This pleasant low budget horror film takes place in LA (Lower Alabama). It has a main plot and a minor subplot. Steven (Jeremy Ivy) brings his girlfriend Amanda (Sherri Eakin) home with him around Halloween. We get to hear and see some of the local flavor as the film builds their character, lines like, "You're not from around here" and "roads that go no where." And of course every proud small town in the south has "the best BBQ in the state." They plan to take Capt. Morgan's Haunted Hayride, a local tradition which features "pitchfork man" based on a local story. Here in Barnwell, we have "rakeman." He doesn't kill people, he just rakes leaves, sort of like Sling-blade, but creepier.

Meanwhile a killer has escaped who might pass for Toj Johnson's son. In the opening scene the killer walks slow dragging an ax. He is able to catch up to a young panicking female at a flat out run...okay she stopped to rest for a second. A pair of odd couple cops are looking for him. Their lines were stale and predictable.

This was a low budget production. In spite of that the filming aspects, special effects, etc were done well. They filmed in color, didn't use any hand held stuff and had multiple camera angels (i.e. multiple cameras),just like real movies. The acting was so-so, to fairly decent. The Hayride itself takes nearly an hour to happen.

While the film wasn't bad, it barely held my interest. The dialogue was too boring with the opening restaurant scene lasting way too long. The slasher scenes needed panache. Makes for a mediocre rental. I won't rush out and buy.

Parental Guide:F-bomb. No sex or nudity.

Hayride is a story about a convicted serial killer who is being transferred and escapes. While this is happening a little ways down the road is the annual hayride event that is built around the legend of Pitchfork. Pitchfork's story is told to us as flashbacks at a campfire hang out, his story is not so much a serial killer one at first, he is a man who was over protected of his daughter and family and when his daughter ran away he went into a rage and started killing people to find her. The locals are not sure if this story is fake or real, and they are also unaware that a couple miles down the road an escaped serial is on the run. That is what makes this film such a fun little watch; it gives you two threats, one that is real and one that is an urban legend? This film plays out like the beginning of something more than an actual film, which is not a knock. This felt like the first chapter of a story that I hope we get more stories from. Like the original Halloween, a lot of the movie is story based and dialog based, but the dialog all seems like they are trying to build a franchise or at least a sequel, they are making the story so interesting that you know they were looking past part one.

This is a low budget indie slasher, and the film really kept a decent pace, though the story telling at times does seem to get a little heavy, but trust me the third act of this film makes up for it. While the kills are low budget, the suspense and music to the scenes really was a winner. This film builds a tense, and does not let up till it gets to the payoff to the scene, which for the most part was fun and jump worthy. The ending was smart and clever, and it will get you trying to think about everything you just watched, because it painted a scenario that has me hoping they give us more. This is a horror film made by a fan for the fans. This makes The Texas Chainsaw Massacre look like Sesame Street, the chainsaw is dead it is time for you to meet the Pitchfork. Horror has a new icon. Forget Hollywood, support the Indies they are still respecting you horror fans, wait till you see this one.

8.5 out of 10 wicked channel.com

Starring Kindergarten Cop (1990) bad guy Richard Tyson we have this generic slasher with slasher Pitchfork. Big well rounded masked individual with *Drumroll* a pitchfork.

Full of bad editing, cut away deaths (A real pet hate of mine) and little originality this slasher flick really doesn't bring anything new to the table.

Revolving around the men and women providing the annual "Hayride" a scary tractor trailer pulled night time experience and our pitchfork wielding maniac.

The ending is pretty dreadful as is the film, but it has it's merits you just need to dig really deep to appreciate them.

The Good:

Richard Tyson

The Hayride experience is kind of neat

The Bad:

Very generic

Poorly edited

Awful ending

Things I learnt from this movie:

In place of a weapon handcuffs can be used to saw a hole through someones neck

The editor didn't have a problem how much the camera man focused on the lead girls ass

Richard Tyson deserves better

An axe to the face will kill you but not damage the plastic hockey mask you were wearing at all