‘The Summer We Died’ Review
If you remember how it felt to be free and independent from authority during your high school summer days, especially when trying to avoid an active serial killer on the prowl, then The Summer We Died is a fun nostalgic flashback. Suppose we took the original Scream, added a splash of The Summer of Sam, and mixed that with the rebellious youth of Kids, you could easily see the birth of this fresh new glimpse of retribution unfold within the suburbs of Las Vegas amongst teens trying to test the limits of their independence.
Colorfully named characters M, Darlin’, and Babygirl are skater chicks, excited to celebrate their freedom through long nights out partying against the wishes of their families who are completely panicked by their rebellion. You see, there is a city-wide curfew due to the Moonlight Killer – a masked figure baring a hunting knife (and a grudge) who appears out of the darkness to hunt down their fellow classmates in the most gruesome and gory manner.
Each of the girls has extreme homestead issues. There are alcoholic dads, overprotective moms, and control assertions that go to battle against the uncontrollable teenager during the height of defiance. It’s an obvious loss each time and the girls basically go wild.
Although the actors sometimes give off the appearance of being older than their characters, the premise of adolescence still reigns when they risk breaking curfew and becoming prey to the lurking slasher villain. The volatile relationships are impacted each time the girls are told no with the same angst as we felt during the transition from kid to adult. And The Summer We Died captures this resistance in a very raw and gritty manner. As the theme goes, “This was our summer, and nobody was going to ruin it”. Not even a brutal serial killer!
Although The Summer We Died has a low budget with a few audio quality difficulties, I was impressed by the dedication to a simple storyline that progresses from a “Who Done It?” to “Why?” Throughout the daily life problems plaguing these girls, their unwavering friendship never falters. Whether being harassed during a concert or having deep conversations about damaging family dynamics, this group holds tight to their strength and comradery which makes for one hell of a fucked-up ending! The best plot twists are the ones you do not expect. Kudos to Dillion Brown for scrambling my brain until the last bit of unfurling!
The Summer We Died is now streaming on Amazon Prime and Fawesome.
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The Summer We Died
Summary
‘The Summer We Died’ is a chilling piece of mumblegore cinema that captures the feeling of being a teen on the cusp of adulthood.
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