I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Highly Overrated But Still Good

It is not only a funny movie, but it allows a great amount of joy for anyone who watches it.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Slashers have it easy. Their target audience are among the most forgiving when it comes to actual quality and will take enthusiasm over competence into consideration more so than "real" film lovers. "Final Exam" goes for the "Halloween" (1978) vibe (a low-key piano piece is a dead give away as to inspiration) in that it is light on blood and gore and goes for honest scares and mood. Too bad it's also light on scares but the mood is above average. There's also a novelty in that the killer is clearly seen, never speaks and has no motivation known to the audience. But then one character clearly states that most killers have no motivation and that, in itself, is quite scary. The film has pretty decent actors, most of whom have never been heard from again, and the characters do have some personality. The biggest gripe the film has received is in it's very slow build-up. It's true that "Final Exam" takes it's sweet time until actual mayhem takes place but it goes by pleasantly enough. Photography and lighting is fine and, as said, the film has a certain mood that's undeniable. It's a mood that seems was only attainable in late 70's and early 80's and distinguishes these slashers. "Final Exam", for me, gets better with repeat viewings and it comes recommended; for slasher film fans. But make no mistake; this isn't the cream of the crop but enthusiasts should enjoy it.

While Final Exam isn't on my top favorite list of 80's slashers, it definitely comes close and is a pretty fun movie to watch. This one doesn't really try to have much of a story and keeps it as a simple slasher movie. And while there is a beauty to that simplicity, I feel the movie would have had more meat and more success if there was a stronger plot. But nonetheless, its a pretty decent slasher flick. You spend a lot of time with the characters, so your actually invested when they die. But it wasn't so much character development, but rather random chit chat and events.The cast was a bit too large and would of been better if they focused on just a small group of friends.It was also obviously influenced by Halloween and retains a lot of the same atmosphere. Overall, it could of been better, but is still a fun slasher for any slasher fan. I would recommend it.

If you're a student at Lanier College, the only thing worse than being one of the few whose finals fall on the last day of the semester is being confronted with the madman who has arrived on campus just in time for the end of finals— and the end of lives, too. Needless to say, the unlucky coeds who are still at school won't be getting any studying done tonight.Free of the obligatory gore and gratuitous sex that dominated the '80s slasher as we know it, "Final Exam" takes its cues from "Halloween" and "Prom Night," emphasizing quiet terrors over confrontational scares. I was shocked by the fact that the film seems to have gotten a lot of flack from people who have deemed it far too "boring" and complained about its lack of "back story," so just let me say this: you're wrong. Is "Final Exam" a masterpiece? No. But its detractors are overlooking the fact that one of its most unique tenets is in that it fails to ascribe to the conventional stalk-and-slash formula by a madman with mommy issues. There are no masks, no motives, and no over-psychologizing of a mythical lunatic. It's a random account of a random killing spree, and while some feel that's a cop out, the flip side is that this approach is the film's greatest contribution toward anything original. When you strip the film down beyond that, it's fairly routine, though of a higher caliber than most films of its era. There is some classy cinematography and some deliciously creepy, subtle shots of the killer looming around. The film also makes ample use of its abandoned college campus setting, much like films such as "Girls Nite Out" and "The House on Sorority Row" did in the following years— but let's not forget, "Final Exam" was something of a pioneer for the college campus slasher as we know it, whether you want to admit it or not. Solid yet quirky performances from a cast of unknowns also help keep the film afloat.Overall, "Final Exam" truly does not get enough credit. As a slasher picture, it's a slow burner, but it's got enough eerie cinematography and ominous atmosphere to engage before the body count starts to rise. As I said before, it unabashedly takes its cues from "Halloween" and other slasher trend-setters from the late '70s, but its denial of a tedious back story or any real denouement forces it outside of the box, even if just a little. Either way, I found the film a splendid exercise in subtle spookiness, and I've never found a college campus so eerie—although maybe that's just because I went to college in the Bronx. 8/10.

Final Exam was an attempt made by Jimmy Huston, the film's director, for creating a Slasher title that tried ignoring the obvious boundaries that haunt the genre. This was the same man that would later go on to create a more popular product in 1987's My Best Friend is a Vampire. Teamed up with Huston is Gary S. Scott who arranged some of the music featured on Fox's Funhouse (hosted by J.D. Roth) in 1988, and in that same year allowed his musical hand to complete 31 episodes of Freddy's Nightmares (1988-1990).The film takes place at Lanier College and opens up with a murder at another campus. The killer is an unknown assailant who holds no ties to the cast in question; just a lunatic out for blood. The viewing audience is strung along on a 50-minute "heartfelt" exhibition of a "rigorous" college life. A second murder occurs in close proximity and poses a threat to the well-being of the young crowd as the remaining minutes display the disposal of the characters in a quick, albeit cheap, fashion.My description of Final Exam is brief because there's not too much to say, honestly. Mockingly I mentioned the heartfelt moments contained within – so many, in fact, it'll cause you to feel as if you're watching an after-school special or an episode of Full House rather than a movie filled with dread. The director wanted to avoid the usual Slasher routine so instead he opted to focus more on character development. I wonder who told him that this was a good idea – sure, not enough character involvement is unwise and too much of it in a Slasher film is boring…why can't there be a balance of both? Is that such a cross to bear? "Ugh, toiling endlessly on creating a decent film for audiences to appreciate…such a burden," Huston says to himself in the waking hours of daybreak. I'm curious as to why the horror genre attracts so many foolish wannabes who have the urge to pick up a camera and start filming absolutely nothing; almost like a curse, a hex if you will, which I suppose would be rather fitting. Seriously, film-makers should create a movie about a director who thrives on creating sloppy films that contain no substance or value – oh wait, they already did, and they based it on Ed Wood.Everything about this movie is dumb – which shouldn't be viewed as a wild accusation since the majority of films in the Slasher sub-genre are not only inadequate but also incompetent. The dialog alone should be a subject of ridicule with Oscar-rated material such as this to cleanse your palette:"I leave in the morning for the big city. You're gonna be left with nothing' but that saggin' old wife of yours. *Laughs arrogantly* She must almost be 30 by now?"Out of all the Slasher titles that involve students at a University or high school, I'd suggest watching those instead, more precisely, ANYTHING over Final Exam. Watching paint dry will become a favorite past time after experiencing the dregs of boredom that this movie invokes within its viewers. Final Exam executes the movement of a snail too perfectly and allows 1984's Girls Nite Out to look like a Masterpiece Theatre rendition of Julius Caesar.