Triggered (2019)

Online screener

Written and Directed by Chris Moore

Stars:  Meredith Mohler, Jesse Dalton, Sam Furman, Keni Bounds, Arian Thigpen, Caitlyn Driscoll and Amanda Wyss. 

I'm so pleased that I was given the opportunity to review this solid indie horror film - I can safely say I was as blown away by the movie as I was by its awesome trailer!

Triggered in short is a slasher movie with an original story and a fascinating array of characters who help to drive the film to its bloody conclusion.

Featuring a pair of high school friends Callie (Meredith Mohler in a scene stealing performance) and Ian (Jessie Dalton) who are only too aware of their towns macabre history decide to use a previous horrific massacre to their advantage. Obviously I wont spoil why they do this but the film finds Callie and Ian faking a vicious attack by the towns uncaught serial killer which backfires spectacularly when the real killer comes for them - and they are NOT happy.

I just want to talk about Callie a bit more. My god if you went to school with this girl you would end up in jail for murder. She is so annoying. Utterly obsessed with cutting down anyone and everyone who might offend those in minority groups, other ethnicity's, etc, Callie does not know when to stop. I'm a gay male and I definitely would find it hard not to strangle someone who was like Callie in real life. However it is this that makes Triggered even more of a standout movie. Yes the world can be shit at times and yes people are hateful and abusive but we have gone so extreme in regards to political correctness that sometimes it feels safer just not to speak at all. What happened to dark humour and banter? Soon any form of comedy will just be banned and life will become REALLY boring. I really appreciated this aspect to the film.

The acting was superb in this film. As mentioned Meredith Mohler does an amazing job as Callie. This actress has some true comedic chops and she has the ability to go really far - she so deserves it. Keni Bounds is a fucking HOOT as Callie's mother and made me laugh every time she was on screen. Jessie Dalton plays Ian brilliantly as an unsure young gay man who seems to just want to find happiness and also has a rather withering view on Callie's extremities.Likewise Sam Furman turns in a great performance as the hot alpha male who is even better when he shows a more vulnerable side to his personality. Plus Jessie and Sam have a fantastic chemistry which only serves to make you more invested in them as characters. Amanda Wyss - ahhh how wonderful to see her in a movie again. I always felt that Amanda brought something really special to poor Tina Gray in A Nightmare on Elm Street. Her short performance made her so much more than just the disposable friend of the final girl and I will always treasure her character as someone who was clearly going to die but that I rooted for all the way. Here Amanda plays the alcohol dependent Principle Gloria Fielding and she is a revelation. She so effortlessly veers from comedy to drama that I loved her character immediately and her scenes with Meredith are just golden. All round great casting here - Caitlyn Driscoll as rich bitch Lisa and her catty friends are also hilarious fun.

Chris Moore 100% knows his genre. There are so many brilliant nods to other horror films in this movie that you should have a great time trying to catch them all. It also nicely defies conventions (a fair bit of male nudity) and it has a playful use of vivid colours such as Callies hot pink wig. Chris has a big future ahead of him if he can make a movie at almost two hours this entertaining from start to finish!

Triggered is well worth your time, its funny, bloody and original and it so deserves your attention! Check it out when it gets released on VOD/DVD for a guaranteed great time.