THE FINAL TERROR (1983)

Go rafting, he said. It'll be fun, he said. Well, now he's DEAD, and I'm not having fun at all.

"If you people want to survive, you better start looking and thinking like the forest."

Filmed in 1981 (save for the tacked-on prologue that was shot almost 2 years later), this flick sat on the shelf until finally earning a theatrical release in 1983, which was after Daryl Hannah and Adrian Zmed had gone on to make names for themselves elsewhere. Elsewhere being 'Blade Runner' and 'T.J. Hooker' respectively. 

Yes, I said Daryl Hannah. And yes, I alluded to William Shatner. 

Directed by Andrew Davis, who would later go on to direct the likes of 'Under Siege', 'The Fugitive' and 'Holes', 'THE FINAL TERROR' didn't make much of a splash at the Box Office and the critics were less than kind, but the advent of the home video era made it a stalwart shelf-warmer of Mom-and-Pop video stores across the nation, and another film that I passed over again and again while browsing the shelves, looking for my next stage-blood soaked fix.

So, why is this film a lesser-known entry in the ridiculously long list of 80's era slashers? Well, for starters, the kill-count was so low that a new segment got tacked on at the very start of the flick just to add a couple of additional victims to the final tally. You also find yourself following a bevy of characters who aren't particularly likeable. In the end, there's simply not a lot going on from an action-standpoint, and no cream rises to the top to give the audience someone to root for.

However, what this film does offer is a gritty man-vs-nature setting among the soaring redwoods of the pacific northwest, and that atmosphere is the real star of the film. Shot in the lush Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, the film-crew makes absolutely excellent use of the surroundings, and much of the cinematography is absolutely gorgeous. Another point in favor of this movie is the fact that it doesn't fall prey to a lot of standard slasher tropes. Hell, the characters actually prove to be a bit too resourceful at times over the course of this film, which may come as a shock to those who are used to watching brainless horror-movie teens make the worst possible choices before being felled by a machete to the face.

Also notable is the excellent musical scoring by Susan Justin, who managed to create what I feel is some of the best incidental music to grace an 80's era slasher-movie. The music strikes the correct balance of being present and distinctive without being annoying or intrusive. 

Lastly, another strength of this film is the excellent cast. In addition to Hannah and Zmed, we're also graced with the presence of Rachel Ward ('The Thorn Birds'), Akosua Busia ('The Color Purple'), Joe Pantoliano ('The Matrix'), and Mark Metcalf ('Buffy the Vampire Slayer'). Even though the cast aren't really given much to do besides schmoozing one minute and bickering the next, they all acquit themselves very well, and I think it's always fun to see familiar faces in the early stages of their careers. 

So, what's my final verdict on 'THE FINAL TERROR'? Well, if you're a fan of 80's slashers, I definitely think you should give it a shot so you can see something just a little different from the average slasher fare. If you like your horror to be a little heavier on the suspense, and lighter on the gore and mayhem, you might actually find this one to be more your speed. 

Three stars (***), certainly worth a look.