Watch The Mutilator

The Mutilator from 1984 is a horror film that tells the story of a group of college students who decide to spend their fall break at a beach house. What starts as a fun-filled vacation turns into a nightmare when they come across a killer who is on the loose. The film is directed by Buddy Cooper and John Douglass and stars Matt Mitler, Ruth Martinez, and Bill Hitchcock.

The film opens with a young boy accidentally killing his mother while cleaning his father's guns. Devastated, his father Terry (Jack Chatham) becomes an alcoholic and spends the rest of his life blaming his son for the tragedy. Fast forward several years, and Terry's son Ed (Matt Mitler) is now a college student. When Terry's birthday rolls around, he asks Ed to close up his beach house for the winter. Ed and his friends decide to make a trip out of it and spend their fall break at the beach house.

Once they arrive, they begin experiencing strange occurrences around the house. One of the girls, Pam (Ruth Martinez), discovers a room filled with fishing gear, weapons, and pictures of mutilated bodies. They initially brush it off as a prank, but soon they find themselves being hunted down by a mysterious killer who seems to have a personal vendetta against them.

The Mutilator wastes no time getting into the action, and the kills are quite brutal. The film's gore and practical effects are the real stars here, and they hold up surprisingly well even by modern standards. The killer's weapon of choice is a large fishing hook, which he uses to skewer his victims in creative and gruesome ways.

The characters themselves are fairly one-dimensional, with the focus being more on the kills and suspense rather than character development. However, the acting is serviceable, and the chemistry between the cast members feels genuine.

One of the standout scenes in the film involves a chase through a closed amusement park. The killer stalks the group through the various attractions, using his hook and other weapons to take them out one by one. The scene is shot in a way that ramps up the tension and keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Despite its shortcomings, The Mutilator is an entertaining slasher that delivers on the gore and suspense. It's a product of its time, and fans of 80s horror will find a lot to love here. The film's soundtrack, composed by Michael Minard, is also worth mentioning. It's a synth-heavy score that perfectly captures the mood of the film and adds to the suspense.

Overall, The Mutilator is a solid entry in the slasher genre. Its practical effects and kills hold up remarkably well, and the pacing is spot-on. It may not be a groundbreaking film, but it's a fun ride for horror enthusiasts.

The Mutilator is a 1983 horror movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 25 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.2.