Genre: Horror
Subcategories: Teen Slasher, Haunted House
Scare Factor: A Few Chills
Gore Factor: Moderate
Look-at-these: Female Nudity

Synopsis: Fraternity and sorority pledges are forced to complete a scavenger hunt list and spend the night in a haunted house during a joint hazing ritual. When two of the pledges accidentally impale Professor Kapps, his soul is released. He proceeds to con and kill his way to immortality.

The Hazing is highly reminiscent of my favorite cult classic, Kevin S. Teney's Night of the Demons. The two films share common thematic and visual elements, from go-nowhere plots and comedic undertones to cheesy effects and T&A. Unfortunately, Rolfe Kanefsky never finds the elegant balance between horror and comedy in The Hazing that Tenney found with Night of the Demons. Kanefsky bids for a film that is more frightening than funny, but comes up short on both ends of the stick. That isn't to say that I didn't like The Hazing. In fact, it's quite the opposite.

Brooke Burke. It doesn't matter whether you think of her as a swimsuit model, an extreme sports goddess or a television hostess; she's the finest reason that I can think of to watch this film. I never understood why they put that stupid A-B loop button on my DVD remote, or rather, I never understood why until I caught an eyeful of Burke. I also never thought that I would find a woman that could pull off a sheer silver tracksuit, but the costume showcases Burke's form as well as her daredevil personality. There's only one word for Burke in this film: WOW. Not many girls get a full paragraph in one of my reviews, but she deserves nothing less.

The rest of the cast, while never rising to Burke's level, deserves at least a passing mention. Nectar Rose, who either uses a pseudonym or was born to a couple of hippies, is almost as visually stunning as Burke. She simply doesn't have the rough-and-tumble personality that makes Burke such a stone-cold fox. The guys, too, are easy on the eyes. Doug Leary and Jeremy Maxwell are pretty hot, and Parry Shen plays a decent nerdy-but-cute Asian kid. Brad Dourif is a little bit over the top as Professor Kapps, playing it just the wrong side of militant hermit. You'll be wondering whether that book is magic, or just his manifesto...

The film sometimes takes itself too seriously, which can really put-off the audience. The opening sequence is intended to be a 'dark and stormy' introduction to the forces of evil, but it comes off as laughable instead. It's a lot of bark without a lot of bite, much like the Wizard of Oz. It simply places far more pressure on the prologue than it can handle. A more subtle approach would have made the transition into the film more seemless, while still building the atmosphere.

The photography is actually quite remarkable. Undoubtedly, this is the work of veteran Thomas Callaway, whose dual experiences with horror flicks (The Dead Hate the Living, Blood Dolls) and thinly veiled erotica (Slumber Party Massacre II, Cruel Intentions 3) make him perfect for The Hazing. The death and stunt sequences are filmed and choreographed with great care by a gentle hand. Each segment is crafted to generate a thrill, without exceeding the point at which the lack of a budget would show. It's the careful way that the camera studies its prey, whether it's a hapless victim or a nude Burke, that render the film watchable. Unfortunately, this much can't be said for the post-production editing. There are some CGIs that scream amateur.

The dark tone of the film is established by the professional photography and some creative kills, but it could have been enhanced with a better musical score or more evenly distributed death scenes. It's creepy, but it's not as creepy as it could have been. The Hazing boasts some astounding visuals, but the plot and characters fail to terrify. Night of the Demons suffered from a similar issue, but Teney plugged up the holes with comedy. Kanefsky doesn't have that kind of talent, and it shows with the stiff one-liners and off-color jokes.

Final Comments: The Hazing is a good film that could have been better. It's pure visual ecstasy without a boost of comedy or enough suspense to sustain the orgasm.

Recommended:
Yes

Video Occasion: Good for Groups