is a good idea to go back to the house to return an item one of them lifted. That's right. They are far away from the house at one point, but decide to go back IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT to return something after watching videos they found in this very same house that showed people being murdered. Then, when the surviving character actually has the chance to get away, they decide it is a better idea to hang out in the house's living room to watch the tapes again! These actions end up leaving a bad taste in the viewers mouth because we can't help be to think if the characters are going to do something that stupid, then they deserve whatever happens to them.It is these sloppily written plot details that really hurt this film. Yes, we have to suspend belief when watching a slasher film, but having characters do downright stupid, unbelievable things is going a tad too far. Still, the film is crazily effective and brutal and competently directed with a tone rarely seen nowadays. It won't be for everyone, but as a slasher film, it succeeds better than expected.FrightMeter: C+
Sucks
posted on 09 Jun 2009Seriously, as a horror movie chick,i would love to say tat this movie is totally sucks. sucks!~ The story line sucks the gruesome scene not so gruesome at all.. Ntg compare to SAW or HOSTEL or Wrong turn(dead end).Don watch this movie. It is a boredom. While watching i keep asking myself when will it ends... The time passes so slowly. The actors cant act well at all specially the blonde gal..How to act if u don't know what is a scared face.. I cant even remember their names in the movie...I guess i might be too harsh but this is the truth...not worth to spend 11 bucks on ticket...just rent it somewhere... totally disappointed.. :(
awesome gore fest
posted on 03 Jun 2009First of all let me say that not very many movies scare me or gross me out, but this movie did both. The acting was very mediocre but the movie itself was very refreshing this is what I was expecting from Hatchet but that movie disappointed me,Hatchet was very gory but it didn't have much suspense,and the kills were very sloppy, so i watched this film with very low expectations and was thrilled with how good it is for a low budget movie, the one scene in the outhouse made me quiver and cover my eyes. if you like lots blood and gore then i would highly recommend it.If you have a weak stomach or scare easily then I would have to say stay away from this movie.
If you LOVE horror/violence/gore - see it. If you just like it - it could be pretty unpleasant.
posted on 01 Jun 2009It's unfortunate, yet very fun that this is the first comment I have ever written on a Movie on IMDb. The earlier movies I wanted to comment already had everything said by others. But this film I have to praise for many things, yet hate it for others. You will probably know what I mean when you see it - but I can say so much without spoiling anything, that the only saver for this film (reason for not totally hating it) is that it is "based on a true story". Sure, it is probably as "based on a true story" as Texas chainsaw Massacre, but still. This is the most violent movie I have ever seen, and it is so well-made, that I got the worst chills down my spine I ever gotten watching a movie. And I'm a fan of ultra-violence movies, so far the films which I can compare to this is The Hills have Eyes and Hostel. Even though I found those two movies pretty violent, Carver just kicks those two down pretty far on the list of hardly-watchable violence.I have to say that it is the best "special effects" I have ever seen, when it comes to violence. I base the following on absolutely solely the movie itself, but I think the CG in this movie is absolutely minimal. It all looks so real, it all has to be a masterpiece in latex/mask effects. And I might add, that I really despise 3D implements in horror movies. And I say that even though that myself is an 3D animator, which maybe explains a little better my opinion of the quality of this film.I'm sorry for miss-spelling and such, I don't very often write in English. Enjoy the film!
Bloody Good Fun!
posted on 28 May 2009If you enjoy seeing naked and semi naked women have their heads sawed off and their bodies nailed to the ground then this is your movie! A group of campers stumble onto a snuff movie warehouse where women and men are attacked in the surrounding area by a large menacing maniac who takes pleasure in sawing them up while recording the deed onto 8 mm film for future viewing pleasures. This is truly a twisted, disturbing little bloodbath of movie and I LOVED IT! See a woman's head sawed completely off in all it's gruesome glory! See a saw slammed into a woman's head in some of most brutal mock snuff film scenes I've ever seen. If this is what you like to see then look no further. This is what modern horror film fans expect to see these days and boy does this film deliver the goods. As people say it is a lot like Texas Chainsaw Massecre and other past horror movies but little is left to the imagination here. They stop at nothing and will leave all of the hardcore gorehounds happy. Supposedly this is based on true events of a group of campers raped and killed while visiting South America after stumbling upon a drug den, their deaths were all filmed and later used to convict the murderers.The story as said is very simple... a group of campers find themselves up against a large brute of a man after stumbling upon his snuff films in his lair. Soon one by one they're murdered in some of the most brutal, unrelenting manners imaginable, some of which is filmed while a hokey song called Turkey in the Straw plays on an old record player. I'm not a fan of the Saw or Hostel movies because of the use of over the top violence but found myself enjoying this one and was glued to it from the opening brutal killing. The ending is a brutal bloodbath of violence as the campers fight for their lives to escape the madness.The acting and dialogue is what you'd expect in this sort of horror film and is a bit boring at times. Certain songs didn't seem to fit in either and gave it a lower budget quality. The characters were all just lambs for the slaughter and you couldn't care less about any of them. If your like me and root for the bad guys then this has a somewhat happy ending and is open for a sequel.In the end the surviving camper can't help but watch these 8mm snuff films again fascinated by the tortures and brutality, just as the killer was when filming it and just as we the viewers are for enjoying this sort of madness captured on film. This type of disturbing film is not for everyone so BE WARNED! Bloody good fun and one of the better modern horror films I've seen in a while.
What movie were you people watching?
posted on 24 May 2009I'm sorry, but what movie were the other reviewers watching, because the Carver I watched was absolutely one of the worst movies I think I've ever seen - and I've watched some pretty bad stuff.Let's start with the acting - it stinks. There's no "up and comers" or "undiscovered talent" here. There's a bunch of people who can't act being directed by someone who can't direct.The violence is about the only high point of this movie; which is a pretty sad statement. I enjoy horror, I even really liked some campy stuff like House of 1000 Corpses and Cabin Fever - but this is neither of those movies.Even if the budget for this movie was $100 - it doesn't excuse this utter waste of time. I'm sorry - I don't get what the other reviewers are thinking. I paid nothing to watch this movie and I still feel ripped off - I want the hour and a half of my life I wasted watching this back.
Carver
posted on 18 May 2009Friends, on a camping trip in some backwoods area off the beaten path, fall prey to a sadistic wacko hillbilly in overalls who likes to record his handiwork so that he can enjoy future viewings on his projector. There's a twist at the end(..it's HAND HELD!)that won't surprise anyone unless you are the most naive dolt on the planet.The killer, Bobby Shaw(Erik Fones), assaults his victims with a number of tools and the results are often unpleasant. One victim's head is taken off at the neck by a hacksaw. One victim is trapped in an outhouse, his leg smashed with a toilet;it's hinted that Shaw used a wrench to castrate him. One victim is pummeled several times with a sledgehammer. One is stabbed multiple times. One victim has nails hammered into her leg and forehead. And, there's still room for a hacksaw to be buried into the face of a victim, while another's eye is gouged in by a hook. Shaw's older brother runs a beer joint and seems a bit off himself. There's no real style and the violence is carefully executed with director Franklin Guerrero Jr.(..who also wrote this)often cutting away perhaps due to budget restraints. Oh, there's still plenty of blood shed, don't get me wrong, but Guerrero Jr. relies on what we imagine as much as what is presented on screen. For instance, a victim blows her brains out with a shot gun..not seen, but we get the general idea, although the decision to do so, even if your friend was murdered, seems a bit odd. Another scene has Shaw finishing off a victim he had been punishing with the sledgehammer, with a face crushing that's never visible either. This is a common occurrence that infuriates slasher fans, but the film is presented in such a cold, mean-spirited manner(..the way real killers work)that I wonder if the audience would enjoy CARVER anyway, perhaps they would. It's fairly obvious from the production values that the movie was low budgeted, and I never felt Franklin Guerrero Jr. was skilled enough to rise above his limitations. Others might think otherwise, but CARVER, to me, never rises above the countless direct-to-video slasher clones..it's just this one is about a cold-blooded, deranged killer hunting folks in some godforsaken warehouse in the backwoods of rural America. I would go into detail regarding the cast but they all support the film as lambs to the slaughter, nothing more or less. Sick, ugly film that will fade from memory I think not long after you watch it.
Brilliant
posted on 16 May 2009This has got to be one of the best films I've seen this year,Horror wise anyway. It was put together well,The music was excellent,you knew something was gonna happen by the music score. The movie kept you glued,in a weird way I wanted each of them to die just to see how the next victim would be killed,sick i know. lol The toilet scene had me gagging who in the right mind would sit on that? and the part where the killer pops his testicle,Ouch!! it was sick but i didn't want stop watching,Even the end was well put together,the last guy standing (so to speak) sits to have a smoke and watches a "home movie" He has just witnessed his brother and his friend butchered and instead of escaping to get help or to save himself he sits down,why? because he thinks he's safe,its only when he's sat there that he realises that there were two people involved, You kind of knew that the fella at the beginning had something to do with it but you don't see him do anything,well not till the end anyway. Id watch this again,and again,and again!!
Average, overlong & underlit
posted on 06 May 2009I'm not sure what the true story is that Carver is based upon, probably that of Ed Gein which is the source material of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre which this film attempts but fails miserably to emulate. Although there are some extremely (possibly unnecessarily) sadistic murders in this film there is nothing in it to raise it above other recent entries in the non genre of torture porn.The main problem with the film is its length, at 97 minutes it is at least 15 minutes too long due to considerable and superfluous character development in the first 30 minutes. As well as being boring it is doubly unsuccessful as it fails to cause the viewer to care for any of the characters. Hot on the heels of boredom, irritation and frustration soon follow as a result of many scenes being underlit and poorly edited.Apologies for being critical of another user but in response to another comment this film is neither a classic nor urban as it is set entirely in the countryside. In addition there is nothing Tarantino about the direction the only such connection being QT's executive "producer" credit on the equally boring and amateurish Hostel films.
Franklin Guerrero Jr Returns with his best Film yet!
posted on 06 May 2009After watching the 8th plague, and being slightly disappointed I knew he was capable of more, fairly unique ending compared to other STV horrors, and a slightly fragmented but good story.Carver however was a masterpiece in STV Horror. This film brings some of the most savage, gut wrenching brutality I've seen in a film. The brutality is up there with Audition, and it shames both Hostel films.The tension is thick almost straight away, the industrial, metal grinding music is enough to make some people cringe alone, in it's entirety it's creative, strong disturbing and nasty.after watching this, and comparing it's standards to the 8th plague I can safely say he's getting better with every movie he makes. Keep an eye on this Director.
Gore And Bore
posted on 30 Apr 2009I cannot believe the plot of this movie, simply because there is no plot. The movie simply counts on gore, gore and more gore.And to add to the miseries, the murders just are disgusting rather than horrifying.The music though was very good, which has kept the movie alive. Very poor characters, no chemistry between them whatsoever. And why isn't there any reason for the murders?? Its just another plot hole. And what to say about the climax, it is just another mess. And the villain doesn't even come close to leather face who was much more scary. And please don't compare this with hostel or saw.If you love gore and don't care about the reasons, even the most basic reasons, then watch it
Worst Horror movie ever
posted on 14 Apr 2009Horror movies are interesting when the suspense is kept until the end by not revealing details about what exactly happens. In the case of Carver, the contrary is true. The "whodunnit" element is clear from the start as there is no doubt about who are the bad guys. An additional thing that spoils the suspense is that the ugly details are shown extremely explicitly such that it simply becomes disgusting to watch them. Horror is not to get people disgusted, it is to create a sense of fear followed by relief of it and the buildup of a new cycle of fear and relief. This movie does nothing like that. Moreover, the acting is weak on all fronts as the acting is very amateurish. The storyline very thin and predictable as well. Granted, this is supposedly based on real facts, but that does not necessarily mean that staying true to them is 100% required and makes a good movie. All in all, this is a more than forgettable movie not worth spending your time on. Three points for the effort and for making me watch it until the end.
Carver
posted on 12 Apr 2009I would have to say about this low budget horror movie is that it was an awesome horror movie and it shouldn't be a low budget movie. The death scenes were very creative and has buckets of gore that keeps flowing. I cant believe it was based on a true story and it makes you want to watch it because its true and it had happened its a horrifying thrill ride that keeps you at the edge of your seat making you want more and more. I would have to say for you audiences this is the movie to watch if you you are into the whole blood and guts it is just plain scary best movie I've seen in years. The movie has a great cast of characters great gore great killers and creepy shooting location for a low budget movie. The acting in the movie is a little bad but its still worth watching for all you horror fans out there. one bad thing that i do hate about the movie is the ending i don't want to ruin the movie but you might like it but i thought it was kinda a weak ending to such a great horror movie. since i can spoil the movie on this comment...all the characters die besides one killer.
Good Premise but NO wasn't realized
posted on 06 Apr 2009I liked the main cast. They had great potential. The premise is suppose to be about a sicko making movies...well...did they make movies - yes. I liked the fact that the women TRIED to escape the psycho but of course FAILED as in most horror movies. Do they all die in the end...well of course (I HATE THIS). I would say that the movie HAD potential but things came out of left field..when was the Sheriff killed...hmmm. Needed a lot of things explained and tied up. Let me see if my best friend were killed by a psycho would I just blow my head off???? Have to think about that. Thought they were going to make a Carver II before "our hero" got his throat cut. If you want a lot of blood - OK. If you want plot - not bad. If you want to feel like "this is a great horror movie" um well...NO. I would just love to take this premise and START OVER because it had such potential. Explain the brothers relationship in the beginning. Why are they such sickos? OH WELL, being born on Halloween guess I am more critical. As Horror Movies go...not the worst I have seen and not the best. If you want a lot of fake blood, knives and nails ..go for it.
Typical
posted on 28 Aug 2009Wow, this movie really blew. The music for one was atrocious, other than the opening scene that is. The movie lacked originality. Yes it was based on "Actual Events" but it was just so typical for the horrible horror movies put out recently. It was very predictable, some parts did not make sense at all (When Kate gets out of the car and realizes who she hit, there's no way he could be able to walk around after what happened to him before, let alone find clothes to dress up for a prank), don't forget the blonde bimbo stereotype. "Don't go in the woods alone looking for your boyfriend, who does that? no one" but she is the dumb blonde so obviously she goes anyways, oh i wonder what happens then? The "killer" is not scary at all and is a Horrible actor. Not much of a movie here. Watching it for the first time will feel like you have watched it 20 times, it's that predictable. 2 out of 10 and thats pushing it!