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Plot A (the plot exploited in all the trailers) involves a sorority house full of bouncy coeds. Plot B (the plot that gets about 75% of the movie’s running time) has to do amnesia, insomnia, creepy nightmares, and hoary old skeletons in the closet. Neither plot is all that worthy of your time.

Kelly is a sorority pledge and a goody-goody rich girl. In an effort to expedite her ridiculous pledge procedures, Kelly gives her sorority gal-pals a great place to party; seems Kelly’s Daddy owns a swanky department store in a palatial mall, and the horny goofball idiots plan a big shindig... but that comes much later.

It’s a good thing that DVD players come with time counters, because that’s how I know that the first "horrific" murder takes place about 56 minutes in. (You can ignore Clu Gulager getting skewered with a barbecue fork, because it’s more retarded than it is horrific.) I can’t remember the last horror movie with this much bloated and tiresome exposition scenes, mainly because those are the things I usually try to forget. Basically, this movie is 9 parts yap and 1 part splat.

To be fair, a few of the nastier gore scenes are fairly entertaining, but that mild praise could easily be countered by the shocking proliferation of hilariously awful early-80’s sportswear. I refuse to believe there was ever a year in which horny teenage boys wore knee-high white sweat socks, big blue headbands, and shorts so tight they defy the laws of nature.

Fans of the requisite B-movie cast of has-been actors should find a little something to enjoy. Vera Miles (The Birds) drones on and on in her role of ‘prissy and domineering mother’, while Clu Gulager (The Last Picture Show) wisely opted for a character who gets butchered after only 30-some minutes.

Current supermodel Hunter Tylo plays the snooty bitch role with hateful aplomb, though the actress is mysteriously listed as "Deborah Morehart" - though that doesn’t stop her from displaying her knockers.

By the time the inevitable hack ‘n slash goes down at the mall, most horror fans will be long past caring (or possibly asleep). Notable mainly as the debut appearance of Daphne Zuniga’s completely nude body, The Initiation may be a B-movie remembered fondly by those old enough to enjoy the original slasher craze...

...although newcomers will undoubtedly be bored to tears.

link directly to this review at http://www.efilmcritic.com/review.php?movie=2994&reviewer=128
originally posted: 05/01/04 23:01:30
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