“I Know What You Did Last Homecoming” is the more apt description for “Sorority Row.” It’s a slick horror movie made in 2009 that feels like it was dropped right out of 1998 and I mean that mostly as a compliment. As someone that’s had almost no faith in horror movies centered primarily on nepo babies and flavors of the week, Stewart Hendler’s “Sorority Row” is a shockingly good and entertaining slasher and whodunit that, while not the most thematically faithful remake, still manages to carve out its own niche in the massive library of remakes accrued in the early aughts.
Cassidy, Jessica, Ellie, Claire and Megan are sorority sisters and true-blue friends to the end — until a prank gone wrong results in Megan’s demise. Rather than risk their futures by reporting the crime, the friends agree to cover it up. Cassidy and company come to regret the decision a year later when someone begins sending them videos of the night Megan died, and they fall victim to a deadly stalker.
“Sorority Row” is virtually critic proof as it knows exactly what kind of movie it is from the outset. It’s a fun and often silly slasher film that works hard to subvert any kind tropes that these movies are known for. You have to at least respect it for changing plot elements up time and time again. I loved the initial set up of the prank that goes horribly awry that results in a pair of fake outs, and ends in a horrible bloody twist. The script can often lean in to being much too silly for its own good, but it also thrives on some clever twists and turns as well as some great dialogue.
The characters in this version are less final girls and more about getting shit done. In particular there’s Leah Pipes, who is easily my favorite character, Jessica. As the alpha female (and massive babe) with a massive attitude and a big mouth, she really manages to carry the film on her back. She not only gets the best action scenes, but she has the absolute best clap backs of any character in a horror film. I’m also a big fan of the fun walk on role by a shotgun wielding Carrie Fischer. Granted I didn’t buy the killer’s explanation too much, nor did I buy that the killer would be able to go back and forth holding all those very heavy specially altered tire irons.
It all seems kind of inconvenient when you get down to it. But they’re thankfully not hindrances on the momentum that’s built over the course of the film. Nonetheless while “Sorority Row” is by no means a slasher masterpiece, it’s definitely one that can stand beside B tier slashers like “Urban Legend” and “Cut.”