The Tripper
Directed by David Arquette
20th Century Fox

Slasher films have always been about having iconic villains. They need to have the special something that either really creeps people out or makes the inner fanboy come out and scream cool! The killer in The Tripper is dressed in a suit, carries an axe and wears a Ronald Regan mask. Is that iconic enough for you?

After a brief flashback that sets up the motives behind the killing later on in the film, we cut to our main characters, a group of hippies in a van driving to a Woodstock-esque concert in the middle of the woods. To say the characters are parodies of hippies would be a vast understatement. Jason Mewes plays the hipper yet still very much so drug addled Joey. The rest of the characters are more stereotypical hippies and are basically coming to the festival to have a good time.

The cast is all made up of fairly well known actors. Thomas Jane does an awesome job as the Sheriff helping out with security. He doesn't like the festival happening in his small town and isn't afraid to tell the mayor and the festival organizer so. The festival is run by Paul Reubens, who you might know better as Pee Wee Herman. He gives a dynamite performance as the greedy money hungry hippy that won't even let dead bodies stop his festival from happening.

Despite this being a typical slasher film at base level, there is definitely more to the film if you dig a bit deeper. There is of course the political aspect of it. I'm not quite sure if the film is anti-drug or pro-drug although if all of the hippies weren't stoned out of their tree they might have been able to get away from the killer. The story of the movie itself is much more layered than most horror films. There are several key characters that drive the story outside of the main group of hippies. One of their ex-boyfriends plays a key role in the plot and helps to be one of the elements that make the movie rise above being just another horror film about a crazy guy with an axe.

While certain subgenres of horror can get away with being light on gore, slasher films have never turned away during the bloodiest moments and that is no different here. The gore is well done and comes at you fast and furious during the climax. Countless hippies fall victim to Ronnie's axe near the end of the film and you'll love every second of it.

For a first time director David Arquette has done a wonderful job with the film. He has made a slasher film that would make fans of the genre proud but also throws in some unique elements to keep it from being just another slasher film.

Official The Tripper Webpage