Initiation, The (1984)

Although "The Initiation" may appear like your typical 80s slasher film from first glances, it ends up having a lot more going on in the storyline than you'd expect and throws some wicked twists up our sleeves. Shopping malls don't get any creepier than the abandoned one used n this film.

Kelly Fairchild (Daphne Zuniga) is a beautiful and bright college student who has been haunted by these grisly nightmares that she has been having since she was a little kid. She can't figure out what they mean and seeks the help of a professor (James Read) who has been studying on dreams. While trying to find out about these visions, her fraternity wants her to sneak into a shopping mall late at night that her father (Clu Gulager) owns. Her objective is to steal a couple security outfits with the help of her friends and bring it to the campus.

It sounds like a simple enough plan, only it seems like someone is stalking Kelly and her friends all around the mall and she can't figure out whom it could be. Once dead bodies start piling up, Kelly tries to save her friends and escape from the killer before its too late.

"The Initiation" proves itself to be a totally satisfying blend of psychological horror, mixed in with some slasher elements that lead up to a pretty twisted ending that left me surprised. There's a high body count, a great looking cast and enough shocks throughout to keep your attention.

Director Larry Stewart, who passed away in 1997, does a skillful job behind the camera. The film looks awfully good and he excels when it comes to building suspense.

One of the strongest things about the film is the presence of Zuniga. Not only is she easy on the eyes, but has a charm and innocence that make her perfect in the part of Kelly. The rest of the performances are quite good, including Read, Gulager and Hunter Tylo, who bares all in a shower scene.

This is an old school slasher film that remains underrated. Its fairly hard to find since its been Out of Print for a while, but if you can find it at the rental outlets, its well worth a look.

Rating: **** out of *****

Review by Adam Eshack - (c) 1/21/02