Film Review: Terror Inside (2008)

SYNOPSIS:

In the smallest of Florida towns a lone well driller, Joe, works gathering geological samples for a university study. Unknowingly, Joe unearths more than just primordial muck from deep below the swamp. A strange oozing liquid, is absorbed into Joe’s skin and slowly transposes his sense of pain and pleasure. Unaware that he is now a victim and carrier of a horrible virus, Joe lingers in town a few extra days to woo the town’s pretty diner waitress, Maria. Allen, a weekly town visitor and long time suitor of Maria’s, is unaware of Joe’s romantic interest. When Allen’s frequent visits to see Maria are delayed by work, Allen must make a final decision to quit his job and propose to Maria or break off their relationship. When Allen makes the decision to move to Ochopee and marry Maria he arrives to find the town a changed place. Maria, often hinting at marriage, is no longer interested and somehow a darker, sullen woman.

Other townspeople are nowhere to be found. Pretty storefronts are now dark tattoo parlors and seedy shops. When Allen begins to dig into the town’s sudden change he finds a trail of self-inflicted bloody mutilation with fear at every turn. He also finds out about Joe. Meanwhile, back at the university that commissioned Joe to drill for the soil samples, more than expected has arrived. The oozing virus contaminates hundreds of students, causing them to seek horrifying pleasure in unspeakable acts of self torture. A university Instructor with a military background witnesses the spread of the virus and makes the decision to package the disease as the ultimate biological weapon. TERROR INSIDE is a totally new psychological thriller that reaches into the fears that haunt us all. Basic human nature keeps the TERROR INSIDE and unspoken to others. TERROR INSIDE is a bloody psychological thriller that grabs the audience much like a Hitchcock film. TERROR INSIDE is fingernails on the blackboard – for your eyes.

REVIEW:

A small town, a diner, and a quaint little existence for the locals. Allen (Corey Feldman) has been coming here for 2 years now especially for the pretty little diner owner Maria whom he is prepping to make a total commitment to. His job in the city has providde the means to earn a great living and perhaps qualify for an early retirement. One that provides 90% of his earnings while he thinks about settling down in this small Florida town. Joe, a well driller is also infatuated with Maria, but it’s plain to see that she has her sites set on Allen.

When he discovers what he hopes to be an oil breakthrough in his recent drilling, he sends a sample off to a lab to be analyzed. What he didn’t anticipate was digging into some kind of viral primitive goo that seems to have more than a rash effect on who ever it comes into contact with. The town starts to change and a need for pain begins to surface among its community.

This concept in itself is intriguing, mainly because it allows the FX wizards to do their thing with a variety of pain induced instances. The moments are creepy, gory and provide the visual highlights of the production……though most guys will disagree as they get a nude cameo per Susie Feldman that puts the term hot body over the mark! Good thing she had her husband around at the time to supervise. Though she’s not the only hottie on board as Tanya Memme plays Allen’s love interest in the film and reason for him making the trip down to Mayberry in the first place.

Tanya and Susie get even hotter as the viral good starts to infect them and they turn pain inducing goth for a bit. It’s all kind of silly but that’s the glory of film. Silly, hotness and some good self infliction to boot. Now the portion that most viewers will probably find a tad absurd is the role of Joe Abby who plays the well digger Joe. He has a crush on Maria as well but comes to term with the fact that she’s already committed to Allen.

In most situations that would be the conflict that kind of goes off on its own but in this case Joe sort of becomes the 3rd wheel into the hero aspect almost like a sad little tag-along for the ride. I was smiling enough that it caught my attention but blame it on a lame script aspect. The movie finished out in a really race to the-solution-way that turns the horror production into a lifetime TV ending. The lead ups to that sort of fill the lame gaps and carry the films first 2/3’s adequately.

Corey does his best to work with the script that maybe offers a bit too many lines when it could be focused on more action, but it’s a working gig for him and his wife, so I guess it all worked out. The budget is kept in the low budget range as much as it can but I would have to say if this film didn’t feature the 3 main stars it would have fallen instantly into the pass it by and don’t look back category. Though I did enjoy some of its aspects and was able to put the faults behind as I watched it front to back. For horror viewers, we get a slice of nasty self mutilation that crawls in under you skin with conviction. For other viewers, Susie provides some hot moments that will have you reaching for your “2 Corey’s” tapes ….onward.

Terror Inside