31 Days of Horror- Day 5: Kristy (2014)

(dir. Oliver Blackburn)

The Weinstein Company

*First time viewing

A college student, Justine, is stuck alone on campus over Thanksgiving break, must survive the holiday when a quartet of cult members choose her to add to their viral collection of victims.

Watching Kristy, I came to the realization that there is a dearth of college set horror films. Yes, there are a few notable ones like The House on Sorority Row, The Roomate and Scream 2. But for a place that is a transition for so many, a new space through which to navigate, populated with strangers and its own secret codes and methods, college campuses are a ripe territory for horror. Kristy, by and large, is a traditional slasher film, but it’s made more interesting in how Blackburn captures the isolation of college campuses, particularly in the midst of a holiday that’s all about bringing people together. College isolation is not something we typically dwell on, which is why the few college-set horror films there are have all been focused on the social elements of roommates, pledges, and parties. But Blackburn instead captures the eerie loneliness of the small campus, framing Justine (Haley Bennett) against empty corridors, open playing fields, and sparsely populated classrooms. There’s an almost tangible level of sadness that fills the first fifteen minutes of the film, and provides a stark contrast from the atmosphere of college fun amongst a cadre of wild characters that typically opens these films Even when Kristy ventures into familiar territory in its 2^nd act, the mood remains and allows for the unique perspective to be maintained.

The hooded cybercult that serves as a nationwide threat within the film, acts with the aim of killing “Kristy,” that is any girl they deem to be a follower of Christ and thus someone blessed with a perfect life. Justine is pegged as Kristy, for this particular sect of cult followers led by an unrecognizable Ashley Greene. The concept a cult based around this idea is founded on vague qualities so it’s unmistakably flimsy. Yet, there is a compelling element added to the fact that the cult members film their hunt and post the videos of their kills on the dark web. Social media horror isn’t quite novel, but it hasn’t been done to death enough to strip that tantalizing element away from its power. The cat and mouse games that ensue between Justine and the cult members are pretty standard. The tropes: cut phone lines, dead security guards, hiding in dark spaces with a held breath are all there, but in the last act Justine uses elements of things she’s learned in chemistry, and swim practice to strike back at her attackers in some immensely satisfying ways. It may have been done a few times recently, but Macgyver-girl isn't a trope I've tired of yet.

Scare Factor: 2/5 The idea of being by oneself on an abandoned campus is more frightening than the threat of the cult itself. A less direct threat and a heightened sense of Justine’s paranoia might have served to make a greater point, but even as a run and hide slasher film, Kristy is a competent film anchored by a great performance from Haley Bennett.

**Available to watch on Netflix