“Ohhh how he loved his dolls…” Cue the synth score, the machete, and the obligatory Valentine's Day massacre. The trailer for Pretty Boy—Marcel Walz's indie slasher—just landed, and it's either a shamelessly fun throwback or a four-year-old relic that should've stayed buried.
A blind Hollywood actress (Sarah French) gets kidnapped by a masked lunatic named Pretty Boy, who then crashes a swinger's party for a blood-soaked rampage. It's Friday the 13th meets The Strangers, with a side of late-stage Lionsgate VOD desperation.
This trailer screams 2010s microbudget horror—derivative kills, a synthwave soundtrack, and a killer whose mask looks like a Scream extra's garage-sale find. The film premiered at FrightFest 2021 and is only now slinking onto VOD. That's not a delay; that's a cry for help.
Deep Dive: Why Now?
- The 80s Slasher Revival: Films like Terrifier 2 and X proved nostalgia sells, but Pretty Boy feels like a discount-bin imitation.
- VOD Graveyard: Lionsgate's dumping this in May, a month traditionally reserved for blockbusters. Coincidence? Or a quiet death sentence?
If you're craving a so-bad-it's-fun slasher, Pretty Boy might deliver. But if you've seen The Hatchet series or Hell Fest, you've already seen this done better.
“Would you risk this Valentine's Day party? Or is Pretty Boy destined for the ‘Skip' button?”
