just watch it!

Disturbing yet enthralling

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Coming along in the first wave of slasher movies hot after the success of "Friday the 13th", comes another tale of stupid teenagers doing stupid things and having sex at a summer camp right before getting slaughtered in various painful looking ways. As usual with most slasher movies, the acting is all over the place. Some of the actors are decent enough, while some are just horrible and you wonder how they even got the role in the first place. And as usual with most slashers in the first wave and after, there are boobs a plenty to be viewed. And, also as usual, most.of the "teenagers" look like their in their mid 20's. This movie also employs the killers "POV" shot, which has become synominous with the slasher genre , before and long after this film. Compared to other films in this genre, The Burning is fairly slow moving, with none of the killings, except for one small one in the beginning, taking place until about 40 minutes into the movie, instead deciding to focus on the characters, who for the most part are all so unlikeable you'll be wishing they'd get knocked off sooner. Even once the killings begin, their fairly restrained and pretty fake looking. And once they actually begin there's long periods in between until another takes place. The only upside to this movie is the infamous "raft scene" where a raft full of five people get brutally slaughtered in about 30 seconds. Even then, the gore effects aren't that great, which is depressing considering that they were done by the great Tom Savini. This movie has been considered to be one of the greats of the slasher genre, up there with "Halloween" and "Friday the 13th". Frankly, I disagree, as I found it boring, slow moving, and just not that great in general.

An okay intro and one gory kill will have to last the viewer a pretty long time before this slasher really starts going gory again - in spite of some obligatory false moves. In between, there's the authentic summer camp atmos - including some terrific '80s vintage nudity and plenty of tomfoolery - to keep you entertained, if that will do it for you. It sure did for me, even a second time around.It's certainly not as good as the original 'Friday the 13th' and it's all quite chaotic and haphazardly put together, but it has more than enough to make it work for a slasher. Some will even recognize George (Jason Alexander), wíth hair. And Tom Savini did the gore - 'nuff said, fade to red...7 out of 10.

A copycat outing, one of hundreds made in the wake of Friday THE 13TH, which uses the old plot of "horny teenagers get bumped off one by one at a summer camp" as its basis. However, THE BURNING is not bad like you might at first think. Firstly, the movie is exceptionally atmospheric, using a picturesque setting as its background and enhanced by a fine electronic score by Rick Wakeman. Secondly, there are a fair amount of suspenseful stalk-and-slash sequences - especially the drawn-out finale - which are done well, often with clichéd but effective POV shots. Thirdly, the special effects - by genre maestro Tom Savini - are plentiful, top-notch and painfully realistic, especially if the film is seen uncut. They're something to remember.I won't bother going into the plot, other than that it's a clichéd, cardboard cut-out outing which is basically an excuse for the camera to ogle half-naked and totally naked girls bathing and showering, and for the male cast members to engage in plentiful sub-PORKY'S style antics. Sex is on every teenager's mind, whether it's the lust-mad jock or the creepy antics of Alfred, who enjoys spying on girls making out or in the shower, and is a major part of the film. Indeed Cropsy's first outing on his release after 5 years in hospital after the terrible prank that left him horrifically scarred is to try and make out with a prostitute.The acting skills from the fresh-faced cast aren't really up to scratch, although some of them do have fun. However, I did like Brian Matthews' performance as the square-jawed hero who wields a mean axe, and Brian Backer's memorable turn as the slightly pervy Alfred, the object of much ridicule and hate. It's certainly fun to play spot the famous face, with first-time appearances from Jason Alexander, Fisher Stevens, and later Oscar-winner Holly Hunter adding to the fun. But in the end it's the murders - and the villain - that stand-out in this slasher yarn.Tom Savini - the FX maestro - gives us all manner of gory effects work in this movie, whether it be blood literally spraying in arterial fountains from chest wounds, or numerous shots of a snipped throats and flesh! Despite the obvious faults, THE BURNING is a more than efficient slasher film that more than delivers the goods, and is one of the few films made good by the gore effects alone (Peter Jackson's BRAINDEAD is the best example of this). Or maybe I just saw it at an impressionable age...

Any fan of the genre of 80's horror will love this movie, but beneath the norm of gory deaths, naked teens and campfire stories there lies a truly great movie behind the surface. The storytelling is great, the build up and character development is sensational for a slasher movie, and if the wonderfully gruesome special effects aren't enough to keep you hooked the magnificent plot will. Apart from a great story this movie does what many other in it's genre fail to do - scare you! There are many edge-of-your-seat moments and genuinely frightening scenes. Overall it is a great movie which is underrated by many, I would put it up there with the likes of Friday 13th and Halloween, it's a shame it doesn't get recognized in popular culture like the two aforementioned do because it's really a top drawer horror movie. It's refreshing that an 80's slasher movie can have such an original plot and back-story, but it doesn't stray too far from it's roots leaving both hardcore horror fans and casual movie watchers satisfied.