FINAL EXAM (1981)
Directed by Jimmy Huston
Embassy Home Entertainment VHS
Reviewed 01.03.04
Review by Joseph A. Ziemba

THE FILM
Listen up friends, this could get complicated...

There is a small college somewhere in the U.S. It is populated by ten students, one horny teacher, one coach, one sheriff, and one rent-a-cop. It’s final exam week! Awesome! A big lug is walking around killing off our small cast. He looks like he’d be very much at home on an after work softball team circa ‘81, just hangin’ with “the boys.”

Rented for 99 cents because I was in the mood, Final Exam may just be the worst slasher I’ve ever had the pleasure of sitting through. It’s all talk till about the 50 minute mark and I’m scratching my head...no gore, no bad acting to laugh at (unless you count the obviously-gay-actor-trying-to-act-straight character of “Radish,” a guy obsessed with killers and horror films), and no back story.

Very dumb, but no fun.

AUDIO AND VIDEO
This vhs tape from 1981 was very clean cosmetically (bravo, Hollywood Video) and played normally for a tape of this “vintage.” The sound on the film was definitely recorded with a Radio Shack mic. During the exciting climax, I remember thinking that it would be much cooler if this movie was shot on video. Then at least they’d have an excuse.

EXTRAS
No, this is vhs.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Why was this made? It fails to deliver on everything a slasher should. That’s ok though...on the back, the copy reads “If you liked Halloween and Friday the 13th, you’ll love Final Exam! Don’t believe ‘em.

College rules


Bambino killer


"Radish"


La-la-la-la-lovely Lisa