Trick or Treat — A Scathing Review of Bastian Noir

Trick or Treat: full review

The first blow of the night lands before the projector light even stabilizes: a deserted highway under a fog that seems plucked from a fever dream. Patrick Lussier, a veteran of 90s slashers, returns with Trick or Treat, a piece that pretends to revive the legend of the itinerant killer. The industrial context is that of a market saturated with micro-budgets, where Netflix and streaming platforms seek to fill their catalogs with titles that promise “horror” without much financial risk. Lussier, known for My Bloody Valentine (2009), seems to have accepted the formula: a hardened detective, a series of ritualistic deaths, and an atmosphere that lingers in the penumbra.

Filming took place mostly in Utah locations, leveraging the aridity of the desert to create a sense of isolation. With a budget hovering around $2 million, the production had to improvise: the small-town sets were built in a prop warehouse, and the blood effects were mostly practical, which sometimes works and other times simply feels cheap. Michael Wandmacher’s soundtrack, though attempting to be ominous, gets lost among creaking doors and wind, failing to achieve a distinct identity. In the era of The Haunting of Hill House and Midsommar, the film seems to have been born in a parallel dimension where innovation no longer matters.

As for reception, the picture is as scattered as the script itself.

I left the cinema with the feeling of having seen a diluted version of Scream (1996), with the difference that here the tension dissolves before the killer even appears. The first scene, where detective Mike Denver (Omar Epps) reviews a case map, drags on too long, and the editing of subsequent murders feels like a checklist. The film functions as a routine exercise, lacking the spark to make the viewer tremble.

Direction and Staging

Lussier attempts to create an atmosphere of paranoia through tight framing and shadows dragging through the police station hallways. At the moment the detective interrogates suspect Cheryl Winston (Kristina Reyes), the camera remains static, forcing us to observe the discomfort in her eyes. That decision, though intentional, results in a scene that drags on without offering revelations. The production design, led by the main producer, achieves a convincing rural style, but the lack of resources is evident in the tent set where the first murder occurs: the fabric looks like it came from a cheap camping store.

Pacing is another weak point. The film alternates between long dialogue shots and violence sequences that appear abruptly, as if the editor decided to “jump to the climax” without a logical transition. The editing, handled by an inexperienced team, cuts between the detective’s investigation and the crimes with a frequency that disorients more than it intrigues. The only exception is the final shot, a tracking shot following the killer as he disappears into the fog; there, the camera moves with a fluidity that, for an instant, elevates the film.

Performances and Script

Omar Epps carries the weight of the script with a dignity that contrasts with the mediocrity of the text. His detective is a tired man, with emotional scars perceived in every line he pronounces. However, Lussier’s script doesn’t provide enough material: the dialogues are predictable, and the plot twists feel forced. Tom Atkins, as veteran Talbott, brings an authoritative presence, but his screen time is scarce and his character never evolves.

Jamie Kennedy, in the role of Dr. Steven, tries to inject dark humor, but his performance is perceived as a caricature that breaks the tension. Ellen Adair as Sheriff Lisa Jayne offers a solid interpretation, although her narrative arc remains on the surface. Secondary characters, like Agent Tina Mendez (Vanessa Aspillaga) and Brooke (Adrienne Bengtsson), appear as pieces of a puzzle that never gets completed.

The script, though structured around the idea of a killer crossing state lines, never explores the villain’s psychology. The name “Trick” is mentioned as an urban myth, but the film fails to build a convincing mythology. Attempts to explain the lack of connection between the crimes result in expository dialogues that break immersion.

The best

• Amanda Treyz’s cinematography: Uses shadows and contrasts to create a gloomy atmosphere that, at times, truly captivates.
• Omar Epps’ interpretation: A tired detective who brings gravity to a flimsy script.
• Practical blood effects: Achieve a visceral impact without relying on cheap CGI.

The worst

• Predictable script: Forced plot twists and dialogues that sound like 90s clichés.
• Irregular editing: Abrupt cuts that break tension and hinder follow-through.
• Limited production design: Sets that reveal the lack of budget and detract from the rural setting’s credibility.

The Verdict of Claqueta Ácida

Trick or Treat meets the requirements of a low-budget thriller: it has a detective with a weary gaze, abundant blood, and a gloomy atmosphere. But the film never surpasses its own mediocrity; the script and editing leave it stranded in a limbo of clichés. Ultimately, it works well enough to pass the time, but offers nothing to justify a second viewing. A horror attempt that stays at the door without scaring anyone. 💀

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