It was mid March and I had just gotten home from my bussing job that I hated. My phone goes off and it’s my buddy from Newburgh, NY. I answered. He asked if I wanted a job working the last 3 weeks of this movie. I immediately say yes.
Written by Todd Farmer and Patrick Lussier (My Bloody Valentine 3D) and directed by Lussier, Trick is horror flick in the tradition of 80s/90s slashers like Halloween and Scream.
The movie centers around Detective Mike Denver (Omar Epps) a no nonsense detective who is hell bent on taking down a serial killer, known as Trick, who returns every Halloween to terrorize a upstate NY town.
The movie is a fun Halloween romp. The kills are grounded and realistic but do not get boring and repetitive, as can be the risk. Ellen Adair shines in her role as Sheriff Jayne, bringing a nuanced vulnerability that doesn’t take away from her character’s strength. Kristina Reyes has the makings of the Laurie Strode of her generation. Reyes rarely screams and is far from the damsel in distress, but shows an emotional openness while not sacrificing her characters all around badassery.
Trick is far from a perfect movie. Sometimes the over use of handheld camera work can be jarring, and at times the pacing feels rushed. But this is a balls to the wall slasher. Trick knows what kind of movie it is, and doesn't try to be anything but.
Will you enjoy Trick? If you’re looking for a horror film that tackles deep philosophical issues, no you won't enjoy Trick, and you’re probably really fun at parties too. If you like fun, gore, slasher flicks, you will enjoy Trick.
As Jamie Kennedy said after our last day of filming, “See you all in Trick 2-9 and then again in the gritty Rob Zombie remake.”
I give Trick an 8/10
Trick stars Omar Epps, Ellen Adair, Kristina Reyes and Jamie Kennedy and is now playing in select theaters and streaming on Amazon Prime Video.