AquaSlash (2019)

AquaSlash is the kind of gleefully disreputable midnight-movie slasher that earns its stripes with one audacious idea and then commits to it with a grin: a sun-soaked water park turned into a neon-bright house of horrors. Director Renaud Gauthier keeps the vibe brisk and trashy in the best way, mixing screwball teen chaos with sudden, crunchy bursts of practical gore that feel like a loving throwback to the era when prosthetics did the heavy lifting. The movie’s centerpiece set piece is exactly the kind of “did they really just do that?” spectacle that horror-comedy fans trade stories about afterward, and the short runtime helps the whole thing move like a wicked joke told at speed. It’s not for the squeamish or anyone allergic to nudity and mean-spirited teen antics, but if you want an energetic, knowingly ridiculous splatter ride with real effects craft, this one hits the slide and never looks back.

AquaSlash is clearly trying to be a sleazy, throwback horror-comedy that mixes spring-break stupidity with a big, outrageous water-park kill set piece. The problem is it takes a long time to get to the mayhem, and the in-between is stuffed with thin characters, clunky dialogue, and plot beats that feel more confusing than suspenseful. The humor rarely lands and the “mystery” isn’t gripping enough to carry the slow build, so you may find yourself waiting for the movie to finally become the movie it promised. If you’re here purely for nasty, over-the-top gore and don’t mind bargain-bin acting and a lot of filler (plus some sleaze), you’ll get a few moments to talk about; if you want sharp satire, real scares, or even a coherent slasher ride, this probably isn’t for you.